Penang govt will still honour PSI benefits promised to fishermen

 

The Penang South Island reclamation project has been scaled down to a single island known as the Silicon Island.

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will still honour its promises relating to the Penang South Island reclamation project to nine fishermen units under Phases 1 and 2 of the Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP).

State secretary Sayuthi Bakar said the package promised to fishermen who qualified would continue even though the scope of the project was reduced to only the Silicon Island.

“The state government, as the owner of the project, made the decision on June 21 to maintain the SIMP package as previously announced to the fishermen.

“The decision means the SIMP package promised to fishermen under Phases 1 and 2 won’t change, including those from the Permatang Tepi Laut, Sungai Batu, Teluk Kumbar and Gertak Sanggul units who will receive benefits such as boat and engine assistance and jetties. Ex-gratia payments remain unchanged,” he said in a statement today.

He said the state government handed over seven new boats and engines worth RM560,000 to the second fishermen group of Permatang Tepi Laut dan Teluk Kumbar involved in the PSI reclamation project.

Sayuthi said the boat and engine assistance programme under the SIMP would be implemented in stages even though reclamation work had yet to begin. - FMT