ALOR SETAR, Feb 21 ― The government will set up the Fishermen Trust Fund as an initiative to ensure the wellbeing of the fishermen who are no longer able to go to the sea due to many reasons, including old age and suffering from an illness or some form of disability.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub said the initiative, which was still the midst of being formulated, aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of fishermen who lost their source of income after they were no longer able to go to the sea to catch fish.
“This initiative is for fishermen who are unable to continue fishing due to old age and those suffered some form of disability, struck by disaster or suffered from an illness that causes them no longer able to go to the sea.
“We will identify the appropriate model in formulating this initiative and will consider the assistance to be channelled to the fishermen,” he said in a press conference after launching his ministry’s meet customers’ day programme in Kuala Sala, near here today.
Salahuddin expressed his hope that the fund could be launched soon and it would be managed by the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM).
He said the trust fund would incorporate data and information obtained from various related parties including LKIM, the National Fisheries Association (NEKMAT) and the area fishermen associations.
Meanwhile, touching of fishermen’s allowances, he said that those who did not receive subsistence allowances could appeal to fishermen’s associations in their respective areas if they felt they deserved to receive assistance.
He said there were about 10,000 fishermen whose names had been removed from the list of those eligible for subsistence, following the re-listing process involving more than 50,000 fishermen nationwide.
“Now there are 40,000 fishermen still receive the allowance, but we can’t deny that we may be overlooked, so they (who do not receive the allowance) can appeal and we will investigate their claims fairly,” he said. ― Bernama
