Jamali (seventh left) and association members holding placards to show their support for Adenan.
MIRI: Members of Miri Fishermen Association gave their thumbs up to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem yesterday for solving the recent Suluk fishermen issue promptly.
Its chairman, Councillor Jamali Basrim, said Adenan’s leadership style had quickly put a stop to the problem that affected the livelihood of local fishermen from taking root in the state.
“We (association) wish to thank Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem for his help. He had shown remarkable leadership by mobilising all relevant agencies to address the issue that was plaguing ordinary people like us,” said Jamali to The Borneo Post on the sideline of the 36th Annual General Meeting of Miri Fishermen Association at Miri Civic Centre yesterday.
He noted that Adenan had even gone a step further by instructing the relevant authorities to uproot illegal immigrants in the state before it mushroomed into a big headache like in Sabah.
“We hope the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Immigration Department and Marine Fishery Department would continue to be vigilant to the encroachment by Suluk fishermen,” said Jamali, who also thanked the federal government for giving fishermen fuel subsidy.
In sharing the same view, Okong Sulip of Kampung Nelayan Kuala Bakam said Adenan had shown that he was truly a leader of the people, including ordinary folk.
He said his (Adenan’s) prompt response to the fishermen’s call for help meant that no problem was too small for him.
“Kudos to our CM. We, the fishermen, will help him to bring the state to greater heights of progress,” said Okong.
Fisherman Masni Jana from Kampung Piasau Utara said local fishermen would give their undivided support to the Barisan Nasional in the next state election.
Meanwhile in his speech at the AGM, Jamali said another wet market for fishermen would be built in Kampung Luak here soon. According to him, presently there are two fish markets – one in Kampung Piasau Utara here, and another at Kampung Nelayan Kuala Bakam.