Yahya (second left) presenting the aid to one of the fishermen.
PUTATAN: Nearly 1,000 local fishermen received their living allowance yesterday in conjunction with the Fishermen Living Allowance Programme, courtesy of the government.
“This programme is an initiative by the government, which aims to help the fishermen in Sabah. I was made to understand that there are nearly 1,000 certified fishermen who would be receiving this aid today.
“RM300 in cash will be given to each of the fishermen here. This includes a monthly allocation of RM330,000, which amounts to RM3.9 million a year.
“As we all know, Sabah has one of the highest poverty rates in the country and that the fishermen are the ones who are often associated with poverty.
“Thus, the implementation of this programme fits perfectly in with the government’s contention in eradicating poverty,” said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin.
Yahya added, in countering poverty, the government had been distributing this allowance since June 2008.
All the fishermen who possess a valid licence from the Fisheries Department will be eligible for this aid, even if they are not necessarily tied with the Fishermen Association.
Yahya disclosed that, as of now, there were about 12,441 certified fishermen and were eligible for this aid in Sabah who are eligible for this aid.
“The fishermen will also receive assistance in the form of diesel/petrol subsidy aimed at lessening the fishermen’s burden when they are operating in the sea.
“Other than that, these fishermen will also receive a RM0.10 incentive for every kilogram of fish caught. Thus, it is vital for us to thank the government, Barisan Nasional, for being so considerate towards the fishermen,” added Yahya.
“Nearly 30% of the current fishermen comprise youths. Thus, I urge the government to assist these youths. At the same time, the Kota Kinabalu Fishermen Association has established a safety crew.
“So in the event a fisherman is in danger and in need of help, we, the youths will assemble and provide help to them,” said Faquzree Salim, a fellow board member of the Kota Kinabalu Fisherman Association.
In ensuring that the funds given would be used correctly by the youths, Faquzree said that his association would constantly keep tabs on the youths, making sure that the money was not used for the wrong purposes.
He also proposed that the youths should participate in more activities, in which he cited the Dragon Boat Race, which can be a good platform for the youths to be more involved in beneficial activities.
Sixty-five-year-old female fisherman Mastura Yusof has also expressed her gratitude towards the government.
“I will use this allowance to purchase oil and trawl net (as it is very expensive these days). As for the rest of our daily needs, we can always use our own money to support ourselves.
“When we go out to the sea, sometimes we will be lucky, other times maybe not so lucky. If there are rain and wind, it will be very hard for us to carry out our duties,” said Mastura, who has been in the fishing industry for over 30 years.
The event, which was officiated by Yahya, was held at Pasir Putih Multi Purpose Hall Putatan.