Calls to authorities draw blank as fishermen sit out their sixth day on shore

KUCHING: There is still no word on why the subsidised diesel quota for the fishermen in Kuching and Samarahan divisions was slashed by half.

TAN: We can only sit and wait.

The Borneo Post contacted the Fishery Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday but it washed its hands off the issue.

An officer of the authority said the diesel quota was determined by the Agriculture and Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry.

Calls were made to the said division but the person in charge was apparently in a meeting.

Fishermen from Kuching and Samarahan divisions are unable to go out to sea since six days ago putting their economic life in dire straits.

It is believed that more than 800 vessels in the two divisions are now stranded after their tanks ran dry.

Sarawak Fisherman Association (Penesa) chairman Jamali Basri had told The Borneo Post’s sister daily, Utusan Borneo, on Thursday that LKIM was in charge of the diesel subsidy.

He claimed that the authority had reduced the quota from 13 million litres to 11 million litres for Sarawak.

“That is the reason why there is a shortage of diesel for the fishermen of Sarawak. The problem is not only happening in Kuching and Samarahan divisions but also in Sibu,” he said.

Sarawak LKIM director Abdul Rahman Ellie still has not made any comments on the matter.

Kuching Trawler Association secretary Kapitan Tan Boon Ting yesterday said that he wanted to meet Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan but the latter was not free.

“Right now I do not know what to do but sit and wait,” he added when met at Muara Tabuan where many of the boats are stranded.

Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong expressed her disappointment with LKIM and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.

She told reporters that the problem did not happened only now but had been there, never completely solved.

“I doubt the government is providing sufficient subsidised diesel and that the federal government is not taking care of the fishermen here,” said Yong.

According to her, the fishermen had met a senior government officer sometime last month and yet the problem was not resolved.

“This proves that the issue should be raised in the parliament,” she added.