The government should assist fishermen and trawler boat operators affected by the subsidy cut for diesel, instead of warning them against continuing their strike, said Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming.

About 1,000 fishermen and trawler boat operators in Kuantan, Johor and Perlis have refused to go out to sea for three days, to back their demand for super-subsidy diesel.

They have threatened to prolong their strike if the government does not assist them immediately.

NONE“Pakatan’s stand on the matter is (that the government should) immediately meet with the Class C2 fishermen who are on strike,” the DAP parliamentarian told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

“Since the strike began (two days ago), there has been a 30 percent drop in (fish supply) and a 30 percent increase in fish prices.”

He added that Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar’s warning to fishermen from the A, B and C zones not to get involved in the strike - on pain of losing their licences - is unwarranted.

'Negative feedback'

However, Agriculture and Agro-based deputy minister Chua Tee Yong acknowledged today that the sudden reduction in diesel subsidy has drawn “a lot of negative feedback”.

NONE“In terms of subsidy rationalisation for the fishermen, the initial decision by cabinet was to restructure the subsidy... I hope the fishermen will still be considered for a subsidy - if not the super-subsidy, at least a subsidy," said Chua (right).

“We hope that they will continue to fish so that there would not be any disruption in supply,” he said, adding that he is keen on arranging a meeting with the relevant parties to resolve the matter.

Noh had threatened that the ministry would direct the Fisheries Department to import more fish from neighbouring countries and increase the issuance of import licences to enable this, should the strike continue.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the strike should not go on because the subsidy has only been reduced and not withdrawn.

The current price is RM1.80 per litre compared to RM1.25 previously.

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