It was a particularly memorable Hari Raya Aidiladha for a group of fishermen from the southern coast of Penang island, who walked away with brand new boats and engines from the state government.
For several in the group, the new equipment served as the ultimate birthday present, as they happened to be celebrating their birthdays at the same time.
For Che Anuar Puteh, 64, from Sungai Batu, the handover came just a day after he celebrated his birthday.
“Our family lives on the yields of the sea. Two of my sons are also fishermen,” he said after receiving a boat in the ceremony.
The asset handover is part of Penang government’s Social Impact Management Plan under the Silicon Island project, which aims to equip 294 eligible fishermen with upgraded seafaring assets by 2027.
To date, 158 fishermen have received their new boats and high-powered engines.
Yeoh Mah Kee, 78, who celebrated his birthday recently, said the new equipment represented relief from years of mounting repair costs.
“I previously had a 60-horsepower engine which required constant maintenance and repairs. It was very costly.
“Now everything is brand new, and there will be no more heavy maintenance costs. It makes a big difference,” the fisherman from Gertak Sanggul said.
Mohamad Shafiq Rostam, 28, of Sungai Batu, said the new boat marked both opportunity and responsibility as he inherited the fishing trade from his late father.
Teluk Kumbar fisherman Khalil Husain, 50, described the week as unusually joyful, with celebrations stretching beyond Aidiladha itself.
“It feels like a whole week full of joy,” he said, noting that the boat handover followed an Aidiladha community programme a day earlier, where 70 fishing families received fresh chicken.
Fellow fisherman Azmi Hussin expressed his appreciation to the state government and implementing agencies for supporting the fishing community.
Speaking at the “Sambutan Aidiladha Bersama Komuniti Nelayan” programme earlier, Penang Infrastructure Corporation (PIC) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Farizan Darus said out of 877 registered fishermen, 795 had already received ex-gratia payments totalling RM11.84mil.
He said Penang government through PIC remained committed to safeguarding the socioeconomic well-being of the fishing community to ensure state development progresses in an inclusive manner.
Bayan Lepas assemblyman and Penang State Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Azrul Mahathir Aziz echoed this commitment, asserting that the fishing community remained an important asset to the state.
“They should not be sidelined amid rapid development,” he said.
“Penang government remains committed to ensuring development projects, including Silicon Island, continue to prioritise the well-being of local communities.”
