Fishermen in Pasir Gudang hit hard by pollution

JOHOR BARU: Fishermen want the state government to come out with an assurance that all seafood products in Pasir Gudang are safe as yet another pollution in the area affected prices.

One of them, Erman Zainal, 45, said business has been declining since the Sungai Kim Kim incident and now they only focus more on their loyal customers.

He hoped the government would step in to help the fishermen.

A visit by The Star to Kampung Pasir Gudang Baru fishermen’s market found the usually busy place all quiet and devoid of customers, although there were fresh fish on display.

Johor Fishermen’s Association (Josfa) chairman Datuk Mohamad Dolmat said the state has enough experts who can conduct research to find out immediately whether the marine life in Pasir Gudang is safe for consumption or not.

“Although it’s only air pollution, the public’s perception is that it covers all due to the previous Sungai Kim Kim incident in March.

“The associations cannot be the ones doing the promotions and giving assurance because the public would only think of us as trying to promote our products,” he said when met at Josfa’s Kota Puteri office here.

“But if the government thinks that the fish here are contaminated and fishermen should lay off first as research is being conducted, we will comply,” he said.

South Johor Fishermen’s Associa­tion chairman Azli Mohamad Aziz said the repeat pollution in Pasir Gudang has hampered the area’s fish market recovery process.

“Before Sungai Kim Kim, our fishermen could make about RM1,000 a month but after the incident, our income has become unstable, with our overall market performance having dropped about 40%.”