Stop using PSI reclamation project as a political tool, says fishermen's association

GEORGE TOWN: Stop believing in negative claims about the Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation project, says the Bayan Lepas Fishermen's Welfare Association.

Everyone, especially GE15 candidates, should understand the details of PSI and hear out the fishermen involved before using the issue as a political tool, the association said in a statement on Monday (Nov 14).

"It is unfair to assume that their statements represent the fishermen's community.

"The truth is that individuals making statements about PSI are not fishermen.

"We fishermen end up being labelled as black sheep for wanting to improve the quality of our lives," it added.

PSI involves the reclamation of three islands off the south of Penang island.

Expected to be done over decades, the project will create hundreds of hectares of development land.

The association stated that long-term satellite tracking of fishing boats had proven that their usual fishing grounds – where they lay out their nets – are not within the planned reclamation site.

Instead, it said PSI would enable local fishermen to be given larger boats and engines, on top of greater nautical technology, to let inshore fishermen venture further in search of their catch.

It added that an ex-gratia payment would be provided to every fisherman affected while new jetties, navigational channels and skills upgrading programmes would be provided.

"Stop criticising those who dare to speak up for fishermen's welfare. Think about it from our perspective," it added.

It said that in October last year, it obtained the signatures of 1,521 residents in the association's communities, including 435 fishermen, to support PSI.