A TOTAL of 10,330 fishing vessels received diesel subsidies up to October this year under the Diesel and Petrol Subsidy Scheme for Fishermen, which has been continued by the government to ensure the sustainability of the sector and the stability of the nation’s fish supply.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu (pic) said that this year, a subsidised diesel quota of 70 million litres per month was approved at RM1.65 per litre, with total subsidised diesel distributed reaching 532.75 million litres, amounting to RM669mil in subsidies.
“For Sabah, 1,455 vessel owners received diesel subsidies totalling 86.6 million litres, valued at RM116.5mil in 2025. In 2026, an allocation of 10 million litres per month will be provided to benefit the same group of fishermen,” he told the Dewan Negara yesterday, Bernama reported.
He was replying to a question from Senator Datuk Bobbey Suan.
Mohamad said the total allocation and quota would be maintained next year, with subsidy implementation based on quotas, set fuel consumption rates and verified actual usage by fishermen, as confirmed by the Fisheries Development Authority.
To prevent leakages, he said the ministry is strengthening control mechanisms, including a gradual transition to mobile applications such as facial recognition to verify subsidy recipients, as well as improving existing methods in areas with limited internet access.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said the government does not designate any state or specific area as a specialised food producer, instead adopts a flexible approach based on weather conditions, terrain and the capacity of local agricultural operators.
“So far, we have not designated specific states or areas to produce particular food items,” he said when replying to a question from Senator Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol.
