GEORGE TOWN: Fishing supplies retailer Abdul Jalil Abdul Rahim is in a dilemma as he is still waiting for about RM60,000 in payments for supplies already redeemed by fishermen under the Fishermen's Aid Redemption Programme.
A first-time participant of the programme, Abdul Jalil, 63, said more than a year later, he still has not received the outstanding amount from the state government.
He said the prolonged delay has placed his small-scale business in a difficult position at a time when operating costs are already rising and customers are tightening spending.
“I joined because I wanted to support the fishermen. Many of them depend on these supplies for their livelihood and daily catch.
“But now, I am the one struggling to stay afloat," he said.
Abdul Jalil, whose shop is in Teluk Kumbar, said he had trusted the programme because it was organised by the state government and believed payments would be made according to schedule.
“There has been no response. Every time we follow up, we are still left without answers.
“If I had known about the red tape involved, I would not have participated,” he said when met outside the Patani Road police station Friday (May 8).
Abdul Jalil was among eight retailers from Penang island and Seberang Perai who lodged police reports seeking settlement of outstanding payments allegedly owed under the programme.
Representing the group, retailer YK Foong, 58, urged the Penang government to expedite the payments, saying the prolonged delays were severely affecting small businesses that had participated in good faith to assist fishermen.
Foong estimated that more than 40% of registered fishermen in Penang island and the mainland had utilised the programme, involving aid allocations worth over RM500,000.
“Yet, more than 12 months later, payment for the redeemed items remains outstanding,” he said.
According to Foong, retailers had previously participated in a similar state programme in 2019, where all redemptions and payments were completed smoothly and without delay.
Encouraged by that experience, he said, they accepted another official invitation issued by the state government in late March 2025 to participate in the latest programme.
Throughout the redemption period, the retailers maintained close communication with the relevant authorities, regularly updating officials on redemption progress and even providing photographic evidence of fishermen collecting their aid items.
"However, about two weeks after the programme began — during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays, we were instructed to temporarily suspend activities until further notice.
“After the holidays ended, there was no further instruction to resume the programme, but we still complied fully with all the requirements set out in the invitation,” he said.
Foong added that repeated follow-ups with various agencies, including the state finance office, state secretariat, exco office and Chief Minister’s Office, had failed to provide a clear timeline for payment.
“The continued delay in payment is now affecting our own ability to operate. We are only asking for the state government to honour the commitment made to us,” he said.
State rural development, agro technology, food security and entrepreneurship committee chairman Datuk Rashidi Zinol, however, denied there was any element of misappropriation involving the alleged non-payment of RM500,000 in fishermen’s voucher allocations.
He said the issue stemmed from procedural delays and documentation discrepancies involving several agencies, including the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM), the Area Fishermen’s Association (PNK) and state financial units.
Of the RM500,000 allocation, Rashidi said RM293,000 under PNK had already been disbursed, while RM207,000 under LKIM was still pending.
“A review found procedural issues where some company documents were incomplete, which delayed the payment process involving eight companies,” he told a press conference at the Penang State Legislative Assembly building Friday.
He said six of the eight companies had since been verified as having complete documentation and would be prioritised for payment, while the remaining two were still required to submit additional documents.
Rashidi also dismissed claims that the state Economic Planning Unit (BPEN) had ignored inquiries from traders, saying the verification and payment process was being coordinated in stages.
“The state is expediting the matter, with payments expected to be completed as early as next week once all documentation is fully in order.
“We understand the situation faced by the companies, but they must complete their documents first. Payment will be made next week,” he said.
Commenting on the police reports lodged by the traders, Rashidi said they had every right to seek clarification and that the state government would cooperate fully with the police if required.
