A total of 3,879 Zone A, B, C and C2 fishermen will start making a contribution of RM157.20 to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) on Aug 15 .

The Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry in a statement said the contribution through the Fishermen's Incentive Programme (FIP) System is once a year deduction which would be implemented in stages.

"The Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) had held engagement sessions and gave briefings on the contribution under the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) to replace the fishermen's group insurance.

According to the statement, all fishermen are required and encouraged to contribute because of the implications of the implementation as fishermen who have been receiving the fishermen's subsistence allowance (ESH) will no longer be insured by takaful operators or insurance companies.

The fishermen group is the first under the Agriculture and Food Industry to contribute to Socso under SKSPS.

Fishermen who do not receive the ESH are encouraged to sign up for the SKSPS contribution at any Socso SKSPS registration counters nationwide, the statement added.

-- BERNAMA