MAFI compiling list of licensed fishermen to receive govt aid

BELURAN: The Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry (MAFI) will carry out a nationwide "whitewashing" process to determine if full-time fishermen possess valid fishing licences.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said the move was to ensure that no fisherman was left out of the government's subsistence allowance.

"I hope the area and state fishermen's associations will play a more active role to ensure that the fishermen registered in their respective areas are genuine (full-time) fishermen.

"The government spends hundreds of millions of ringgit every year to provide assistance to fishermen in the form of cash and it should reach the target group," he told reporters after attending a ceremony with fishermen from Pulau Jambongan, near here, today.

Kiandee also said that his team is still collecting data on fishermen who have not registered for valid fishing licences.

According to him, the fishermen's subsistence allowance is RM300 a month.

-- BERNAMA