500 fishermen rally over land reclamation plan

BALIK PULAU: More than 500 fishermen today rallied against the proposal to reclaim land off the Permatang Damar Laut coast for the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) project.

Spokesman Nazri Ahmad, 50, said reclamation will affect the livelihoods of fishermen from Sungai Pinang to Pulau Betong, the southwest coast of Penang island.

He said marine ecosystems will be affected thereby jeopardising their catch and their incomes.

"Reclamation will have massive repercussions on us and on the environment," he said prior to leading the rally at the Sungai Batu Beach in Teluk Kumbar near here where 14 fishermen associations took part.

Rally organisers also managed to obtain more than 1,000 signatures from fishermen to oppose the reclamation where a 930ha plot and a 445ha are proposed to be reclaimed.

Nazri said the signatures will be sent in a protest memorandum to the state government and to the Department of Environment (DOE).

He rubbished suggestions fishermen were anti-development, noting development was not meaningful if their livelihoods were threatened.

"What is the use of development if we cannot maintain our traditions and daily lives," he said adding the well-being of fishermen must be thought off.

Seri Jerjak Fishermen Association member Ooi Ah Lee, 67, urged the state to reconsider as reclamation will result in a the narrowing of the Penang straits.

"There will less sea for us to go out to catch fish," he said while Rodzi Ahmad, 55, called upon the state government not to proceed.

Musa Shariff, 57, meanwhile said he did not want to be relocated from his home in Teluk Kumbar if such an alternative was offered.

"I want to remain where I am for the rest of my life to fish where I am at," he added while Abdul Rasyid Yop, 63, stressed they were not against development but wanted their livelihoods should not be affected.