Ahmad Shabery willing to represent Selangor fishermen over jetty tax issue

SUNGAI BESAR: Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek is willing to represent Selangor fishermen over the state government's proposed RM600 jetty tax issue per annum.
"There are too many complaints from the fishermen. This (tax) should not have materialised as most of the jetties were built by LKIM (Malaysian Fisheries Development Board). Some of them are (in fact) private-owned.
"The state government did not contribute anything, let alone (provide) the facilities ... and now, they want to impose a charge.
"This tax is an additional burden for the fishermen. It will definitely increase their operating costs and eventually, pass on the burden to the people by selling fish at a higher price," he told reporters after officiating the Fishermen Security and Prosperity programme at the Bagan Sungai Besar Fishermen Jetty here today.
Also present were the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar; Fisheries Department director-general, Datuk Ismail Abu Hassan; LKIM chairman, Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim; and Barisan Nasional candidate for Sungai Besar parliamentary by-election, Budiman Mohd Zohdi.
Ahmad Shabery urged the Selangor Government to explain the proposed tax issue affecting the 5,000 fishermen in the state. — Bernama