Fisherman bemoans reclamation works near Queensbay Mall

GEORGE TOWN: A fisherman from Batu Uban said the ongoing reclamation works near Queensbay Mall has affected the livehood of fishermen in the area.
Mohd Maidin Abd Hamid, 63, said his income was reduced by half since reclamation works commenced.
"On average I can get at least RM1,500 to RM1,600 per month, but now it is so hard to get even RM600," he said during a press conference with Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) representatives today.
Mohd Maidin also claimed the reclamation work was not done properly, endangering the safety of fishermen.
He said the buoy that was used at the site did not have a proper beacon, causing damage to boats that had hit the buoy at night.
"My fishing nets and boats were damaged by it, they should have followed the law during the reclamation work," he said, adding that his estimated loss was RM2,500.
SAM field officer Zulkifli Yusof said it is high time for the federal government to fulfill its promises in cancelling reclamation works in Penang if it affected the livehood of fishermen.
He said during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's visit to the state in August, he said no approval would be given to the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project if it adversely affects the livelihood of the people.
Zulkifli said the government should not just focus on PSR, but also other reclamation projects in Penang.
SAM research officer S. Mageswari said the worse threat may occur to the coastal and marine environment and also the livelihood of fishermen if the state government proceeded with the PSR.
"We urge the Penang government to immediately cancel the decision to implement reclamation projects in the state," she said.