Joint ventures with foreign investors encouraged for bigger tuna landings

KUALA LUMPUR: The government encourages joint ventures between foreign investors and local industry players in the effort to increase the landing of tuna, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (pix) said research was also conducted continuously on deep sea resources as well as tuna to develop the industry.
"The government is also encouraging the industry. It has provided a deep-sea fishing complex in Labuan and plans to develop similar complexes in Penang and Tok Bali, Kelantan," he said during Question Time.
He was replying to a question from Datuk Rozman Isli (BN-Labuan) on the long-term plan of the ministry to attract tuna fishermen to land their catch in the country.
Tajuddin said the government also constructed artificial reefs and provided cold room facilities for tuna fishermen.
He also said that the government was working on developing downstream industries, namely tuna processing and tuna-based products. — Bernama