Association urges for vacant Fisheries Dept director post to be filled

SIBU (Oct 8): The Sarawak Fishing Vessels Association (SFVA) is calling for the position of Sarawak Fisheries Department director to be promptly filled.

Its chairman Harry Tan noted that the post has been left vacant for quite some time, causing certain matters such as renewal of fishing vessel licence to be delayed.

“If I am not mistaken, that position has been left ‘empty’ for about two years. The deputy director is laden with workloads and certain matters, such as renewal of fishing vessel licence, need to be referred to Putrajaya for approval.

“This slows down the process of licence renewal,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

With regard to the survey of fishing boats for purpose of licence renewal, Tan suggested that it need not be centralised.

“If one’s vessel is currently in Bintulu, the department personnel there should be empowered to carry out the renewal process since the database is online, and need not go through Kuching.

“Each district should have somebody to approve the renewal process.”

Additionally, he hoped that the enforcement agencies would not detain fishing vessels if the operator was at odds with the authorities.

“Instead, just like a traffic offence, the offender can be issued a compound to settle the case. If the vessel is detained, the livelihoods of the fishermen will be affected.”

He said the operating cost of a vessel is about RM20,000 per month, and that the detention of a vessel would see the operator suffering RM60,000 in losses.

On the installation of the Mobile Tracking Unit (MTU) in Class C vessels, Tan said it has been postponed to January next year.

However, he said SFVA is hoping that it will not be made mandatory.

“We are of the opinion that it is not feasible to be implemented in Sarawak since our waters stretch 200 nautical miles. The equipment is more ideal for vessels plying in the Straits of Malacca.”

Touching on Upper Lanang Fishery wharf, Tan said the association is hoping to arrange a dialogue with the Public Works Department (JKR) to resolve the longstanding issue.

He said they had written to JKR but have yet to receive a response.

“We hope that JKR can have a dialogue with us, and if we are allowed to manage the wharf, we can deepen the areas near the facility to facilitate vessels berthing there,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) president Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong, who was also present, suggested that Sarawak – like Sabah – be given back control of its fisheries department under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.