The Federal Government of Malaysia will consider increasing the current cost of living allowance for fishermen if the economy recovers and the financial capability of the government allows it, said Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
The Agriculture and Food Security Minister said that due to the national debt of the country reaching RM1.5 trillion, the government needed to spend wisely, but despite that the welfare of fishermen remained a priority for the government.
“Our country’s economy is improving, and if there is an increase of economic revenue, and we will look into it (the cost of living allowance),” he said during a press conference after attending Jalinan Mesra Madani event with fisherman at Kuala Kedah Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) here on Thursday (Aug 10).
Mohamad said the government through LKIM still continued to provide a cost of living allowance to 38,000 fishermen in the country with an allocation of RM136.8mil and from the total, 2,151 were fishermen from Kedah.
Currently, eligible fishermen receive RM300 per month from the government.
He said other than the allowance, the government has been carrying out various assistance programmes such as the Fisherman Safety and Protection Scheme, Disaster and Fund Relief Scheme and Special Housing Fisherman Project.
He said this year, the government decided to continue subsidising petrol and diesel for the fishermen.
Each fisherman receives 70 litre per month of subsidised diesel and petrol priced at RM1.65 for.
And this year for Kedah, a total of 2,144 fishermen were eligible for the subsidy.
He, however, said all this was achieved thanks to the current political stability in the country that encouraged investors to continue investing.
On the state elections, the Amanah president said the campaign for the party candidates in all six states was carrying on smoothly.
He said with only two days left before the polling day, it was up to the people to make their choices.
The party is contesting in 31 seats from the total of 245 seats up for grabs in the state elections.