Several fishermen in Malaysia have rejected claims that the reclamation area for the massive Penang South Islands project is devoid of fish and prawns.
The fishermen interviewed by FMT say there is an abundance of fish and prawns in the waters off Bayan Lepas, to the extent that people come from as far as Kedah and Perak to fish in the waters.
State executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari had previously drawn criticism after he claimed the project site was not a “rich breeding ground for fishes” and that it was “basically shallow, muddy waters”.
Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow has also been reported as saying that fishermen do not fish around the area, quoting a study by the fisheries department.
However, fisherman Aril Shahril told FMT that he catches around RM800 worth of fish per day.
“Many (fishermen) are annoyed because those who say such things are not fishermen. Do they know how much the fishermen here are earning? We have records to prove how much we earn,” he said.
Another fisherman Roziman Ibrahim said ikan kembung (Indian mackerel) could be found in abundance in the areas around the islets of Pulau Rimau, Pulau Kendi and Pulau Betong.
Azhar Najamuddin said the presence of trawlers in the area was proof that there were a lot of fish and prawns to be caught. “If there are no (fishes), then how is it that you can see many boats around here?” he told FMT.
Fishermen have been among the most vocal opponents of the PSI project which involves massive land reclamation over 17 square kilometres for the creation of three artificial islands. Commercial and property development on the three islands would be used to finance new highways and a transit system under the Penang Transport Master Plan.
Ahmad Rumli Sharif and Amin Omar are among the fishermen who fear their livelihoods will be affected, as happened to their peers in Tanjung Tokong when reclamation works were carried out there in 2006.