WHEN they were not out fishing, they were protesting. 

That is how Penang Fishermen’s Association deputy chairman Mahadi Md Rodzi summed up 2019 for members trying to fight the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.

The mammoth project is to build three man-made islands that they say will affect a prime fishing and fish-spawning area.

Their protests and appeals for dialogue have largely been ignored by Penang, but the fishing folk are determined to continue their protests, said Mahadi.

“Their lack of response is making us more assertive. We don’t intend to give up. We’ve already held some meetings to plan for next year, when we will launch greater protests,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“It’s our responsibility to oppose the project, to protect the interests of the fishing community and marine resources,” he said in an interview in Batu Maung.

More and more fishermen, who previously did not want to get involved, are supporting the opposition to PSR, he said.

The three man-made islands are to fund the Penang Transport Master Plan. 

Fishermen are already weary from the hardship resulting from the reclamation at Tg Tokong for the Tg Pinang 1 (STP1) and Seri Tg Pinang 2 (STP2) projects in the late 1990s, said Mahadi.

“That whole area was taken for reclaimed land, when it was rich in pomfret, crabs and shrimp.

“The local fishermen now have to go further out to sea to find fish. They were only compensated RM15,000. It is not enough, because we are talking about the complete destruction of seafood stock.”

He stressed that the fishermen are not protesting solely for compensation, but want the government to consider the larger and long-term picture for fishing communities when they are out of jobs and the decline in seafood resources for consumers.

As such, he said, fishing folk are directly opposing PSR instead of asking for higher compensation.

“Don’t make up stories that we only want to talk about compensation. What we are interested in is protesting against the project.

“Some (alternative) livelihood projects have been announced, but there are still question marks. What will actually happen to the fishermen?”

Throughout 2019, their demonstrations included rallies in front of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur and at the Penang assembly, and a memorandum of protest sent to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Environmental activists are also against PSR.

Nevertheless, the project has received the go-ahead, with Putrajaya granting its approval last April.

The project’s developer is SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, a joint venture that includes Gamuda Bhd, which has promoted the man-made islands as the next major attraction for Penang akin to Singapore’s Marina Bay.

Besides tourism, part of PSR’s three islands will also be for new industrial areas, and business and financial hubs.

Though supported by the ruling coalition, some of its members have called for caution.

Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is opposed to PSR, while Agriculture and Agro-based Minister Salahuddin Ayub said it will affect nearly 5,000 fishermen and 511 aquaculture farmers.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has held talks with fishermen and promised to bring their protest to Chow.

Mahadi feels that such talk is useless, as the government’s approval shows its disregard for the fishing community’s concerns.

“From 2018 to 2019, we only met once with the chief minister. Even the state exco for agriculture and agro-based industry, Dr Afif Bahardin, has never had a proper formal discussion with us. He does meet with some fishermen, but only certain ones.”

Last October, Afif addressed fishermen’s concerns, including by highlighting studies that showed catch has already been on a decline in the PSR project area for the last 10 years, and fewer fishermen are actually fishing there.

He also said it is a “reality” that the younger generation does not wish to take up fishing like their elders, and that alternative sources of income will be found for those working as fishermen.

Ecosystem-related concerns will be addressed through artificial reefs and mangrove reforestation projects, he added. – January 1, 2020.