The Sarawak Fishing Vessels Association is joining the fishing fratenity nationwide in appealling to the government to reconsider its decision to withdraw the subsidy on diesel.

Association chairman Ha Tung Ting said more than 400 vessels belonging to members mainly from Sibu, Sarikei and Bintulu had not gone out to sea since the beginning of this month when the subsidy was reduced.

"We cannot go out to fish as we will incur losses.

"And we cannot simply pass the increase in cost to the consumers as they will not buy if the price rises," he told reporters in Sibu today.

"So far we have always supported the government. That is why we have decided not to hold protests or demonstrations and believe in negotiation," Ha said.

He said with diesel now costing RM1.80 per litre compared with RM1.25 previously, a boat would have to spend at least RM10,000 extra per trip to go out to sea which they could ill afford.

"Members too have laid off more than 300 crew members as they can no longer afford to pay them their salaries," he said.

Meanwhile, Ha again called on the government to check on the 289 deep sea fishing vessels operating in Tanjung Manis, near Sibu.

Although they belonged to local companies, Ha said the vessels and crew members were all foreigners and allegedly would sell off their catch to mother ships (from their own countries) waiting far in the open sea.

"They are also entitled to subsidised diesel. So far this month, I have been told that they had used 600,000 litres of their diesel quota of 3,000,000 litres but where are the fish?" he said.

He said under the present situation, he was not sure when members who owned C2 vessels for deep sea fishing and those in Class A, B and C for coastal fishing would go to fish again.

- Bernama

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