NIBONG TEBAL: The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry has approved more than RM3 million to help rebuild the aquaculture sector affected by the recent floods in Penang.
Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said from the allocation, RM930,000 was to help 280 fishermen and fish breeders and more than RM2 million to repair damaged fisheries' equipment.
"For the aquaculture segment, 4,300 fish cages and 407 breeding ponds run by 164 operators in the Seberang Prai, Southwest and Northeast districts were damaged in the floods.
"The Fisheries Department will provide fish fries and related equipment between RM1,500 and RM2,500 to each breeder,” he said when met after handing out aid to fishermen and fish breeders in Pulau Aman here today.
Shabery said the assistance for the aquaculture sector was estimated to cost RM500,000, which would be distributed once the ministry had received the technical report on the losses.
He said the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia had set aside RM80,000 to repair damaged fish cages and the Seberang Prai Fishermen's Association centre.
"Although we may not fully compensate them for the losses, this is the Federal Government's sincere assistance to help alleviate their sufferings," he added.
Meanwhile, Shabery expressed disappointment with the attitude of opposition members of parliament who had tried to derail the ministry's budget in the Parliament recently.
"I am worried about what happened two days ago when many opposition lawmakers, including from Penang, tried to derail the tabling of our budget.
"For me, politics should serve as a platform to help the people and not to merely see who score brownie points.
"By right, we should all come together to help those affected by the floods in Penang to ensure they return to normalcy," he said.