KOTA TINGGI: The government will request UK-based insurer British Marine to compensate fishermen affected by oil slicks off Singapore which have drifted into Malaysian waters.
In an Instagram post, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman said British Marine will engage the Pengerang Fishermen's Association and the Fisheries Department on compensation.
British Marine is the insurer for Marine Honour, the vessel that leaked 400 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel into the sea at Singapore's Pasir Panjang Terminal.
The incident happened when a dredger Vox Maxima hit the Marine Honour rupturing one of its oil cargo tanks.
Azalina, who is also the Pengerang member of Parliament said the compensation was crucial for the fishermen as their only source of income was affected by the oil spill.
Earlier, it was reported that some 200 fishermen operating in Sungai Rengit have been unable to fish for more than five days and have incurred losses.
This came after strong winds and choppy waves led to the oil spill drifting into Malaysian waters, polluting beaches along Sungai Rengit and Teluk Ramunia.
The pollution along the beaches stretched around one kilometre.
Clean-up works on the beaches and surrounding waters began on Friday.
Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon has said that British Marine will compensate Malaysian authorities for the ongoing clean-up.
Meanwhile, Azalina said Malaysian authorities are in close contact with their Singaporean counterparts.
"(We want) to ensure a collaborative effort in mitigating further impacts and preventing similar incidents in the future."