KOTA TINGGI: More than 100 fishermen affected by oil slicks off Singapore, which drifted into state waters in Pengerang, lodged police reports on Friday.
District police chief Superintendent Hussin Zamora confirmed that the police received a total of 101 reports from members of the Bayu Damai, Pengerang, and Sungai Rengit fishermen associations.
The reports, Hussin said, were filed against the parties responsible for the incident on June 14 involving two vessels at Singapore's Pasir Panjang Terminal.
"The reports lodged by the fishermen association members will be referred to the Fisheries Department for their next course of action, likely involving compensation or civil claims against the shipping company involved," Hussin said when contacted today.
British Marine insures Marine Honour, the vessel that leaked 400 tonnes of low-sulphur marine fuel after its oil cargo ruptured during a collision with the Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima.
Meanwhile, Sungai Rengit Fishermen Welfare Association chairman Rosli Mohd Ali, 56, expressed his concern that oil slicks drifting into Pengerang waters have prevented fishermen from working.
"The pollution in our fishing grounds has disrupted our livelihoods. For the past seven days, we haven't been able to fish," he said.
He explained that affected fishermen have filed police reports at the Sungai Rengit police station in the last two days.
They are urging the vessel's insurance companies and relevant authorities to take responsibility and compensate them for their lost income.
"We have been unable to work for a week now. No fish means no income, and we have families to support," he said.
He added that this morning, two boats attempted to go out to sea in hopes that the waters were clear. They, however, had to turn back upon encountering patches of oil slicks floating around.
"We pray that in the coming days, the oil slicks will disperse, and we can resume fishing," said Rosli, who has been a fisherman for over 30 years.
Earlier, the New Straits Times quoted Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as saying that the government will request British Marine to compensate fishermen affected.
She added British Marine will engage the Pengerang Fishermen's Association and the Fisheries Department on compensation.