Sabah fishermen call for setting up of modern fishing village

SEMPORNA: Fishermen here want the state government to establish modern fishing villages equipped with basic facilities throughout Sabah.

Semporna Fishermen Association chairman Salleh Abdul Salleh said such a village would become a permanent settlement by giving land grants to every housing site given by the government to the fishing community.

"The definition of a modern fishing village is a settlement that is equipped with clean water and power supply, proper houses, fishing hall, fisheries complex, shops, and recreational area.

"Although fishermen have lived for decades in coastal areas, their village status is still a squatter and they do not have good basic facilities," he said when contacted, today.

"When compared to farmers, they are far better as they are given land grants and good basic facilities," he added.

Salleh said such was the hope voiced by the fishing community, stressing Sabah is far behind in terms of fishing village facilities as compared to what is available in Sarawak and the peninsula.

He noted the federal government under the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) has basically agreed to provide allocations for the purpose of setting up fishery complexes and modern fishing villages in Sabah.

"However, until today the state government has yet to approve sites although countless meetings have been carried out.

"The fishermen are hoping that the state government can provide the land sites immediately for the purpose of building a modern (fishing) village," said Salleh, noting he had also attended several meetings in the past.