Sign up for benefits, fishermen urged

Registration is still open for the Penang South Island (PSI)’s Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) for south Penang island fishermen, according to Penang Infrastructure Corporation (PIC) CEO Datuk Seri Farizan Darus. He urged those who haven’t registered yet to do so at Pusat Perkhidmatan Setempat Nelayan (PPSN) in order to receive ex-gratia payments. Payments are currently being processed for early registrants. Farizan stated that the SIMP scheme is now being implemented, following the approval of PSI works for Silicon Island reclamation by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. The Environment Management Plan and planning permission for reclamation were approved on July 21 and August 22, respectively.

“The state government is keeping its promise to fishermen. We believe they should have the confidence to register and enjoy all the benefits of the scheme,” Farizan said. He revealed that 358 fishermen, including boat owners and crew, have signed up for SIMP since it was announced two years ago. These registered fishermen are now receiving 75% of the ex-gratia payments promised to them, which will be transferred to their accounts in stages starting from September 1. The state government has initiated payments to recipients whose status has been verified by the Fisheries Department through the southwest district and land office. The first batch of 185 fishermen who submitted complete documents has already received their payments, while the second batch of 173 recipients will need to update and complete their documents at PPSN before their payments can be processed. They can expect to receive their payouts by the end of September or early October. The remaining 25% payment is scheduled for January next year.

Farizan emphasized that the ex-gratia payments demonstrate the state government’s appreciation for the fishermen’s contributions to the economy. He urged the fishermen to use the money wisely for the well-being and future of their families. Recently, PIC organized a townhall session with SIMP-registered fishermen from the PSI Tier One and Tier Two areas to inform them about the ex-gratia payments, other SIMP benefits, and the upcoming reclamation works. Boat owners from Tier One will be eligible to receive new boats and engines, with priority given to fishermen belonging to the Permatang Tepi Laut unit, which directly faces Silicon Island. Tier One consists of the Permatang Tepi Laut, Sungai Batu, Teluk Kumbar, and Gertak Sanggul fishermen units, which are the closest to the Silicon Island site. Tier Two, on the other hand, includes the Sri Jerjak, Batu Maung, Telok Tempoyak, Pulau Betong, and Kuala Sungai Burung fishermen units. PIC, a state-owned special purpose vehicle, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of PSI.