Johor fishermen affected by land reclamation
Posted on 25 March 2015 - 06:12pm
Last updated on 25 March 2015 - 06:50pm
Bernard Cheah newsdesk@thesundaily.com
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KUALA LUMPUR: Fishermen in Johor Baru and Pontian could face a 50% reduction in their income due to the Forest City and Tanjung Piai Maritime Industrial Park projects.
The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry said that 1,023 fishermen will be affected by the land reclamation works for both the projects.
"Following sea reclamation activities for the Forest City and Tanjung Piai Industrial Park, it is estimated that the income of fishermen will reduce by 50% because they will be forced to fish at areas much further away," the ministry said in a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP - Gelang Patah).
The ministry added that according to data in 2013, Johor had 6,354 registered fishermen who earned an average RM2,660.83 per month.
It was reported that fishermen in Johor had complained that the Forest City project had impacted their ability to sustain a living.
However, Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar had last week defended the project, adding that the investment was good for the state.