Fisherfolk have once again expressed their unhappiness over the land reclamation in Penang.
There is a moral issue to consider here. The sea belongs to all of us: it is part of ‘the commons’. The commons is “the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable earth. These resources are held in common, not owned privately”.
After the land reclamation, the state government will sell the land to developers. In effect, it is ‘privatising’ the commons for developers to reap enormous profits. And at almost 4,500 acres with gross development value of RM160bn, it is not piddling land reclamation we are talking about. Is it fair for the present state administration to commit future administrations to these controversial and grandiose plans for the next decade or two?
Check out this photo-story by a Penang-based filmmaker who spent a day with the fisherfolk of Tanjung Tokong in northeastern Penang Island. As one of the fisher folk said, “Tanah dah mereka ambil, sekarang laut pun mereka nak?” (They have taken our land, now they want to take our sea?)
As their catch dwindles, the fisherfolk now have to burn more fuel and time going further into the sea for their catch. How do you begin to compensate for loss of marine life and increased scarcity of fish as a source of food, not to mention the fisherfolk’s loss of earnings?
The following video shows an SRS rep describing their land reclamation methods in southern Penang Island while environmentalist Dr Leong Yueh Kwong talks about the impact of the land reclamation.
It is unlikely that the land reclamation plans would be popular among the local residents of the south. Has the state government commissioned an independent poll of how they feel about the 4,500-acre land reclamation plan?
Many would realise it is another case of the privatisation of profits and the socialisation of losses.
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anil how can you put up photos with empat mata fisherman? please do not go so low. first time a empat mata fisherman in the world.
MARA must have done a great job in training the fishermen such that they are now able to print pictures for use in press conference.
we buy fish from.siam. the fish are caged and harvested. so why buy caged fish when we also can caged them
tengok muka sudah tahu bukan fishermen.
These fishermen can seek employment from Red (Shirts) commander Jamal Yunos, who can set up his chain of Sekinchan Ikan Bakar franchise on Penang. Gelakan can help to import fishes from Thailand for barbecue feast next GE14 you help me I help you.
Jamal Ikan Bakar can rival Manhattan Fish Market?
How come no franchise in Penang?
Ismail Sabri can offer free rental at Umno building for Ikan Bakar business in Penang?
Assuming just to shiok-sendiri or steam thy political masters?
As adult commenters, can do better than to spew such irrelevant comments.
If you are so concerned of other’s businesses, why not invest in them?
Make appearance can also get dedak. Easy money. Just like those trouble makers at Komtar. Cash is king.
Did you see the dedak in situ???
Southern Johor Fishermen: On the Brink
Forest City halves fishermen’s earnings in Johor
https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/293185
These Johor projects by cronies and influential persons, thus no report of protest on mainstream media?
Very true. Royalty project cannot dispute.
One thing – football can dispute with just a thumb drive!
Thumb drive to MACC could be a new trend, despite this time they claimed to element of corruption at FAM just technical matter.
Do if there is corruption, then Msia football ranking could be even worst? What a nightmare!
The thumb drive provides lots of thunder to scare the s… out of FAM, but in the end there is hardly a rain drop. I suspect all issues are ‘settled’ else FAM could face the brunt of FIFA for is misadventure. Meanwhile Harimau Malaysia is expected to drop in FIFA ranking after losing 0-3 to Indonesia, in a match where a Prof KKK described the Malaysian players to be as mechanical as robots.
The class divide us all. If you have power or position, you can get away with anything.
Good to see Anil fighting for the rights of commoners.
have you seen a short sighted fisherman.? a empat mata fisherman? how can more potray such a pic? clesrly misguided.
They may be short-sighted, but they can probably see a donkey from a mile away….
Johor fishermen are different, i.e. must show concern for them.
But Penang fishermen are not, i.e. they are on the take of dedak as assumed by you?
What hypocritic show of concern!
Nowadays some say the fishes sold at Penang Island mostly from Thailand, being salted to let them stay fresh longer. You can’t taste the different especially at Mamak stalls as mostly being fried very dry.
Gone were the days when you can catch groupa easily at the shoreline of E&O. Now you need expensive dedak to entice them to your hook.
The Penang Inland Fishermen’s Welfare Association people once told me 90% of the fish consumed in Penang comes via Thailand. A shame really when Penang is almost surrounded by the sea. Apa sudah jadi?
Local fishermen sold tgeir subsidized diesel to Thai counterpart for easy profit without having to cast a net?
weird….why the fishermen unhappy when federal government has not yet approved 4500 acre land reclamation plan? and why the fishermen keep silent only when previous BN penang state government had approved 4361 acres land reclamation?
really amazing :)…..
oh sorry for my bad english
Really amazing that this environmental issue can be politicised for no other apparent reason that to twist it to shield the CAT! Better get real & grow up, otherwise who will be the fools!
really environment issue? i doubt that…..please bear in mind that federal government won’t pay a single cent in this ptmp project. you thought federal government willing to help you? so who is the biggest fool?
and i’m curious about those fishermen reaction, it has nothing to do with politic
fishermen can get subsided petrol from.federal like felda and fekcra schemes on land. ask federal who can use taxpayers
What a fishy CAT interested in fishes. Tun lang pay tax and gst to pg Gomen and not bn federal Gomen. BN federal Gomen gives help to felda, SME but not fishermen??
PTMP is no holy-excuse to damage our sensitive coastal waters.
Don’t be a blind fool just b’cos the blame game says there’s no money from the Feds & therefore a big excuse to swap deals like nobody’s business.
Unless one is still a fool regardless of what is UBAH-ing Penang for the worse.
No need to be curious!
Just follow one of these fishermen on their daily trips to the seas.
And help them to count the catch.
Gurney Drive is a good place for a start.
Fish farming can sustain the career of Island fishermen. Jabatan Perikanan should take proactive move otherwise fish prawns getting more expensive and already many cannot afford.
But is fish grown in cages as wholesome as open sea fish?
Anil, as I mentioned before, fish farming is not as healthy as what it seems – to repeat here: my friend who previously was a fish farmer in Batu Maung once told me he seldom ate his own farmed fish which he fed them with manufac fish feed.
For those undiscerning, it looks good for the economies of scale of fish farming.
Same with chicken injected with growth hormones (to speed up production), which ends up in humans, esp men who consume such chicken to eventually develop fat breasts!
Overfishing has greatly reduced fish stocks. Now you can see fish of small sizes, not fully grown, are sold in the wet market. Commercial fish farming with modern technology is the way to go, in order to sustain the growing demand. It takes time for certain people to accept, just like having farmed chickens vs free roaming kampung ones. Time to get real.
Over-Madness-of-land reclamation leads to less fish in coastal seas from 2008-now.
Local fishermen cannot use drag nets (used for deep sea fishing), so what’s the logic of less fish? Answer: Madness.
Madness = gilakan
Farming Fish in Singapore Self-Sufficiency Drive
Singapore fish farms: From kelongs to wifi
Anil you got the point just look at the typical modern children of Penang now live like slaves in “cages” condos, only leave the homes for schools, tuition and weekend to malls with parents, not enough outdoor activities like cycling in open park for healthier lifestyle.
anil should thanks us being caged to computers. otherwise we will not read and write in his blog.
why go out in the sea and spend hours onky to catch a handful whereas foreigners come with their apollo nets and swept everything. why ngos no complain about caged ayam and caged telor. dont buy and eat caged items. dont drink 2in 1 coffee o..
Closed containment – The future of fish farming
Aquaculture system promises eco-friendly fish farming future
New Invention: The Farming Fish – Growing Aquaponics and Superfoods
In the end, what fish food you feed the farmed fishes will eventually go to our stomachs.
Speed-up quantity (to meet demand) without safe-for-consumption quality is just as bad as smoking.
Forget about genetic-engineered fish or crops.
It’s how we manage the food chain cycle, even in a controlled environment such as fish farms.
The future destiny of the human species might as well morph into aliens-like Greys if we are not careful in the name of science for maxi-money!
Your imagination could turn into career writings for sci-fi movies made in Bolehland, no kidding as today youngsters lack creativity being fed too much with fast food dedak if not being consumed by pokemon go culture render them CIA experimental objects.
Can be a script writer for TV3 drama shows.
Spinning again!
What benefit will readers get from such comments?
What a waste of space …