LYING
IDLE.... Local fishing boats unable to go out to sea because of manpower
shortage.
By : LIAN CHENG
KUCHING: Many coastal fi
shing boats in the state are moored idle at wharves and jetties as their
operators are finding it almost impossible to fi nd enough locals to work as
deckhands.
Sungai Apong Kotak Fishing
Association chairman Lau Hong Joong lamented that not a single person responded
to his newspaper advertisements for deckhands.
“It is diffi cult to fi nd
anyone who wants to be involved in this line.
I have tried recruitment
through the newspapers at least two times, but no one responded,” said Lau to
The Borneo Post yesterday.
The only solution to the
shortage is to employ foreign workers but there is a stringent condition for
their Class A and B licences which prohibits employment of foreigners to work
in coastal fishing boats, he added.
“Sometimes we have to give
up going to the sea because we cannot fi nd enough hands to work on the fi
shing vessels,” said Lau.
He believed the main reason
locals shun working in fishing boats was because once on board it would be
eight or nine days before they would be back on land again.
“It is a job not many ar
einterested in and most young people shun it, besides the reward is not
particularly lucrative,” said Lau pointing out that even a small fi shing boat
needed at least three to four persons for a fi shing trip.
He questioned why coffee
shop owners could engage foreigners as workers but not fi shing vessel owners
like them.
The deckhands are either
paid a fi xed salary or certain amount of fi xed salary and commission based on
the catch after deducting the expenses or solely by commission.
“The government has been
very helpful to the fishing community through the diesel subsidies. This
measure has been of great help to us.
“We hope the government will
continue their very understanding way by relaxing the rules and regulations to
ensure that our industry can go on,” said Lau
Supporting Lau’s call for
permission to employ foreign workers for coastal fishing boats, Kuching Chinese
Kotak Association Law Bee Soon said the ban on foreign workers had made it very
difficult for the Class A and B fishing boat owners to operate.
He said Class A or B licence
owners caught with foreign workers on board would be fined RM1,200 for first
offence.
“If we are caught the second
time, the fine increases to RM3,600 and the third time, RM4,800. The fourth
time we are found to break that regulation, our fishing vessel could be
confiscated,” Law told The Borneo Post here yesterday.
Only Class C deep sea
fishing licence holders are allowed to engage foreign workers as deckhands to
help in fishing. (BP)
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