Don't give in to the boycott by the opposition supporters

No change to diesel price for trawlers

TANJONG KARANG: The government will not entertain the demands of operators of C2 trawlers who who have gone on strike over the reduction of the super diesel subsidy.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said they should not be doing so as the subsidy was only reduced and not completely withdrawn which made the price still very much lower than industrial standards.

The current price is RM1.80 per litre, compared with RM1.25 previously.

He was speaking after the Umno Tanjong Karang delegates meeting here yesterday attended by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar, who is also the division head.

Ismail said the C2 trawlers were deep-sea vessels which earned big profits compared with fishermen in A, B and C zones.

The three-day strike started on Saturday with the operators threatening to prolong it if the government did not accede immediately.

Ismail said the matter could be discussed, but the ministry would not bow to threats.

In Hutan Melintang, Perak, more than 2,000 fishermen are participating in the strike.

Hilir Perak Fishermen Cooperative Bhd executive secretary Khee Jeh Hai said the strike would go on if there was no immediate action from the authorities.

"A boat uses 20,000 litres of diesel per month which costs RM25,000 with the subsidised rate of RM1.25, but it costs RM36,000 without the subsidised rate of RM1.80.

"The fisherman have to bear the loss of their income because their catch did not commensurate with the cost involved, where each catch fetches between RM20,000 and RM30,000 per trawler.

He said the fishermen could not bear the cost if the trawlers damaged their engine or fishing equipment because the money earned was used not only to buy diesel but also to pay the workers' salaries.

"We know that our action would be troubling many people as they will not have fresh fish supply but we had to do so because we can't bear the loss anymore."

He hoped MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is the Bagan Datok member of parliament, would be able to resolve the issue.

"So far we have not seen any action undertaken to solve our problems."

He hoped the government would reconsider their decision on the withdrawal of the subsidised supply diesel to C2 trawlers, in line with the "People First" concept.

Taken from New Straits Times.

The diesel price only increases about 44% when the price increases from RM1.25 to RM1.80 per litre.

The ones who are making the noises is Hilir Perak Fishermen Cooperative Bhd executive secretary Khe Jeh Hai. Therefore, can we pressume that DAP is involved in this blackmail in an indirect way to show as if the government are cruel in doing this? This could be an economic sabotage by the non-Malays.

Read about fisheries and the diesel subsidy here.

The price of the brent crude oil today is placed at a USD118.36. This is about RM360.998 if we convert it to RM.

The supply of fish will be decreased in the market due to the strike. But what the hell! If the fish is less in the market, we can eat something else like chicken.

The government should be stern and not give in to the demands of the racist kiasus. If they don't want to fish, auction off their boats to the Malay fisherman who are willing to work.

Moreover, we can see that the Chinese are monopolising all the businesses in Malaysia and surely they will sabotage the economy so that people will get angry at UMNO and Barisan Nasional.

It's time for the Malays to have their own stake in those businesses so that the monopoly by the Chinese will be broken. Those who take bribes from the Chinese in order to give the Chinese the businesses should be hauled by the authorities.

This is because they can be paid to be traitors to their own race.