The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry is allocating RM300 million to develop fishing villages throughout the country for a three-year period beginning next year, said its minister, Noh Omar.
He said the efforts, to be implemented in collaboration with the state governments, aimed to upgrade the fishing villages into a more organised and comfortable settlements.
“We have the allocation but the state governments have to find suitable sites to develop the settlements,” he told reporters during a working visit to the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority in Kuala Linggi.
Also present were Melaka Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam and Chairman of the State Committee on Rural And Agricultural Development R. Perumal.
Noh said the allocation would be utilised to improve the existing homes of fishermen, construction of new houses to replace dilapidated ones on land belonging to the fishermen and to develop resettlement areas for fishermen which would be equipped with various facilities as well as providing economic activities.
He said the Melaka state government planned to build 55 houses for fishermen in Kuala Linggi while a fishing settlement would be developed in Telok Gong.
– Bernama
Maran Perianen
Sashidaran Gunathevan
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