Three government agencies in Malaysia joined hands today to distribute aid to 207 fishermen and farmer families in Marang in a bid to take them out of poverty.
Terengganu Transformation, Delivery, Performance Management and Information Technology Committee chairman A Latiff Awang said 150 of the recipients were fishermen families receiving aid from the Fisheries Department and the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM), while 57 others were farmer families receiving Azam Tani aid under the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry.
“The fishermen families received, among others, boat engines, fibre-glass boats and safety jackets, while the farmer families received insulated fish bins, kuih-making equipment and sewing machines totalling RM750,000,” he said after the distribution of aid here today.
Also present were Terengganu Fisheries Department director Abdul Khalil Abdul Karim and Terengganu LKIM director Mohd Saffe Mohd.
A Latif said each families would be monitored for three months to determine whether they could make optimum use of the aid to earn extra income and improve their daily living conditions.
Meanwhile, several recipients described the aid as a burden lifter, especially fishermen who could not afford to but a new boat.
Mazlan Mohamad, 63, from Kampung Sungai Kerak, said he was truly grateful for the boat engine with 30-horse power worth RM7,000 given by the Terengganu Fisheries Department.
“I’ve been a fisherman for 30 years and I know it’s not easy to buy a boat or boat engine because it is very costly,” said the man who also promised to make optimum use of the aid to improve his life.
Gong Balai Fishing Industry Community chief Mohamad Abdullah, 64, said the community received six insulated fish bins and safety jackets to be distributed to its members.
He said the aid proved the government’s concern over the needs of poor fishermen and farmer families.
2013 Bernama