Area Fisherman Associations (PNKs) in Malaysia are urged to set up cooperatives as a platform to generate income during the monsoon season.
Starting a cooperative, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuaku Jaafar, would only require a small starting capital from each shareholder while the large pool of members could contribute their skills in managing and administrative works.
I want to see all the PNKs to think outside of the box as the cooperative can be of any type of business besides fishing, said Wan Junaidi during the handing over of the monthly Fisherman Livelihood Allowance (ESHN) at Dewan Sri Buntal in Kampung Buntal yesterday.
Wan Junaidi, who is also Santubong MP, added that once the cooperative was established, the next step would be to work towards making it a Class A cooperative .
Meanwhile, a total of 280 fishermen received their monthly allowance of RM200 to help them tide over the monsoon season.
More than RM80 million had been disbursed to fishermen in the state since the initiative was carried out by the government in June 2008.
On another note, Wan Junaidi who is also Deputy Home Minister, cautioned the fisherman folk that drug activities were rapidly growing in the rural areas.
He urged parents to keep an eye on their children’s activities as drug peddlers had been targeting the young ones in the rural areas.
Once our youths are hooked on drugs, they would spend all of their money to buy drugs. If they are out of money, then they would steal which causes more social problems, he added.
Wan Junaidi added that although drug abuse is still relatively low in Sarawak compared to other states in the nation, the authorities and people must not be complacent.
He called for a holistic action plan involving several government agencies to curb drug abuse.
2010-2013 BorneoPost Online