SANDAKAN: The Sabah Fishermen’s Association (Pengasah) has welcomed the statement by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman that the government would consider giving financial assistance to fishermen affected by the curfew order in eastern Sabah’s coastal waters.
Its board member, Shaiful Bahari Muin said such aid would help lessen the burden and worries of fishermen in the six affected areas whose livelihood had been affected by the curfew order.
He said there were 15,000 registered fishermen in Sabah, including 6,000 in the six affected areas.
“Although their source of income has been affected by the curfew order, the fishermen in the six areas are still supportive of the government’s decision of imposing curfew hours to safeguard the country’s security and sovereignty and they would obey the curfew order.
“But we also hope for the best decision to protect the welfare of fishermen whose only source of income is the coastal waters that come under the curfew order,” he added when contacted yesterday.
The curfew order covering the coastal waters of Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau started on July 19 following an ambush by a group of armed men on two marine policemen in which one was killed and the other abducted in Pulau Mabul, Semporna on July 12.
Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) commander, Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun then announced the imposition of curfew hours from 6pm to 6am until a date to be announced later. — Bernama