GOVT MULLS ALLOWING ZONE B FISHERMEN TO HIRE FOREIGNERS

PORT KLANG (Selangor, Malaysia), July 25 (Bernama) -- The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry is looking into the possibility of allowing Zone B fishermen -- those operating five nautical miles or more from the coast -- to hire foreign fishermen, Minister Noh Omar said.

The government would make a final decision on the matter based on the findings of an ongoing study, he added.

The move was part of the efforts of the ministry to overcome shortage of workers for Zone B fishermen, particularly those in Kampung Bagan in Pulau Ketam, here, he said.

"Fishermen in Kampung Bagan are facing shortage of workers because the young people there are no longer living in the village," he told reporters after handing over subsistence allowance to Pulau Ketam fishermen, here.

He added that the ministry would first look into the regularisation exercise involving foreign workers before deciding on the actual number of workers needed by the sector.