FISHERMEN who berth their boats by the Sungai Bayan Lepas riverbank have been working without proper docking and storage facilities for years.
Without a proper jetty, the fishermen in the area will secure their boats to whatever they can, including poles by the riverbank.
Fisherman Mohd Noor Ramli, 48, said the biggest problem faced by the fishermen was the lack of proper facilities.
“Our boats may be safe from the waves as we berth them away from the open sea, but we have to worry about our sheds. We built them without proper plans, so they are easily damaged and collapsed in bad weather,” he said.
The situation is not unique to fishermen in Permatang Tepi Laut, Sungai Batu, Teluk Kumbar and Gertak Sanggul.
Penang Infrastructure Corporation (PIC) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Farizan Darus said that part of the Penang South Island’s Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) was aimed at addressing problems faced by local fishermen near the Penang South Islands (PSI) project.
“The SIMP will provide a navigation channel that enables fishermen to go out to sea around the clock without having to wait for high tide. New jetties equipped with proper facilities such as storage space and other amenities will be built at the aforementioned four locations.
“The new jetties, which will be properly designed and built with approval by the relevant authorities, will replace the existing ones that were constructed without a permit. However, the jetties can only be built after the PSI’s three islands are reclaimed, which will be years from now.
“The islands must first take shape so they can protect the existing coast, where the fishermen berth their boats. Without the islands, the jetties will still be exposed to huge waves and the jetties risk damage during storms.
“We have seen how the storm last month (February) damaged the boats. So, we hope the future islands and jetties will address the problem,” Farizan explained to the Permatang Tepi Laut fishermen during a recent briefing on new jetty plans in Bayan Lepas.
Farizan said, nevertheless, the state government was planning to provide more immediate relief for the fishermen in Permatang Tepi Laut by building temporary berthing and storage space along Sungai Bayan Lepas.
“In the plans, the Kampung Binjai side of the river will get about 30 berthing, storage facilities and a toilet.
“On the opposite side at Permatang Tepi Laut, there will be 40 berthing and storage facilities, a mechanic’s workshop, boat maintenance facilities and an ice-making facility. Both sides will also get stalls, proper access roads and new riverbanks,” he said.
He added that the construction works would take about one year to complete.
“The state government has planned to start work in May after the Hari Raya celebration. We need to listen to the fishermen’s views before we start work. We have to get their feedback on the berthing and storage facility designs.
“We hope to appoint a consultant for the job in the next few weeks; start the design work and conduct surveys and site investigation this month and the next,” Farizan said.
Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain and Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz welcomed the proposed temporary facilities.
Abdul Halim said he supported the efforts to better equip and empower fishermen so they could work more comfortably.
“We must ensure that we improve the fishing community’s quality of life when we develop. We should work towards modernising the profession by employing modern fishing techniques, setting up a fisherman cooperative and providing fishermen with larger boats and training opportunities,” he said.
Azrul Mahathir advised the fishermen in Sungai Bayan Lepas to attend briefings by PIC and to provide feedback.
“The proposal is good and benefits the fishermen even before the PSI is completed.
It is understood that PIC, SRS Consortium and the Pusat Perkhidmatan Setempat Nelayan (also known as stakeholders’ engagement centre) are holding a series of briefings for the fishermen to learn more about the temporary facilities proposal.
The fishermen were also briefed on the proposed Permatang Tepi Laut multi-purposed jetty site which will be built at the river mouth after Island A takes shape.
A statement by SRS Consortium stated that a new jetty for the Permatang Tepi Laut fishermen unit would be the first to be built, following the PSI project’s reclamation phase, which would start with Island A. It will have a proper fishermen jetty, fish landing area, boat maintenance facilities, office spaces, meeting rooms and other relevant facilities.
The jetty will also boast a passenger jetty, restaurants, seafood market, shops, a promenade, children’s playground, bicycle track, and walkway to fishing platforms for anglers.
The jetty will be a stone’s throw away from the proposed Permatang Damar Laut LRT station, which is one stop from the Penang International Airport LRT station.
Farizan said the jetty’s agrotourism potential would be huge.
“If done right, we can expect the new jetty to make Permatang Tepi Laut a very lively place.
“There will be a lot of job and business opportunities for the local fishermen in the future,” Farizan added.