By Shikin Louis
SIBU, Jan 5: Fishermen in Sarawak have initiated a week-long protest against the mandatory installation of Mobile Tracking Units (MTUs) on their Class C vessels, citing unresolved issues from a previous tracking system and the financial burden it imposes.
Sarawak Fishing Vessel Association (SFVA) president, Harry Tan Joo Seng, revealed that in 2017, fishermen had already paid for the Automatic Identification System (AIS), another tracking system.
However, the AIS devices were never installed, as the agent responsible for the project disappeared with the payments. Efforts to seek assistance from the Fisheries Department to trace the agent proved fruitless.
“Now, they are asking us to install the MTU, and it’s the same process: we have to pay first, and the agent will install it.
“But if the MTU is not installed, who will compensate the fishermen? No one has provided answers,” Tan told DayakDaily in a phone interview today.
He also highlighted the financial burden of the MTU installation, which costs RM6,000 upfront, plus an additional RM2,000 annually for a satellite subscription.
Tan recalled a meeting in May 2024, during which fishermen voiced their concerns, resulting in a postponement of the MTU requirement until January 2, 2025.
Despite continued objections, the directive has now been enforced, with the Fisheries Department warning that fishing licenses will not be renewed for non-compliant vessels.
In response, 218 fishermen from various areas in Sarawak, including Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, and Sarikei, began their protest yesterday (Jan 4).
Tan emphasised that the protest was not an act of defiance but a plea for understanding and resolution from the authorities.
“We’re not doing this to be heroes. We just want the higher-ups to understand the issue, which is burdensome to the fishermen,” he said.
Following the protest, Tan revealed that a representative from the Fisheries Department in Putrajaya had invited the association for negotiations.
He confirmed that he and other representatives would fly to Putrajaya tonight to meet with officials tomorrow afternoon.
While the fishermen remain hopeful for a positive outcome, the protest will continue as planned until their grievances are addressed. — DayakDaily
