E&O hands out ex-gratia payments to fishermen in Penang

PENANG (July 8): Eastern and Oriental Bhd independent non-executive director and chairman Datuk Azizan Abdul Rahman said all levels of society, including the fishing community, must receive the same kind of attention from the state government.

He said it was with this spirit that 213 fishermen were given cheques amounting to RM15,000 each, as ex-gratia payment on Saturday.

About 237 fishermen, believed to be affected by the E&O reclamation project come from the seaside settlements of Tanjong Tokong, Bagan Jermal, Gurney and Tanjung Bungah.

Azizan said that E&O Bhd have paid out RM2.4 million in compensation to the fishermen, and cheques for the 213 were handed out at the Straits Quay, Tanjung Bungah.

He added that the fishing community was a part of the island’s ancient traditions, and “they will continue to play an important role”.

“E & O is a responsible developer, and the company will continue to fulfil all the obligations of the contract and conditions laid down by the local authorities for us to accomplish the project,” he added, in a statement to the media.

E&O Bhd is currently involved in reclaiming land for Seri Tanjung Pinang Phase Two (STP2), covering 240 acres extending the Tanjung Tokong foreshore, and 760 acres of island reclamation offshore.

On the same day, a group of 50 fishermen staged a protest at Straits Quay and refused to receive the RM15,000 cheques, demanding an ex-gratia payment of RM200,000 for each fishermen instead.

The group, who carried banners claiming they represented the fishing community in Tanjung Tokong, said the project, which included an artificial island, resulted in fewer fish in the sea, thus hurting their income and livelihood.

E&O Bhd spokesman A Tharmam, when met at Straits Quay, had promised to meet the fishermen to discuss strategies to resolve their problems.