BALINGIAN: Fishermen in Balingianconstituency today received financial aid totalling RM544,000 from the Sarawak government.
Of the total, RM342,000 was allocated for assistance for fishermen during landas (rainy) season and would benefit 228 fishermen, including their crew.
Each fisherman will receive a monthly assistance of RM300 for five months and the payments will be credited directly into the recipients’ bank accounts.
The first payments are for January to March 2020 (three months), while the second payments are for November to December 2020 (two months).
The balance of RM202,000 for the fishermen’s equipment assistance would benefit 101 recipients.
Each fisherman will receive RM2,000 to purchase fishing equipment for pukat tangsi (coastal fishing), involving equipment such as nylon, bubu (fish traps), ketam, strings, coolboxes and safety jackets.
Balingian assemblyman Abdul Yakub Arbi handed over two separate mock cheques to the representatives at the Agriculture Community Outreach Programme (AgriCOP).
The former Dalat and Mukah District Council (MDDM) walikota was the guest of honour at the event held at the community hall here.
The programme also featured talks on digital economy and management of pineapple planting.
There was also a practical session on the production of pineapple jam at the event, which was organised by Mukah Division Agriculture Department.
