MUKAH: Tellian State Assemblyman Yussibnosh Balo officially launches the RM500,000 Ice Flex Machine of the Mukah-Oya Area Fishermen Association (PNK), yesterday.
The machine was pledged by former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during to the Mukah/Oya PNK 40th general meeting of Mukah/Oya PNK held at Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) Complex here on 27 March, 2014 which also coincided with the Balingian by-election campaign.
Despite the three-year wait, smiling faces were seen among Mukah-Oya PNK members during the launching ceremony yesterday and Yussibnosh, who won the Balingian by-election, was given the honour to launch the ice machine.
The installation of the machine commenced on 21 October, 2016 and handed over to Mukah-Oya PNK on 20 January this year.
Speaking at the event, Yussibnosh attributed the fulfilment of the pledge to the existence of the cooperation among the people’s representatives.
“I would like to thank Mukah Member of Parliament Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad who had his own way of forwarding the matter to the relevant authorities. We also worked closely with Mukah-Oya PKN and LKIM to make it a reality. I should say that the government had fulfilled the promise made,” he said.
He also expressed his gratefulness for cordial relationship and cooperation with the current Balingian State Assemblyman Abdul Yakub Haji Arbi, and believed that this would augur well for the development of the area.
Meanwhile, Mukah-Oya PNK chairman Ali Hamid expressed his gratefulness that the association had one of their most important facilities for the local fishing industry.
“Ice processing mill is very important for us, hence, I would like to thank the government, our people’s representatives and others for making it a reality for us to have an ice mill of our own. The ice mill is will help to spur the local fishing activities,” he said.
Also present were Mukah Region II LKIM Officer Mastam Nodo, Mukah head of State Marine Fisheries Department Muhamad Idham Legiman, and Mukah-Oya PNK General Manager Awang Mohaini Awang Chee.