Sabah DAP to bring it to Parliament

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah DAP is going to table an emergency motion in Parliament on the issue of encroachment by foreign fishing vessels into Sabah waters. Parliament is due to sit from July 24 until Aug 10.

Sandakan MP Stephen Wong in a statement here on Thursday said this was a problem that has around for a long time and yet the government appeared to be lacking in its willingness to solve the problem.

He therefore wants Parliament to discuss the important matter and urge the government to take a stand to chase out all foreign fishing vessels in Malaysian waters.

"It is about sovereignty and security. We cannot allow these foreign fishing vessels to enter our waters and use destructive methods to catch fishes. It is going to destroy our marine life and the entire environment," he said.

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He urged the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency which is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government to take stern action against these foreign fishing vessels, mainly from Vietnam.

"This is intolerable and unacceptable. Despite these vessels having deep sea fishing licences, their method of fishing violates the local laws. Our authorities must stop giving out and approving licences to these foreign fishing vessel owners."

He said that fishing products caught by these foreign fishing vessels by means of illegal methods were brought back to Vietnam and other countries, and eventually failed to benefit local Sabahans and Malaysians.

"This problem must stop and the government must enforce," he said.

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He hoped that Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin would accept his motion to be debated in the House to show that he as a Sabahan is determined to safeguard Sabahan rights and protect Malaysia's sovereignty and security.

Sabah DAP's decision to move a motion in Parliament follows a disclosure on Wednesday by the Kota Kinabalu Fishing Boat Owners Association that Sabah will have to import seafood if the present rate of unsustainable exploitation by foreign fishing vessels and blast fishing by foreigners go unabated.

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