273 with bogus claims off the list
PENANG: The Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) struck off the names of 273 fishermen suspected of making bogus claims following the tsunami tragedy.
Following several checks and counter-checks, 2,460 names were left in the list of tsunami victims eligible for compensation.
LKIM director Mohamad Noor Had said they had since been given some form of aid.
“This list will be used as the official reference by all agencies as well as the state and Federal governments,” he told reporters at a promotion to encourage people to eat fish, at the tuna fish landing centre in Batu Maung here yesterday.
“We made a thorough check and entertained only claims submitted with police reports and endorsed by related fishermen's associations,” he said.
On the aid given to the affected fishermen, Mohamad Noor said RM1,000 was given for each small external engine damaged and RM3,000 for those with bigger internal engines.
Crew members of the damaged crafts received RM1,000 each.
Mohamad refuted reports in an English tabloid that some fishermen in Tanjong Tokong were denied compensation, adding: “There shouldn't be any case of fishermen not getting financial aid.”
He said if the report was true, those concerned should contact LKIM or the respective fishermen associations.
On alleged fish contamination in Penang, Mohamad assured that fish caught in its waters were safe for consumption, adding that fish samples from Juru, Sungai Udang and Nibong Tebal showed no signs of bacterial contaminants.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the RM53mil collected from the national tsunami fund so far, would be spent on Malaysians affected by the tragedy.
Any excess money later would be channelled to victims in other affected areas, such as in Aceh, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.
“A lot of the money will be used for Malaysians as we have to make sure that affected locals get what is needed,” he told reporters at Subang airport after witnessing the handing over of a helicopter by Eurocopter (M) Sdn Bhd to Mercy Malaysia to help support their relief efforts in Banda Aceh.
The AS 350 BA helicopter would leave for Banda Aceh early this morning with several Mercy volunteers on board.
The company's managing director Philippe Lubrano said the 'Eurocopter' would be mainly used to survey and send supplies to remote and isolated villages that could not be reached by major relief teams.
Nazri said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would soon discuss on how Malaysia could help in the rebuilding of tsunami-hit Banda Aceh.
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