Sabah fishermen urge review of diesel subsidy policy

KOTA KINABALU (Dec 13): The fishing community in Sabah has expressed deep disappointment over changes to the diesel subsidy policy introduced by the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM), saying the new measures have placed a heavy burden on fishermen over the past three years.

Kota Kinabalu Fishing Boat Owners’ Association president Simon Hong said the community has been affected by a series of policy shifts, beginning with the reduction of subsidised diesel quotas from 20,000 litres to 17,000 litres, followed by the introduction of a new diesel purchasing system.

“All these decisions were implemented without transparent engagement and without taking into account the real conditions faced by fishermen on the ground,” he said at a press conference on Saturday.

Although LKIM has held dialogue sessions with fishermen, Simon said these engagements appeared to be merely procedural.

“We feel that our voices were heard, but never truly listened to. The concerns and feedback raised have not been translated into any meaningful policy improvements,” he said.

Simon said the new system has directly affected fishermen’s ability to go out to sea, as the process of purchasing diesel has become slower and less flexible.

“Fishermen depend heavily on timing, weather conditions, tides and sea determine when we can operate.

Any delay in purchasing diesel can cause fishermen to miss the right window to go to sea,” he said.

As a result, he added, fishermen face fewer working days, reduced catches, and loss of income, with a direct impact on the livelihoods of thousands of fishing families.

He also highlighted the growing risk posed by technical issues at fuel stations, which he said are common and often unpredictable. These include power outages, delays in fuel delivery and malfunctioning pump or verification systems.

“Under the new system, fishermen are required to make a payment before refuelling. When technical problems occur, the risk of financial loss increases,” Simon said.

He explained that in such situations, fishermen may be unable to purchase diesel on the same day, are forced to wait for refunds despite having limited cash flow, and lose the opportunity to buy fuel at other stations because the transaction has already been locked in.

“All this disrupts work schedules and further delays fishermen from going out to sea,” he lamented.

Simon stressed that while the fishing community supports the government’s efforts to curb the smuggling of subsidised diesel, legitimate fishermen should not be made victims of anti-smuggling policies.

“We understand the government’s intention, but the measures taken must not burden fishermen who genuinely depend on subsidised diesel to earn a living,” he said.

Calling for immediate improvements, Simon urged the government and LKIM to genuinely engage with fishermen and their associations before formulating or implementing policies.

He also called for greater consideration of on-the-ground realities, including technical risks and operational constraints, a review of the implementation of the new system to make it more practical and flexible, and engagement processes that go beyond mere formalities.

“A government that listens to its people is a government that can endure and bring prosperity to the country,” he said.