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©The Malaysian Insider (Used by permission)
by Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 - A heated exchange broke between Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs in Parliament today as ruling coalition lawmakers accused fishermen of reselling subsidised diesel.

Thousands of fishermen in Malaysia are on strike, reducing the nation's fish supply by half, to demand for a reduction in the price of subsidised diesel to RM1.00.

The price of subsidised diesel for fishermen was RM1.43 until last week when the government reduced it to RM1.30.

Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing claimed that he had personally witnessed a fisherman in his constituency who was involved in the practice.

Tiong urged the government to restructure the subsidy.

"Instead of paying for the diesel, the government should compensate the fishermen based on their catch," said Tiong.

Sri Gading MP Mohamed Aziz also expressed similar views.

"Is DAP supporting the selling of subsidised diesel by the fishermen," said Mohamed who added that the motion was tabled solely for political mileage.

Chong in his speech earlier said the motion on the same matter filed on Nov 27 should have been allowed to prevent the strike from taking place.

"They went on strike because of the government's attitude. Just because a small group of fishermen are selling the subsidised diesel, it does not mean everyone should be victimised," said Chong.

He added the government was irresponsible for accusing the opposition parties of instigating the fishermen to go on strike.

In supporting the motion, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh raised the problem of availability of subsidised diesel.

"Increasing the subsidised diesel quota for the fishermen will not solve the problem," said Fuziah.

In her reply, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Rohani Karim said the issue was exaggerated by the opposition.
"They have ignored the facts that the Minister of Agriculture have been meeting the fishermen," said Rohani

She added that the matter would be brought to Cabinet tomorrow.

Earlier in the morning, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar allowed the motion to postpone the session by Chong, after ruling that the issue of the fishermen's strike was of public importance and urgent.

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