Celebrating Chinese New Year with South Penang Island fishermen and residents

Published by Pusat Perkhidmatan Setempat Nelayan • 14/02/2022

Bayan Lepas, 14 Februari 2022 – As tradition, Chinese New Year this year was marked with the spirit of giving at Pusat Perkhidmatan Setempat Nelayan (PPSN), where 60 local fishermen and residents were presented with mandarin oranges for the festivities.

The recipients include fishermen who operate near the Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation site. They were identified by PPSN information officers with the help of the Gertak Sanggul and Bukit Gemuruh Village Community Management Councils (MPKK) for the festive contribution programme.

Among the recipients, 20 were Teluk Kumbar fishermen and 25 were Gertak Sanggul fishermen. The rest were Gertak Sanggul residents.

Penang Infrastructure Corporation (PIC) Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Seri Farizan Bin Darus said the state has been giving contributions during festive celebrations to strengthen unity, mutual respect and friendship through PPSN.

“Giving gifts during festivities is a practice for all Malaysians regardless of race and religion. For the Chinese, giving mandarin oranges means wishing the recipient good fortune, apart from showing respect.

“This is because mandarin oranges are called ‘kam’ in Chinese, which has the same pronunciation for the word ‘gold’ in Cantonese. So, when you give someone mandarin oranges, you are wishing the person prosperity and happiness.

“Although the contribution is not much, we hope the kam will bless our friends in southern Penang Island fishermen villages with good fortune,” he said.

Dato’ Seri Farizan also said the Penang State Government has every intention to bring economic growth and socioeconomic improvements to southern Penang Island for the benefit of the locals through the PSI project.

He said work to resubmit the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report for approval was going well.

“If things go smoothly, we will be able to start the reclamation and financial aid or ex-gratia payments to fishermen who have registered for the Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) this year.

“Before that, the State Government will kick off other initiatives like seafarer courses, free tuition classes dan create business and job opportunities under the PELITAKU community participation programme, which is coordinated by PPSN.

“Although the journey in implementing PSR has been bumpy, the State Government will not give up. In the year of the Tiger, we hope we can push on and achieve success like the tiger that has been given wings in the Chinese idiom,” he said.

PPSN is the one-stop centre that disseminates accurate information on the Penang State Government’s PSI project.

Apart from being the mediator between the state government and the people, which helps the administration identify and address South Penang Island fishermen issues, PPSN also organises social programmes for the local community’s benefit.

PPSN now operates in Permatang Damar Laut, Gertak Sanggul and Sungai Batu from 8am to 5.30pm on weekdays except public holidays.

Ends

Several local fishermen and residents receiving their boxes of mandarin oranges at PPSN Gertak Sanggul.

Gertak Sanggul Village Community Management Council chairman Mr Leong Kein Cheong (right) presenting a box of mandarin oranges to a fisherman at PPSN Gertak Sanggul. With them is PPSN information officer Mohammad Qhidir Subri (left).