Dungun: The Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) is stocking up 1,900 tonnes of frozen fish in preparation for the monsoon season. Its chairman, Muhammad Faiz Fadzil, stated that this is to ensure an adequate supply of protein-rich food and to maintain stable market prices during the Northeast Monsoon (MTL) season, which is expected to start from November until next March.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the supply of fresh fish typically decreases during the monsoon season because fishermen on the East Coast are unable to go out to sea. To address this, LKIM has taken steps to store frozen fish stocks in collaboration with private intermediaries like the sector's middlemen. The private sector is stocking up 1,600 tonnes while LKIM is storing 300 tonnes of fish.

Muhammad Faiz emphasized that there should be no issue of fish price increase and assured cooperation with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) if there are parties attempting to manipulate prices arbitrarily. He made these remarks at the LKIM chairman's Rahmah Mesra MADANI programme with the fishermen community at the LKIM Dungun Complex.

Also present at the event was LKIM Terengganu director Ahmad Nazri @ Abd Zaim Madri. Muhammad Faiz further announced that LKIM has built 68 new houses and repaired 212 fishermen's homes this year with an allocation of RM10 million. Terengganu was the highest recipient of the Fishermen's Housing Special Project (PKPN) with an allocation of RM2.02 million.

In Terengganu, 17 fishermen received new homes while 30 others had their houses repaired. Each repair costs up to RM20,000 while the cost of constructing new houses is around RM84,000.