Local Fishermen Should Benefit From BDIFIP Project - DPM Zahid

BAGAN DATUK, June 14 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called for deep-sea resource harvesting licences under the Bagan Datuk International Fishery Industrial Park (BDIFIP) to be awarded to local communities, especially those from Perak.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the Fisheries Department could work with Menteri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc) to identify potential local operators who could be granted licences under the RM2 billion project.

The Bagan Datuk MP added that he would work with financial institutions to ensure eligible fishermen receive assistance or loans, thereby ensuring that the benefits of the project are shared fairly between foreign investors and the local community.

“This is how we create balance, so that Malaysians, especially those in Perak, are not left with just low-paying jobs of RM1,700, watching others benefit from the project,” he said at the BDIFIP pre-launch ceremony here today.

He also expressed hope that local workers at BDIFIP would not be paid minimum wages while foreign investors offer significantly higher salaries for similar roles in their home countries.

“Do not exploit the hard work of our local youth. Fair wages must be ensured, especially for those with skills and the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM).

“I will personally monitor the progress of this industrial zone and ensure all timelines are fully met,” he said.

At the event, Ahmad Zahid also witnessed the exchange of an agreement between MB Inc. Perak and Younchang Engineering & Construction (M) Sdn Bhd, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Younchang Engineering and MingCheng Group Co Ltd, paving the way for broader international collaboration in the project’s investment ecosystem.

Earlier, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the BDIFIP project, involving investments of more than RM2 billion, will be developed in phases starting in 2027 across a 126.4-hectare site.

The project is expected to elevate Bagan Datuk into an international seafood trading hub.

-- BERNAMA