Speaking to the Borneo Post on the telephone after the parliamentary session yesterday evening, Tiong, who is also the Bintulu MP, said Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen had accused the government for failing to help the fishermen in petrol subsidies, leading to their current protest in Sarawak.

Rebutting Chong's claim, he said his club members felt the opposition MP had failed to do his homework as he called for motion for a parliamentary debate 
yesterday, saying Chong had not known of the situation in Sarawak well enough to argue for his cause.

He said his club member Abdul Mazlan, who is also Pontian MP from Johore, had answered well to Chong's accusation, pointing out that in 2006, the government had given an oil subsidy to the fishermen amounting to RM657 million.

"This was increased to 700 million the following year, and this year, the subsidy has increased to RM807 million."

He said the government had also granted each fisherman RM200 to help them out in the difficult times, and this amount added up to RM150 million.

"The government is also subsiding the fishermen 10 Sen for each kg of fish harvested from the sea, and this amount has added up to RM130 million."

He felt what Chong did yesterday afternoon was just fanning the sentiment of the people as he aimed for his personal political gain.

"Has he been on the ground to be with the fishermen? Has he really shown any concern for their well being?"

Tiong said it was the BN Government which has been helping the fishermen all this while, and not the opposition members.

On the other hand, he said his club members expressed hope in the parliament that the fishermen would not take the government’s help for granted by abusing the subsidies.

"If they abuse the subsidies, the economy of the country will be affected."

Tiong said he related an incident in the parliament yesterday to stress his point.

He said he had once seen a fishermen lining up for the subsidised petrol at a station at 6am, but, four hours later, he found him staying at home and not going to the sea.

"I asked him why. The fisherman said he had a stomachache. Shortly later, I saw him dressing up smartly to go to the town, and on my enquiry, he said he was going to see a doctor."

Although the fisherman had refilled his tank that morning, Tiong said he found it empty again shortly that day.

"I asked the fisherman why. He replied, who has stolen my petrol?"

Tiong questioned Chong whether he had known of such abuse by the fishermen as he  claimed to champion for their course.

At this point, the club chairman said, one of his members, Datuk Mohamad Aziz, who is also Sri Gading MP, pointed out that when the market price for petrol was at RM2.58, the fishermen were getting a subsidy of RM1.43 per litre.

"Wasn't the government with the people? In situation like this, shouldn't  we be concerned if the fishermen were selling the petrol to the foreigners?"

The Sri Gading MP feared the situation had also been abused within the country, saying this had once caused a shortage of petrol locally.

Tiong suggested that the government came up with a means to stop such an abuse, like considering giving out the subsidies based on the catches from the sea.

For a harsher action, he called on the government to consider suspending the licenses of the fishermen for the abuse.

Tiong said his club members from Kinabatangan in Sabah, Datuk Bung Moktar, and Arau in Kedah, Datuk Ismail kassim, had both pointed out yesterday that the fishermen in their respective States were not protesting because they appreciated the help of the government.

The Kinabatangan MP said he was sad when the petrol were being sold by some irresponsible fishermen. 

"In the end, they themselves have to go to the market to buy fish for their families."

Tiong questioned that in landas seasons, when the fishermen were not going out at sea, why there had also been a shortage of petrol.