Penang Infrastructure Corporation CEO Farizan Darus said the payments were distributed to 791 active and licensed fishermen.

“We registered 877 fishermen under SIMP, but 84 of them failed to update their documents before the Oct 31, 2024 deadline.

“This includes inactive fishermen, those who obtained new licences in 2024, some who have relocated and others who have died.

“Ex-gratia payments for two additional fishermen have been temporarily withheld due to conflict of interest arising from ongoing court cases with us,” he said in a statement today.

He added that the fishermen task force committee had decided to delay these payments until the appeals process is completed.

One of the fishermen, Lee Thean How, 38, said he would hand over the entire ex-gratia payment to his father, who owns the fishing boat, to purchase new fishing equipment.

“This ex-gratia payment is a great help for us to upgrade our equipment and improve efficiency at sea,” he said.

Chin Yoong Chun, 48, from Pulau Betong, who also received the full ex-gratia payment, said the assistance was timely, especially for preparations for Chinese New Year.

Lee and Chin were among 10 fishermen from Teluk Kumbar, Batu Maung, Seri Jerjak, Teluk Tempoyak and Pulau Betong who received Christmas and New Year hampers at the fishermen one-stop service centre in Permatang Damar Laut recently.

The 930ha Silicon Island reclamation project, owned by the Penang state government, aims to ensure long-term economic growth for the state and provide more land for factories.