GEORGE TOWN – The Penang Fisherman’s Association (Pen Mutiara) is alleging that fisherwoman Fajinah Jaafar had duped people into signing the petition to apply for the Penang South Islands (PSI) project to continue.
In response, Fajinah has lodged a police report citing slander that was spread via WhatsApp in the form of an audio message.
“The message that was sent to all our fishermen, unit leaders and others in the community was about how I am a cunning woman who tricked people to sign the petition in support of the PSI project.
“They said I obtained the signatures on pretext of obtaining food for the Covid-19 food bank. I did no such thing!” she said.
Last week, Fajinah sought signatures for those in support of the PSI project through her younger brother and sister.
The 60-year-old fisherwoman said she is disappointed to learn that the PSI project was stalled, as she thought the project could provide a better future for the fishermen.
One of the fishermen, Zakaria Ismail, ascended as a hero for successfully setting aside the environmental impact assessment approval for the controversial project.
“I enlisted my brother and sister for help because I was too tired to visit every house after I came back from my fishing trip,” Fajinah told The Vibes.
“I believed that they were the best people to do it because they are running a non-governmental organisation called Pertubuhan Kebajikan Ikhlas Sepakat Pulau Pinang and they ran a campaign to provide food aid to the community some months back.
“When they went visiting the fishermen and community to collect signatures in support of the project, they explained very clearly that it was for PSI.
“Some supported, some didn’t. Some called us back to cancel their name because they were instructed to do so by their unit leaders. There was no force, it was on their own free will,” she said.
She was saddened to know of two audio messages, one of which was recorded by the chairman of Pen Mutiara Mahadi Md Rodzi and another fisherman identified as Pak Chat, saying she had conspired with SRS Consortium to deceive the public into signing the petition by saying she was providing Covid-19 assistance.
The voice note was posted by Facebook user Ali Othman, featuring a picture of Fajinah taken during a recent interview.
“I was never involved with Covid-19 assistance, my brother is.
“When I heard that they wanted to discuss with other unit leaders and report me to the police, I was shocked and I could not sleep. I was having heart palpitations, and mind you, I have high blood pressure.
“I’ve never been involved with the police my whole life. Are we wrong to practise the right to voice our views, either for or against something according to our respective beliefs and stances?”
Fajinah said that she has collected 930 signatures so far, 421 of them from fishermen and 509 from the public.
Persatuan Lestari Alam Sekitar Pulau Pinang assistant secretary Nasa Sultan was also present to show support for Fajinah, saying it is a political ploy against an innocent woman.
“We do not prevent those who are anti-project from protesting. Fajinah has also never spread slander against the other party by using Facebook or WhatsApp. Was she treated in such a way because she is a woman and hence easier to bully? Why should Fajinah be targeted?
“To defend Fajinah and avoid other untoward incidents against her, we have made a police report so that action can be taken against the party who committed the defamation.”
The police report was lodged yesterday at the Sg Pinang community police station. – The Vibes, September 24, 2021
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