Johor bahru: Although the fishing community makes up only 1.53 per cent, or about 2,000, of the 132,579 registered voters in the Kota Iskandar state constituency, it holds a special place in the heart of the constituency's incumbent Barisan Nasional (BN) representative Datuk Pandak Ahmad.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, it is easy to understand why, as fishing runs deep in Pandak's blood: both his late grandfather and father were fishermen, and he grew up in a village community that depended on the sea for its livelihood, where boats and sampans were the primary means of transportation.
Pandak, affectionately known as 'Tok Pandak', shared his deep connection to the fishing community in an interview ahead of the 16th Johor state election, in which he will defend the Kota Iskandar seat. The former village head of 30 years and ex-member of the Iskandar Puteri City Council for 12 years said his close ties with the fishing community have made him the go-to person for fishermen seeking help with issues ranging from everyday concerns to matters of international significance.
Among the key challenges that continue to plague traditional fishermen are allegations of harassment by Singaporean authorities while they carry out fishing activities in waters near the maritime border. In 2022, several local fishermen were reportedly ordered to leave the Pasir Laba area while setting shrimp nets, sparking a heated verbal exchange between the fishermen and Singaporean enforcement officers.
Pandak, 63, has consistently been one of the most outspoken advocates for the fishing community in the state assembly, including proposing a motion to redraw the Malaysia-Singapore maritime boundary involving Johor waters, particularly the Strait of Johor, although the proposal has yet to be realised. He believes that redrawing the boundary is crucial to ensuring that fishermen can carry out their activities without interference.
If given another mandate, Pandak remains committed to championing the rights of traditional fishermen, ensuring that maritime boundary issues and fishermen's safety receive serious attention from the government while safeguarding the country's sovereignty. He noted that the maritime boundary issue is particularly critical given the narrow waters of the Johor Strait, where the close proximity of the two countries makes it difficult for traditional fishermen to identify the actual boundary while at sea.
However, Pandak expressed gratitude that the situation along the maritime border has improved, with reports of interference involving local fishermen becoming less frequent. He attributed the positive development to strong diplomatic ties and good understanding between local leaders and the new Consul-General of the Republic of Singapore in Johor Bahru, Ng Kuan Khai.
In November 2023, then Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin stated that there was no need to redraw the maritime boundary between Singapore and Johor, as it had been finalised under the 1995 agreement, which remains in force.
The Kota Iskandar state constituency will see a four-cornered contest involving Pandak, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Dzulkefly Ahmad, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate S. Anna Pravina, and Sahrudin Omar of Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama). Polling for the Johor state election will be held on July 11, with early voting scheduled for July 7.