GEORGE TOWN, Sept 14 — A stop work order was issued to a proposed shrimp farming activity in Kampung Kuala Juru after the clearing operation was found to be illegal, said state exco Fahmi Zainol.

The Agro-Technology and Food Security Committee chairman said the project did not have planning permission from the local authorities.

"The project was given a stop work order because it didn’t get planning approval,” he said during a press conference at Komtar today.

He said he will arrange meetings between the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) and the fishermen in the area.

"We will organise discussion sessions to harmonise the situation,” he said.

A few days ago, a group of fishermen in Kampung Kuala Juru held a peaceful protest against the proposed shrimp farming activity on a piece of land that they claimed was earmarked for housing for fishermen in the area.

The Kampung Kuala Juru action committee chairman Wahid Othman said LKIM had promised to build housing for fishermen on the 11 hectares of land more than 25 years ago.

He said the housing that was promised never materialised, but the land was cleared without warning recently to make way for shrimp farming.

He said they had reported the land clearing activity to the local council as they believed it was against the guidelines.