HALIM Mazmin Bhd executive chairman Tan Sri Halim Mohamad yesterday criticised banks for hesitating to give financing to ex-servicemen to carry out fish farming projects.

 
Halim said banks should be more sympathetic towards ex-servicemen wanting to start their undertaking and urged the banking fraternity to emulate the Government which is very supportive of fish farming activities.

 
"I'm happy with the assistance and encouragement given by the Government but I'm not happy with the way banks treat our exarmy people," he told reporters at Lima.

 
Halim said ex-servicemen were not able to start or expand their business as they could not secure loans from the banks.

 
"They can do it. They know the whole business by now. Only that they could not get financial assistance from the banks to start their business."

 
Halim Mazmin has pumped a seed capital of RM2 million into Langkawi Sea Farm Sdn Bhd for a venture with ex-servicemen in Langkawi.

 
The shipping company holds 51 per cent in the venture while the balance of 49 per cent was shared by 25 ex-servicemen.

 
Halim Mazmin, Halim said, started the venture without any experience on fish farming in 1998, but had proved that it was a viable venture.

 
The farm is located in Pulau Anak Kilim and can produce 600,000 tonnes of fish annually. It receives solid demand from overseas including Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and China.

 
Among the fish bred at the farm, which is being backed by Norwegian technology, are pompano (bawal emas), seabass (siakap) and grouper (kerapu).