GEORGE TOWN – The Penang Port Commission (PPC), a federal agency, wants Penangites and tourists to accept the fact that the state’s historic car-carrying ferry service will no longer exist from January 1 next year.
Its chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said the decision was driven by statistics and economics, rather than emotions or politics.
Tan, who is also Penang MCA chairman, said that the decision was reached by the cabinet.
Of the 1.5 million annual users, 1.2 million were foot passengers and only 200,00 were automobiles or motorcycles.
He said that the two bridges connecting the island to the mainland remain the best alternatives for car users.
“These are facts, and it is shown over decades that car users prefer to use the bridges than the cross-channel ferries. The Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (Second Penang Bridge), is also mostly accessible now besides the Penang Bridge," he told a media briefing here today.
The PPC board, which governs Penang Port, approved the move to scrap the iconic service on November 24, deeming that the port cannot bear the costs of maintaining the fleet, which had been reduced to just two out of the normal six.
As a result, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, who owns the fleet of six ferries also decided to hand back the 136-year-old service to port operator Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) as of January 1.
The Transport Ministry has allocated RM30 million to PPC to overhaul the service and for PPSB to assume control over it and its 120 staffers.
After that, PPSB will only offer a catamaran service to ply at 40-minute intervals, for pedestrians only.
PPSB has engaged two sea-borne catamarans from Langkawi ferry operators for an interim period till July 2022.
One of the two yellow coloured double decker ferries would be used to ferry only motorcyclists and cyclists across, while four-wheelers will only be allowed on for emergencies.
The other ferry would be decommissioned, to be converted into a floating restaurant and museum, which will be permanently berthed off the Tanjong City Marina club here.
PPSB is expected to then take delivery of five "water buses" and two “ transporters’, meant for pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists only, in July 2022.
Bigger vehicles can only use the transporters during emergencies.
The water buses and transporters will take just 10 minutes to commute between George Town and Butterworth.
Their operating hours will remain the same – from 6.30am to 11pm daily.
Tan said that this was the best alternative for Penangites to continue the seafaring experience across the channel.
He added that PPC has briefed the state government and hope they will welcome this concept compared to the present ferry model which he described as unsustainable.
Termination criticised as harsh and hasty
However, the concept was met with a rebuke from Kebun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong Khan Lee, who likened the termination of the ferries to the removal of Penang’s free port status in the late 1960s.
He said both were done without consulting local residents.
Ong, who is Penang PKR vice-chairman, said that the federal government should have consulted the state and conducted a referendum or survey.
“It is harsh and hasty. Other islands in the world can still accommodate vehicles aboard ferries. So why can’t Penang?” Ong said.
He said the speedy water buses and transporters operate on “workhorse” mode compared to the ferries which cruise at a pleasant speed.
Penang had started using vessels carrying road vehicles across the channel in 1929 and the current double-decker model came into commission in 1959.
The ferries were originally manufactured in Hong Kong and later more were built in Pasir Gudang, Johor.
Meanwhile, PPSB CEO Sasedharan Vasudevan said that they will spend up to RM64 million to upgrade the Pengkalan Raja Uda terminal (in George Town) and Sultan Abdul Halim terminal (in Butterworth), with new spaces accorded for retail outlets and restaurants – The Vibes, December 15, 2020.
