GEORGE TOWN – Putrajaya’s decision to keep the 126-year-old Penang ferry service has shocked Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) chief executive Sasedharan Vasudevan, who said he was caught unawares by the finance minister’s announcement.
“I just read it two minutes ago and had no idea about this. I am shocked as it is so different from what we presented in the press statement on Monday.
“I need to refer to the Transport Ministry, which is my regulator.”
He also requested time to take in the new information.
Later, Sasedharan said PPSB is awaiting further instructions from the Finance Ministry, as well as Penang Port Commission, on the matter.
He expressed hope that everyone involved will find an amicable solution to the issue.
As a Penangite himself, he said, he hopes there is a solution acceptable to the state.
This morning, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz told the Dewan Rakyat that the Penang ferry service will continue.
He added that the RM30 million allocated by the previous Pakatan Harapan government will be released to PPSB in two tranches next year.
“The government will ensure that Penang Port continues Penang’s iconic ferry service.”
Bagan MP and former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng thanked Tengku Zafrul after the announcement, and requested that the transport minister see to it that the decision is executed.
Several Penangites expressed happiness that the ferry service will continue.
Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer Prof Chan Ngai Weng, lauding the decision, said the ferries are a historical Penang icon.
“They also provide an essential service, as well as an alternative to Penang’s two bridges.
“Doing away with the ferry service may give reasons for the undersea tunnel.”
Calvin Chan, founder of environmental group Green Hero, said the ferry service is the most affordable way to travel between the mainland and island.
An adult ticket for a one-way journey by ferry costs RM1.20, while children aged between 5 and 12 pay 60 sen each.
In comparison, motorcyclists pay RM1.40 per trip, and private cars, RM7, to cross the Penang Bridge.
Chan also believes that the ferry service can be improved on by having food and beverage services, or even a pop-up market, on board, so that operators get to make extra income.
Petaling Jaya city councillor Derek Fernandez, who is a planning and development law expert, said ferries are a form of public transport, and the service should not be profit-driven.
“The government derives another benefit from these services. The indirect benefit is a lot, from environmental and pollution control, getting cars off the roads, and efficiency of movement, to contribution to business growth.
“The Petaling Jaya City Council spends RM13 million on our free bus service every year. It is not a business venture.
“I believe this needs public engagement before any decision is made. The issue involves more than the mere modernisation – which is a good thing – of the mass public transport system for better efficiency.
“It also involves the historical, identity and emotional values essential for sustainable development. There is a cost in preserving cultural or historical identity.
“It can be preserved, but repurposed like The Ghan in Australia, where the train goes through the desert. There is a cost in preserving the iconic ferries.
“The old can coexist with the new. But, preserving the iconic fleet is a money issue, so let the people decide.” – The Vibes, December 17, 2020
