GERAKAN_FERRY_PENANG.jpg)
GEORGE TOWN – With days to go, Gerakan is urging the federal and state governments to find a solution to keep the iconic double-decker Penang ferries.
Gerakan vice-president Datuk Baljit Singh said on his Facebook page yesterday that the ferries are a heritage treasure of the state.
“I am being sentimental, as I have been using the ferries until now to commute to Butterworth on the mainland for work. I also happen to think it is a fantastic tourism icon that must be promoted as a transportation option and not simply banished and repurposed as a restaurant or floating museum, which will not be accessible to everyone.”
He also called for Putrajaya’s Perikatan Nasional and Penang’s Pakatan Harapan administrations to set aside their political affiliations.
The two dominant parties in this issue – MCA and DAP – have been at loggerheads over the matter, accusing each other of neglect.
“I am in no way standing in the way of progress or development.
“While the iconic ferry service has served as a tangible piece of cultural heritage for Penang and Malaysia, we must ensure that it is not lost, like the manner in which Gurney Drive – which used to be a natural heritage landmark – has been lost to land reclamation.”
Baljit also questioned the silence of public-interest and civil society groups on the matter.
“They are unusually quiet. Their silence is astounding.”
The ferries are expected to be gradually phased out, starting on Friday, when vehicles will no longer be allowed on board.
The ferry service has been running for 126 years, even during World War II.
The current fleet has been plying the channel for the last 61 years, but now, only two of the seven remain in service.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz had told Parliament on December 17 that RM30 million has been allocated for a fleet-modernisation exercise of the ferries and that the funds would be released in two tranches next year and in 2022.
The federal government had on Thursday given its assurance that the service, the oldest in the country, would continue, stating that it would prioritise passenger safety and comfort.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister and MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong had said that passenger safety was paramount, and the decision to modernise the ferry fleet was to avoid unwanted incidents and disruptions. – The Vibes, December 28, 2020
