Bring back our ferries, urge Penangites after bridge fire

GEORGE TOWN – Penangites are now reminiscing the importance and need for state’s 126-year-old ferry service, the oldest in the country.

This follows a cable fire under the Penang Bridge on Monday, which caused the partial closing of the bridge for repair works.

Penang Bridge, with three lanes on each side, often sees massive traffic jams during peak hours, rainy days and Friday evenings.

Motorists could experience 26km traffic jams from Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway on the island until the northbound Sg Dua toll plaza along the North-South Expressway.

Many people are of the opinion that the vehicle ferry could play an important role as an alternative mode of transport whenever there is an emergency on the Penang Bridge.  

“It is a serious concern for Penangites and daily travellers to the island (and vice versa) for work reasons and other matters, including official government matters, as the state capital is located on the island.

“More importantly, passengers travelling to Penang International Airport may end up missing their flights due to the traffic jam.

“The ferries, which are about 3km from the North-South Expressway, would have been a solution to the problem,” said Ramli Adam, 47.  

Ramli, a production manager from Seberang Jaya who works in the Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone, said that it would be a wise move if the federal government reintroduced the vehicle ferries for the convenience of the people.

Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees said that Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) should reintroduce the vehicle ferry service not only because it is iconic and a Penang heritage, but also because it served as a convenient mode of transport for motorists from Butterworth, Seberang Prai Utara, and Seberang Prai Tengah to George Town.

“It does not make sense to travel 45 minutes using the bridge, when one could just spend 15 minutes crossing the channel using the ferries.

“You save energy and the environment by not using fuel to travel across the channel.

“Many motorcyclists are risking their lives rushing to work in the morning using the Penang Bridge, where traffic volume is now high after the ferries ceased operations,” he said.  

He also said it is not economically viable to make the middle-income group use the bridge and spend more money on petrol when using the ferry was energy-saving and environmentally  friendly.

Satees said he hopes PPSB will review its decision to commission new ferries to transport motorcycles and bicycles, and allow larger vehicles on the ferries, too, as this would increase revenue for PPSB.

Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung said he would welcome any move by the federal government to review its decision to reinstate the ferries as an acknowledgement of the sentiments of the people of Penang.

“It was not only iconic, historical, and a symbol of Penang, but also a cheap mode of transport as motorists did not need to spend money for fuel. Travelling times were also shorter,” he said.

A former staffer of PPSB, who was involved in the ferry operations, said when contacted that PPSB should submit a recommendation to the Transport Ministry to reinstate ferry services for the convenience of people crossing the channel.

“The management has to look into ways and means to churn revenue for the ferries. If there is a will, there is a way, and only people in Penang will understand the need for the ferries.

“I only see repair costs as an excuse for PPSB to get rid of the ferry services, which incurred accumulated losses as a result of mismanagement.

“I propose that we reintroduce the ferries. Why waste public funds to hire speedboats and barges for the current passenger ferry service?” he said.

PPSB pays RM5,000 daily for each of the three speedboats it hires, totalling RM15,000 a day, beside paying RM39,000 a month for the barge at the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal in Butterworth to function as a boarding float for the speedboats.

“Don’t you think it is a waste of public funds to hire the boats when you can operate your own ferries, save public funds and earn revenue for the company?” said the former PPSB staffer. – The Vibes, February 26, 2021