[UPDATED] Ferry fare subsidy for Penang channel foot passengers starting July 1

GEORGE TOWN – The Penang government will subsidise the ferry fare for foot passengers starting July 1 next year, infrastructure and transport exco Zairil Khir Johari (Tg Bungah-DAP) told the state assembly today.

However, he did not disclose the discount quantum, but said it is for Malaysians using the speedboats to cross the Penang channel.

He added that statistics showed a sharp increase in passengers using the speedboats as a mode of transport.

“There is an overwhelming ridership for the ferry services and the subsidy will encourage foot passengers as the speed boats are comfortable, safe and fast.”

Zairil was replying to a supplementary question by Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor (Sg Dua-BN) who asked the state to keep at least one vehicular ferry in operation due to its “iconic” status.

Zairil said the ferry operations are not under the jurisdiction of the state government, but are under the Penang Port Commission, which is a regulator body under the federal government and operated by Penang Port Sdn Bhd.

“Maintaining the iconic ferry service is the policy of the state government. We want the operators to operate at least one iconic ferry, but we were told by the Penang Port Commission that upgrading and maintaining the iconic ferries are expensive.”

The iconic double-decker ferries plying the channel between Butterworth and George Town ceased operations on December 31 last year, and the Penang Port Commission introduced passenger-only speedboats from January 1.

They plied the route between Pengkalan Sultan Abdul Halim in Butterworth and Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda in George Town on the island. – The Vibes, December 1, 2021