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INVESTIGATIONS into the collision between the chemical tanker MV Mekar Jaya and the Teluk Bahang passenger ferry in the Penang Channel will focus on the radar and navigational systems.
Penang Port Commission (PPC), which oversees port regulation, has formed a special task force with the port operator, Penang Port Sdn Bhd, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
PPC chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said the special task force would also be entrusted to ensure such incidents do not recur.
One of the main areas of concern is why the radar and navigation systems did not sound the alert over proximity.
On Monday, around 830pm, the passenger ferry collided with MV Mekar near the port docks on the Butterworth side of the Penang Channel.
Twenty-one pedestrians and motorcyclists suffered minor injuries, of whom 18 received outpatient treatment.
Yeoh wants a transparent investigation to determine the cause and circumstances leading to the collision.
“I immediately instructed the PPC and PPSB to set up a special task force to thoroughly probe the cause of the accident in an objective, transparent and professional manner, establish the facts, and report fully to the public,” he said.
Yeoh said relevant parties have also been instructed to gather information and assist with compensation matters.
Yeoh, a former state executive councillor, went to the ferry terminal in Butterworth shortly after the collision to assess the situation.
He said the ferry operator had also been instructed to review its operational procedures and safety mechanisms, with further action to be taken based on the investigation findings.
“We will not avoid any issues and will take the necessary follow-up actions and improve measures to prevent similar incidents from happening,” he said.
The collision occurred when the Teluk Bahang Ferry, which was heading towards the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal, collided with MV Mekar Jaya near the docking bay.
MV Mekar Jaya was reported to be travelling from the Butterworth Deep Water Wharves to the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal.
The state government is awaiting a full report on the collision.
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the state government has only received a preliminary report.
“I have been informed that they are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the accident. We (the state government) are awaiting the detailed report on the incident,” he said. - September 3, 2026.
