THE Penang ferry service, which has been around for more than a century, is now in a state of uncertainty as the Federal Government plans to replace the ferries with passenger-only catamarans.
The reason: Spare parts for the ferries are unavailable.
But Penangites, especially motorists, have expressed their discontentment and are hoping that the ferry service would not be discontinued as it is seen as an icon of Penang.
In the Parliament sitting on Dec 7 it was reported that Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had expressed his hope that the ferry services would not be discontinued but instead operate alongside with the catamarans so that the public could experience both modes of transport.
In response to Chow’s request, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said only 200,000 vehicles are currently using ferries whereas 1.2 million are pedestrians.
To Wee, the passenger-only catamarans would be enough to serve the pedestrians while the two Penang bridges would be enough to cater to vehicular traffic.
In a survey conducted by the Buletin Mutiara team recently, the Penangites however, want the Federal Government to maintain the ferry service. They were straightforward with their views as expressed below.
Josephine Kumarathevan, entrepreneur, 48
“I cannot imagine the traffic woes that all of us will be facing if the ferry services are discontinued. Basically, ferries are the alternatives to prevent us from getting ‘caught up’ on the bridge.
“Imagine what will happen if suddenly the bridge is undergoing repair works; how to escape the jam? I use the first bridge as I live in Chai Leng Park; I cannot be going out of the way and head to the second bridge to cross over to island. The best option would be the ferry.
“Moreover, my children love sightseeing while we are on the ferry. If the ferry services come to an end, then our younger generation will not be able to enjoy Penang’s iconic ferry rides. The ground floor of the ferry itself is unique.
“Another thing is for those who are working in George Town such as Market Street and Bishop Street, using ferry will be much more convenient for them to enter the mainland. They don’t have to take a long route to the bridge to cross over to the mainland.
“Penang ferry is undeniably a tourist attraction and one of its kind in Malaysia. It is a heritage for us. Let it stay that way – as our evergreen transport over the sea, from island to mainland and vice-versa.
S. Kumaraguru, freelance photographer, 36
“I am from Penang island, and I travel frequently to the mainland. As a freelance photographer, I have many customers over there. I use motorcycle for my daily commuting and I prefer to use ferry for safety purposes instead of the bridge when going to the mainland. I believe most of the other motorcyclists would agree with me.
“I could not disagree more with the idea of phasing out the ferry service. It will also affect the traffic flow at the bridge. Penang bridges, especially the first bridge, will be congested with vehicles, leading to a massive traffic jam.
“Being a Penangite, the ferry holds a sentimental value for me. It had been something that I always looked forward to when parents were visiting my relatives on the mainland. Even after becoming an adult, it thrills me each time I take a ferry ride.
“The reason given to stop the services due to the unavailability of spare parts does not seem very clear to me. Perhaps, the Federal Government can introduce the catamaran while retaining the existing ferry service.
Anas Abd. Jalil, economic analyst at Amanah Capital Group, 40
“If the Federal Government intends to improve the quality of service on existing ferries, then they should increase the number of ferries that can run on modern engines. The existing ferries are already 47 years old.
“In addition to that, we might need to build a new port if the catamarans are brought in. The construction cost will be huge.
“The passenger catamarans would be smaller in size, but faster. Anyhow ‘speeding-off’ on the sea is not what we want; it is supposed to be fetching passengers from one shore to the other.
“However, I believe Malaysia is a country that has expertise in shipbuilding, so it will not be difficult to replace the old engines of the existing ferries with new ones that require even lower fuel consumption and are eco-friendly.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter