THE iconic Penang ferry service was officially terminated on January 1, 2021, after 126 years of service.  

The responsible authority for its demise was Penang Port Commission (PPC), a port regulatory body under the Ministry of Transport (MOT).     

The transport minister at that time was Wee Ka Seong, the leader of MCA, a party that was at odds with the state government of Penang since 2008, when DAP first took over the state administration.  

In a show of force, politically and financially, the budget for a new fleet of ferries by the state-supported operator was not approved by the MOT. 

Instead, PPC’s proposal for “passenger only boats” was immediately agreed to by the transport minister and a new budget was allocated by the Ministry of Finance. 

This is a clear example of how conflicts between two rival parties escalated to a point where it not only affected the existing operator, but also caused massive drawbacks for users. 

The main function of the old ferries was to move people and vehicles between Butterworth and George Town, and vice versa.  

The fact that the ferries could move cars and motorcycles across in a shorter time span compared to the two bridges made them more convenient and popular. 

Foot passengers also benefited greatly as the fare charged was merely 70 sen for a return journey.  

The terminals and link spans — used for vehicle access in Butterworth and George Town — were specifically designed for double-decked Penang ferries. 

Imagine the losses incurred due to the controversial political decision.  

But MCA, being a party of the rich “towkays”, saw fit to commission passenger-only vessels despite strong opposition from DAP and ferry users.  

Perhaps it was due to PPC being controlled by MCA nominees. Many suspected that a business arrangement was already in place to benefit certain organisations such as the boat-building company and the ultimate vessel owners who would lease them back to the operator. 

Since the new “fast boats” are to be operated by the private sector, many users feel that the 70 sen return fare will not be maintained.  

Now, not only cars and motorcycles cannot cross between Butterworth (and its catchment areas like North Seberang Perai) and George Town directly, but daily ferry users must make a long detour to use the congested first Penang bridge instead. 

As a result, they face higher travel costs and a longer journey.  

No proper assessment  

It seemed that the abolition of the ferry service was done hurriedly.  

It was based on political and business considerations rather than on users’ needs.  

Had a proper assessment been made, incorporating all the implications for every stakeholder, the ferries would have been left alone. 

Factors such as cost, time, and convenience favour the old connectivity.  

Penang’s value as a major tourist destination and as a location to attract foreign direct investments is dependent upon the ability of its administrators to modernise as well as preserve valuable heritage like the Penang ferries. 

Efficient and high-frequency services, if so desired, could still be obtained by increasing and modernising the entire fleet.  

It only required a proper fleet renewal to be undertaken, which would have been supported by the same budget allocation. – December 16, 2022.  

* Rosli Khan reads The Malaysian Insight. 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.