SIBU, Aug 15 — Express boats plying the Sibu-Kuching-Sibu route resumed operations today after it was temporarily suspended following the inter-zone travel restriction imposed from August 1 to August 14.
An express boat embarked from Kuching to Sibu at 8.30am today carrying 55 passengers, according to Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) Sibu assistant controller Hatta Morshidi.
“The (express boat from) Sibu to Kuching at 11.30am also started operations today.
“So everything is back to normal. Of course, strict standard operating procedures (SOP) are still in placed,” he said when contacted today.
Meanwhile, the Kuching-bound express boat departed from Sibu Express Boat Terminal at 11.30am.
It carried 59 passengers, including those boarding from Sarikei and Tanjung Manis to Kuching.
In a recent interview, a boat operator, who wished to remain anonymous, said that a notice had been placed at their ticketing counter to inform prospective passengers of the temporary suspension of service.
“The primary reason (for the temporary halting of boat service) was due to the low passenger volume coupled with the fact that Kuching has been declared a red zone. So, we do not wish to take the risk,” he said then.
For the record, the departure time from Sibu to Kuching is 11.30am and 8.30am from Kuching to Sibu, daily.
Separately, an observation at the boat terminal noted that passengers were complying with the set SOPs such as wearing face masks and practicing physical distancing.
Passengers from both arrivals and departures also had their body temperature taken and recorded. — Borneo Post
