KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz today assured the Penang government that the RM30 million previously allocated for the Penang Port Commission (PPC) to operate the state’s ferry services will be disbursed.
In his ministry’s winding-up speech during the policy stage in the Dewan Rakyat today, Tengku Zafrul said this will be paid in two tranches but was conditional on the PPC remaining the service operator.
“As how Bagan (MP, Lim Guan Eng) is aware, the previous government approved a RM30 million allocation for the Penang Port (Commission) to take over the Penang ferry services. I want to confirm that the allocation which was approved before this, will be paid in two annual instalments.
“The RM15 million allocation for 2021 is already included in the allocation approved for the 2021 Supply Bill. The balance RM15 million will be prepared.
“The government will ensure that Penang Port will be given the condition to continue the Penang ferry services that is iconic and a heritage draw,” Tengku Zafrul added to thumps of support from the Opposition.
Lim earlier asked that the government preserve the ferry services that he said were synonymous with the state.
He also thanked Tengku Zafrul for the assurance and asked that Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong see the matter through.
PPC chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng recently announced that the old ferries in Penang will be stopped entirely by 2022 and replaced by water buses and vehicle transporters.
Tan also announced that only one ferry will continue to operate until July 2022 to transport bicycles and motorcycles while other passengers will need to take fast ferries from the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal.
There will not be any ferries to transport four-wheeled vehicles to and fro between the island and the mainland from January 1 onwards.
Lim, a former Penang chief minister, had criticised the move and lamented that replacing the iconic ferries with modern water buses was a cold and callous approach that ignored the state’s unique heritage and history.
He said it was the state’s heritage and history that played an important role as an economic generator of tourism.
He claimed that the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) government had transferred the Penang ferry service back to Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) from Prasarana Bhd, with the understanding that the iconic Penang ferry must be retained together with cash payments as an incentive.
