KOTA KINABALU, July 1 — Residents of Sabah’s Pulau Banggi, Malaysia’s largest island wholly within the country, are expected to face travel disruptions after the island’s main ferry operator reduced its daily passenger service between Kudat and Banggi from two return trips to just one beginning today.
A notice issued by Kudat Ferries Service Sdn Bhd said its morning departure from Kudat at 9am and afternoon return trip from Banggi at 2pm have been suspended “temporarily” effective July 1 until further notice.
Under the revised schedule, the ferry will now operate only one daily return trip — departing Banggi at 8am for Kudat and returning from Kudat at 2.30pm.
The company did not state the reason for the reduction in services.
The move comes just months after the operator increased ferry fares in April, citing rising fuel, operational and management costs. Economy-class fares were raised by RM7 per trip, from RM23 to RM30, while first-class tickets increased from RM26 to RM33 and business-class fares from RM31 to RM38.
For many of Banggi’s residents, the ferry is more than just public transport — it is the island’s primary lifeline to mainland Sabah. Private speedboats also serve the route, but they are significantly more expensive.
Located about 70 kilometres north of Kudat, Pulau Banggi is home to an estimated 20,000 people spread across dozens of villages across 440.7 sq km.
Residents, whose main economic activities include fishing, oil palm and rubber, rely on the ferry to travel for medical appointments, government services, banking, shopping and business.
Traders also depend on it to transport agricultural produce, seafood and other goods to Kudat, while the island’s growing tourism industry includes a number of waterfront bungalows.
No timeline has been given for when the full two-trip daily schedule will resume.
