Soon after the Pakatan-led Penang state government said it wanted to take over the ferry service, we now see the feds moving in, indicating their desire to take over the ferries through Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. Prasarana, wholly owned by the Finance Ministry, is the asset owner of the bus services operated by Rapid KL and Rapid Penang.
This is reminiscent of how the feds moved in soon after the BN-led Penang government under Koh Tsu Koon indicated it wanted to set up its own state-owned bus service following numerous complaints about the privatised “cowboy”-style bus service. The Penang government’s plan to set up a state bus corporation was thwarted when the feds set up Rapid Penang, a subsidiary of Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL), also wholly-owned by the Finance Ministry.
There is now also a move for Prasarana to take over both Rapid KL and Rapid Penang, ostensibly to give more financial muscle to these two entities.
While it is good for the Penang ferry and bus services to come under the same body as it could ensure better coordination and integration, that body should be owned and managed at the state level. In other words, the Penang bus and ferry services should come under a new body called Penang Transport Authority or Penang Public Transport Commission which should be owned at the local level.
If ever the Pakatan takes over at the federal level, one of the first things it should do is to transfer ownership and management of the ferry and bus services as well as the Penang Bridge back to the Penang state government or local authorities. That would lead to more accountability to the public and greater knowledge and responsiveness to local needs.
Related posts:
It happening again. In Sabah when PBS was in the Opposition, Federal Goverment wanted to federalised whatever “Jabatan” under the State Gov.Politic of Federelism in the making.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
it (could) be used as a political tool to sabotage the state govt.
in fact, all critical services (may) be taken away from the local councils and state govt so that the rakyat will be beholden to the federal govt. if we dont toe the line and vote opposition, they (could) just turn the tap off to make us suffer.
when will the people wake up and throw this obnoxiously corrupt govt away with their votes?
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
As long as the service is good, the people would not mind. But it does raise questions why should the feds intervene only when the state wants to take action about it?
Say a total transportation breakdown a month before the next GE with the people and the press howling after LGE like the Kg Buah Pala case?
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
If the Federal Govt runs everything in a State, then what’s the point of having a State Govt ? I think a State Govt must be given the authority and responsibility to run basic services in a State. Bus and Ferry transportation are basic services.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
No wonder the BN govt is so eager to raise public transport fares. A warning to PR state govt. A kind of sabotage is going around in the PR state. I notice lately the police and the municipal councils (mostly manned by umno members) are super efficient in issuing summnons to motor cyclist and motorist. I heard a motor cyclist saying after receiving a summnon for parking his motorcycle in front of the GAMA entrance….’they are so stupid. after voting for them, they start to issue summnons at express speed. I will not vote for them at the next election’.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Aiyah! Penang people. Stop using the bus. Stop using car. Use the bicycle.
1. It is healthy
2. Pollution free
3. Bankrupt the bus company
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hi Bro and sis
We have to make sure the BeeNd has his ending by next election…..
Don’t talk but never do some thing.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The real reason the Feds want to get involved and throw Taxpayers money after purchasing planes for MAS, and buses and ferries elsewhere is that it gives UMNO/BN complete control over SPENDING on CAPITAL EXPENDITURE with very little accountability, transparency or oversight. Billions of RM!!
When these entities make operating losses it is just absorbed by the Fed with further cash injections, often classified as ‘off-budget’ allocations. The money ccomes from your and my taxes paid by the sweat of our brow.
In recent years Proton ($300 million R&D Grant), MAHB (appx. RM1 billion on ‘re-structuring’)and other Govt owned agencies and companies have all been the beneficiaries of such Fed largesse.
Does anyone know how … buys planes? Directly or through an ‘appointed’ Bumi agency owned by a crony? And how much does MAS owe … for laesing of aircrafts? How many hundreds of millions of RM? Does anyone know how so many buses are purchased? By open tender? Nary a clue!
Once the Fed get their grimy hands on these projects, the tap will flow until a major financial scandal erupts. Then, there will be another round of ‘re-structuring’ (read as Govt bail out) and they will start all over again.
Lately Khazanah has also ventured into theme parks? What’s the logic?
State Govt must fight hard against this Federalism and its grubby expansion. Other than Education, Health, Welfare, Defence, Central Bank, National Highways and Law & Ordr, matters affection things like transport within States should be left to their own devices.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Well the whole idea over the last 50 years is to centralise or federalise everything so that the state government does not have any clout.
I agree with Anil and take it a step further, states should run their own state with the exception of Finance, Home, Foreign, Defence, sort of an autonomy.
States should also have their own Home department and law enforcement should be a state subject. Home on federal level can have their own federal agencies such as FBI, interstate and SB.
mmmmmmm everyone things I have gone mad or have I?
This way, it is all evened out and there is better accountability.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Unless it’s another Rick Astley is dead, the breaking news from the Star is Chua Jui Meng has left MCA for PKR.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
MyBlog
The recent call by the Selangor MB for all (including non-Muslims)to pay zakat as opposed to INcome Tax may have something in it.
This will enable State Govt to keep all taxes within their treasuries and then spend wisely, as opposed to paying Income Tax into the Fed’s Consoldated Revenue Account and watch it disappear with fancy accounting and over-inflated project costs.
It will also stop UMNO/BN from holding Kelantan and Pakatan States to ransom over money for much needed development projects. Hopefully, with a smaller revenue base, corruption will be minimised at the Fed level!
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Good idea by Selangor to collect “zakat” from the nons to keep the ‘cash cow’ at home. Other PR states too should seriously look into this UNIQUE idea.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
This is the Archiles Heel of the Feds – tax collection from states.
Penangites have been paying God knows how much for these Feds to squander away ‘Ah Kong’s money’ which is not from their(Feds) sweat and tears.
Stop channeling the tax money to them and see what happen.
Penang gomen will not have to beg for development fund like a beggar.
Lim Guan Eng, what you say?
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
It makes much more sense for the state government, instead of the federal, to own and coordinate the public transport facility in Penang, and in fact in every other local municipality in Malaysia.
Why? First, if public transport is to be efficient and effective, it needs to be subsidised by state money. And state money comes from taxpayers. So, at one hand the state government could raise parking rates, and channel the money to public transport. Rich people can continue enjoy the liberty to drive their big cars, but common people could keep our own car in the garage most of the week, and take the bus or ferry or train to work.
Now, if the Bridge Toll comes after state power, it will make the deal even sweeter. I could speculate rather boldly, the profit of Jambatan PP, if channel to public transport, in 3 to 5 years we can have first class public transport, without serious financial burden on state government.
How can you manage local transport at federal level? Just imagine, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Alor Star, Kuantan, Melaka…. Should all these cities have their own “rapid” companies, Syarikat Prasarana will turn into another crazy huge giant, conducive only for breeding of corrupt…
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
rapid penang….aiyaaa… got to wait two hours at botanical gardens with two other american tourists. state better do something.
Complain about this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0