Prasarana must quickly increase the number of ferries in operation after the disastrous experience under the privatised Penang Port Sdn Bhd.
This is one the major problems with privatisation: private owners tend to cherry-pick profitable operations (in this case, the port operations) and let loss-making services (like the ferry service, which is an essential public service) deteriorate or discard them altogether.
After the takeover by RapidPenang on 1 July 2017, it is not enough for the new federal owners to maintain the number of ferries and number of trips in the existing service, which had been drastically slashed to just a skeleton service.
At present only four ferries are running during peak hours, which is totally inadequate. At night, the situation is worse, with only one ferry in operation. After 9.30pm or so, ferries to George Town arrive only only once an hour until about 1am, after which there are no more ferries. I wonder if federal and state leaders are even aware of this deplorable state of affairs. It is a far cry from the dozen or so ferries in service in the 1970s and 1980s.
The present skeleton service is simply unacceptable to long-suffering commuters. Many have just given up on the ferry service. Butterworth-George Town (and areas further north) cross-channel motorists have to burn unnecessary fuel by taking, a much longer route to use the bridge, and in doing so they clog up the Jelutong Expressway. If we had a better, expanded ferry service serving more routes, we wouldn’t even have to hear all that talk over a new tunnel or a third bridge.
RapidPenang now has a good opportunity to introduce an integrated ticketing system for cross-channel passengers, while synchronising ferry arrivals and departures with the schedules of the KTM electric and commuter trains and RapidPenang buses.
It is disappointing that the ferry service was not handed to the Penang state government to manage.
But in the medium term, with a more enlightened federal government in Putrajaya one day, public transport across the nation should be decentralised to the state and local levels. RapidPenang should then be handed over to the state government. So too the two Penang bridges.
In a state like Penang, a Penang Sustainable Mobility Commission should be set up to plan, regulate and look into the financing of the various public transport services in the state. The tolls from the Penang Bridge could be used to subsidise public transport (including the ferries) infrastructure and operations in the state.
So the handover of the ferries to RapidPenang should be seen as the first part of this longer-term decentralisation move.
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At least Damien is very constructive & offers creative solutions without playing the spinning dramas. This is what useful comment we should encourage, not toxic gurgles which serve no purpose, much less to help enlighten that Niao Kong of its perennial arrogance & bad sandiwaras. Anyway, I am not worried of any less or no dedak coming (when one feels the heat is on the spinners or trolls) as I am not on the take of such addiction. Unlike some who take on new names to create more noise than constructive comments to justify for more dedaks! Less dedak, means… Read more »
Who is spilling toxic? One can spill out anything but cannot contradict himself. Otherwise it show oneself has no moral and principles just like what happen to those top guns in leading the nation. Telling to tighten yourself but spending like sailor man. Telling to care for the poor but himself wants to cater the ferries for the rich. You critise state leaders for their morals worse than top guns with contribution from Calvin but yourself is no better. Of some want more freedom but there are others warn what happen to Libya, Iraq and Syria.
Expect price hike for ferry ride soon.
Guan Eng hopes Prasarana can reduce wait for ferries http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/06/12/guan-eng-hopes-prasarana-can-reduce-wait-for-ferries/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FreeMalaysiaToday+%28FMT+News%29 GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is optimistic there will be a turnaround in the ailing ferry services between here and Butterworth once public transport operator Prasarana takes over. Prasarana has been slated to take over the reins of the service from federal-linked Penang Port Sdn Bhd, The Star reported today. Lim said given Prasarana’s good track record in providing public bus service in Penang, the ferry services would be no different. “We want to keep an open mind and remain hopeful Prasarana will do well when it… Read more »
Now You want niao kong to help out on rapid ferries? Now you want niao kong to to turn the ferries for the rich with sunset cruise, cruise to no where and parties in the internation water? Whst a twister, spinner and 2 faces
Give due recognition to Penang state gomen where necessary.
Why must we deny?
Be a gentleman…
If you have no creativity at all (since you are not a Penangite, who has some experience of happenings in Penang), pls abstain from commenting with poison & opportunistic spinning.
Btw, sunset cruise & thematic parties were the rage of Pg Ferries during Gerakan time. Nothing new for you to spin out of context.
Tunglang you give recognition to pg Gomen as develper’s party, cater for the rich and in partner with Calvin howl … at CAT. Calvin is true blue saga seed and now is time for him to divert attention over DOJ relevation. Now you are caught red handed that you cares for the rich to party and leisure at poor man’s expense. One more ferry at rich man’s party and leisure means one ferry less and make the poor to wait longer. Your slogan housing for the working is just a disguise to forward your agenda. What so creative about sunset… Read more »
You definitely didn’t witness what 308 stands for. Promises of progress for ‘all’ i.e. rich, middle class & poor. We definitely don’t go for development & progress solely for the rich + famous like the present pervasive high-end development in the name of financing PTMP. CAT gomen have strayed from 308, became arrogant & is run by one accountant. We want to UBAH this status quo. We Penangites. Not some PJ trollers in toxic-daze. Penang Ferry can transform, modernise (with catamarans, modern ferries) & simultaneously preserve its iconic ferries. All it needs is a creative approach to manage & make… Read more »
Again two face man. Howl and deride at PTMP and now want pg gomen to contribute to pg ferry transport plan with CAT amrans? Who is releasing the toxity at the Ferry? Your good friend Kalvin approves for he said PJ does not want pg gomen to have some control over its project otherwise there will be no finding eat for PJ.
CAT government not perfect but please do not jeopardise your future by bringing back Gerakan (and Umno), or believing in the nonsense from PCM’s Huan.
The bottom line for all privatized services are to squeeze as much profits as possible they can. Service and convenience for the consumers are secondary. For them. the ferry service is a nostalgic mode of public transport that will require substantial reinvestment and headache. It would have been ideal for the Penang State Government to have stepped in and taken it over, but local politics and privatization being what they are, it is the poor public who will bear the burden and loss of an alternative way to travel back and forth from the island to the mainland. Perhaps they… Read more »
Be creative, use ferries to serve fabulous food to attract customers, that help to overcome operating cost. Regular shuttlers can have breakfast, lunch or dinner on ferries.
This was done on ad hoc basis in the later 90s without much creative promotion or passion by Penang Port.
They sold off a few ferries, one to Eden in Johor (wonder what has happened to it now).
There were plans to introduce aluminium speed ferries (to replace the iconic ferries) under an integrated Butterworth Terminal Hub during Badawi’s tenure but this did not come to fruition.
The problem? Ask the political discriminative Feds.
In the usual way, kalvin can help as he has done before.
you expect us to complete our lunch and dinners within 20 minutes? how about ordering time and time to cook? even it takes 4 mins to microwave a dish. what happen if there are 20 orders?
Wedding dinner, thematic dinner party, thematic events, etc.
This is off the normal routine run, i.e. a ferry ride solely for private events.
Very profitable business ventures to attract event companies, tourist agents, hotels, airlines, cruise ship companies.
So, pls don’t knee-jerk like there’s no more tomorrow …
now who is favouring the rich? penang gomen cannot but tunglang says rapid under federal can
Now who is talking of making money and care for the rich to enjoy their private events.this means one less boat for the poor and rich has money to shout and push people around.
What a bright spark.
Vicky, you are spinning like zoro. Or are u a spin-off of zoro, the ‘cha-bo’???
This is my hunch.
Don’t divert the topic and listen to your mate Calvin just as he told others. Stick to the point that any ferry being use for your party is making the poor wait longer. The poor has no.other means of transport. You can drive to get your one ton mee. You want the poor to be channel swimmer.