Penang govt ready to take over ferry service

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has thrown a challenge to Penang Port Commission (PPC), operator of the iconic ferry service — hand over ferry services to the state and we will revive it.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his administration was ready to invest in upgrading the service which plies the Penang Channel daily.

"Let the state take over the operation and we will revive the service the same way we revived George Town," he said at a press conference today.

His comments come after the PPC announced it was reviewing the rates for pedestrians and motorists for the service which started in 1920.

Under the proposed review, the fare for motorcycles will be increased from RM2 to RM3.50, RM7.70 to RM9 for cars, pedestrians from RM1.20 to RM2 and bicycles from RM1.40 to RM2.

For two-axle four tyre trucks, the proposed rate is RM20 from RM13.20 while the fare for two-axle six tyre trucks will see an increase to RM40 from RM27.50.

Lim said the state opposed the proposed rates and urged that the service be upgraded first before any increase was introduced.

"This is too much for the people, especially the poor," he said.

On a separate matter, Penang Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh said low-cost, low-medium cost and afford-ably priced housing units did not have the 5% Bumiputera discount.

He said this policy was practised by all states in Malaysia as well as by the federal government.

"There is no discount given for this category of housing, this has been practised all these years," he said after a letter bearing the state government insignia which stated such housing did not have the discount began circulating on the Internet.