Tuesday June 9, 2009
Penang Municipal Council asked to run ‘iconic’ ferry service
By MANJIT KAUR
GEORGE TOWN: The state government has asked the Penang Municipal Council to take over the operations of the loss-making ferry service.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he was confident that the council could improve on the running of the ferry service and turn it around.
“We have not made a formal application to the Transport Ministry, but we have asked newly-appointed council president Tan Cheng Chui to meet Penang Port Commission chairman Tan Cheng Liang on the matter,” he told a press conference after Cheng Chui’s swearing-in at the City Hall Building here yesterday.
Lim said the commission was the regulatory body that could give the green light for any changes to Penang Port Sdn Bhd – the company operating the ferry service – before a decision could be made.
He was commenting on newspaper reports on June 6 that the company had called off its planned public listing due to a RM21mil loss incurred last year in the ferry operations.
Cheng Liang said that the company had revealed that despite a RM23mil net profit after tax, it could not go for listing because of the losses from the ferry service.
She had also said company officials had asked the Federal Government to come to their aid, and had also made known their intention to surrender the ferry service to the Government.
Lim said the council would only take over the service without the current liabilities.
“I am sure the company will be happy to have the operations taken off its hands so that it can concentrate on profit-making sections.
“We are ready to take the ‘baby’, which is a state and national icon,” he said.
Lim said he recalled that the service was operated by the local authority before independence.
Cheng Liang said the commission had received proposals and suggestions from a few parties on taking over the ferry operations.
She said there were many procedures and regulations to go through that would involve not only the Transport Ministry but also the Finance Ministry.
On another matter, Lim said the state government was studying suggestions from several parties to mark July 7 – the day George Town was accorded World Heritage Status – as a public holiday.
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