Penang ferries: Icons of Penang

Penang Port Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Mohd Niana Merican Abd Kadir Merican has no business to suggest that the vehicular ferry services plying between the Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda in George Town and the Pengkalan Sultan Abdul Halim in Butterworth would be stopped once the expansion plan on the Penang Bridge is completed next year.

Even though the Penang Port may be losing money on the ferry services, it takes a totally insensitive man not to understand that the Penang ferry is synonymous with Penang tourism. The ferries, which have been plying between the mainland and the island, are among the iconic symbols of Penang.

If it's all because of losing money from the ferry services, Penang Port should look at improving their services to draw in the users instead of taking the easy way out with this suggestion.

For example, I'd like to call on Penang Port to station their Port Police along Weld Quay every Friday (and other days when traffic is exceptionally heavy) from 5.30pm until 7.30pm to prevent motorists from cutting into the queue that often stretches until the Esplanade roundabout. Please be proactive and you'll find more vehicles using your services.