Citing engine issues as the main problem, operators Rapid Ferry said this would mean no ferries for the next two days.
Many commuters were caught unprepared and only learnt about the problem through notices posted at the ferry terminals in George Town and Butterworth this morning.
They took to social media to criticise the operator which had made a Facebook post about the disruption in services at 1.25am.
In response, Rapid Ferry said the services would be unavailable for the next two days as the engines needed repairs. In the meantime, it said shuttle buses would be provided at both ends.
Consumers Association of Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the news came as a shock as the services had never stopped, not even when the Butterworth ferry terminal bridge collapsed in 1988.
“It is totally irresponsible to allow the ferry services to disintegrate to this level, causing inconvenience and hardship to the people,” he told FMT.
“The transport ministry must initiate an enquiry into the sad state of affairs and the dereliction of duties concerning the upkeep of the ferry services.”
Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi, meanwhile, called for an explanation from the Penang Port Commission (PPC), which is the federal regulator of the ferry services.
“Why should Penangites suffer because of PPC’s inefficiency?” he said, adding that the disruption could have been prevented if precautions were taken.
He also called for the chairman’s resignation over the matter.
Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy welcomed the provision of the shuttle bus service but said it defeated the purpose of cross-channel travel.
Noting the 20-minute interval for the new shuttle buses, he said it would take longer for commuters to travel to George Town or Butterworth, a trip that normally takes 20 minutes by ferry.
In Kuala Lumpur, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng demanded an explanation for the suspension of service.
He, too, said the matter was unprecedented, describing the disruption as “embarrassing”.
He said in a press conference at Parliament that public transport company Prasarana under Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and PPC chairman Tan Teik Cheng must explain the matter as it had caused difficulties to ferry users in Penang.
FMT has contacted Tan for comment.