Lim said it was transport minister Wee Ka Siong who decided to end the iconic Penang ferry service, effectively cancelling the RM30 million grant.
He said this was because the grant carried a condition that the ferries would continue to be in service. He said new catamarans have instead been bought, instead of the open-decked ferries.
He said this was confirmed by the current finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz in Parliament last December.
Earlier today, Wee said the Pulau Pinang ferry had partially sunk in a river in Butterworth due to negligence by the previous administration in carrying out the necessary repairs.
He said the ferry was docked for repairs in 2019, but spare parts from the Netherlands were never bought. Hence, it remained out of service.
Wee said Lim should be held answerable over the ferries that came under a company directly controlled by the finance ministry.
In his reply, Lim said there were no financial constraints to buy the Dutch-made parts when he was finance minister.
“But the reality is, the ferry did not sink then, but it has sunk now.
“Sure, buying parts from afar takes time. But after 18 months’ of Perikatan Nasional being in power, these parts never arrived,” he said.
Lim also rubbished Wee’s claim that the RM30 million for the ferries was mere lip service as it had not been listed under the 2020 federal budget.
“Perhaps Wee was not a finance minister and not aware of the procedures in the Treasury or matters related to the federal budget.
“But you must check all facts before making wanton accusations. Every sen allocated, I have fulfilled,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul had reportedly said the RM30 million grant would be approved for Penang Port Sdn Bhd to take over the ferry service from Prasarana and would be paid in two tranches, the first being placed under the 2021 budget.
The condition of the abandoned ferry caused an uproar among Penangites, who took to social media to voice their frustration.
Many regard the ferry service as a state icon with a 126-year history. The old ferries were retired earlier this year to make way for fast boats last Dec 31.
The earlier fleet of seven open-decked ferries was retired because they were no longer viable to run due to safety concerns and were prone to breakdowns. It was also reported that the ferries were a loss-making venture, with operators losing RM30 million a year.
Out of the seven ferries, only two – Pulau Talang-Talang and Pulau Angsa, which were built in 1975 and 1981 respectively – plied the 3km North Channel last year.
The newer ferries, in the form of water buses and vehicle transporters for two-wheelers, will come into service in 2022 or sooner when they are available, the transport ministry has said.