Ridza Abdoh Salleh said ferry services would provide a cleaner, cheaper and more efficient solution to address increased traffic in Penang, which is mostly caused by motorists travelling between factories in Bayan Lepas and Seberang Perai.
In a LinkedIn post today, Ridza said a good ferry service could reduce motorists’ time on the road and will be a cost-effective alternative to the proposed RM13 billion LRT system, which is expected to begin in the second or third quarter of the year.
“The cost of purchasing a ferry is just a fraction of that. Modern catamarans can carry between 100 and 1,000 passengers and travel at speeds of 50km/h to 100km/h,” he said.
Ridza, who headed the development of the Putra LRT line and was the first CEO of Prasarana Malaysia when it was set up in 2003, also said an LRT project required high maintenance and was “not an easy animal to deal with”.
Noting that Penang is blessed with calm, protected waters that could be efficiently utilised to connect key areas if planned properly, he said a key ferry route should link the Free Industrial Zone in Bayan Baru to Butterworth, where residential areas are located.
He said newer jetties could be strategically located in areas such as Bayan Lepas, Weld Quay, Tanjung Tokong, Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah.
Penang’s current ferry service only links George Town to Butterworth, with terminals at Swettenham Pier on the island and the ferry terminal in Butterworth.
Ridza also said the state government should focus on fixing the existing road system with better bus services, dedicated bus lanes, motorcycle lanes, and pedestrianised areas.
He said there is a need for integrated transport planning, with ferries complementing other forms of public transport, and suggested that the state government study existing ferry services such as the SeaBus service in Vancouver, Canada.
“Ferries can provide a clean, eco-friendly transit system that doesn’t interfere with the ecosystem. Penang is too beautiful to be destroyed for the sake of mega projects,’” he said.
“The argument for ferries is crystal clear. Let’s capitalise on our natural waterways instead of being prisoners of an LRT mindset. It’s not too late to make the right choice for Penang and future generations.”
The proposed Mutiara LRT line in Penang is set to be built in two phases, with the first running 29km and connecting Komtar and Bayan Lepas with a total of 21 stations. The line is expected to open in 2031.
The second phase will see a link from the proposed Macallum station on the island to Penang Sentral in Butterworth via an over-the-sea rail bridge.