Commuters want bigger ferry at Sungai Sian

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Abdullah (front row, fifth right) and others during an inspection of Sungai Sian Ferry.

BINTANGOR: The ferry service at Sungai Sian here requires urgent upgrading in view of the increasing number of commuters.

According to regular commuters, the ferry was too small to cater for the increasing number of commuters, especially during peaks hours.

Long queues of vehicles on both ends of the ferry point are a common sight from 6am to 8am daily as locals rush to work and send their children to schools.

They believed the upgrading of the ferry service with a bigger carrier would be able to alleviate the problem.

They said the problem had been brought to the attention of the authorities concerned but there seemed to be no immediate solution in sight.

At one time there was a plan to upgrade the ferry ramp to accommodate a bigger ferry, but for unknown reasons, it was abruptly stopped, they lamented.

Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol who is also Semop assemblyman came to the ferry site recently, and had indicated that the problem would be over soon.

Abdullah, who was accompanied by senior officers from the Public Works Department, Meradong District Officer Harun Mahidi and representatives from the ferry service management inspected the ferry ramp to assess the safety aspects and also the yet to be completed new ramp.

Commuters have also requested for the ferry operation hours to run from 5am till 11pm daily.