KUCHING: Tourists and locals are in for a treat as ‘perahu tambang’ or chartered boats in the city are value-adding their services not only as a means of transport to cross Sungai Sarawak but also for leisure rides.
LAUNCHED: Talib (centre) giving a thumbs up after symbolically launching the ‘Adopt-A-Tambang’ programme accompanied by Sarawak Tourism Board president, Wee Hong Seng.
“It is not viable any more at this time that the ‘perahu tambang’ be used only as means of transport to cross Sungai Sarawak. The operators have to adapt to change to increase their income,” said Assistant Tourism and Heritage Minister Datuk Talib Zulpilip.
He was speaking during the ‘Adopt-A-Tambang’ Programme launching ceremony at Kuching Waterfront here yesterday.
Talib said if it were not for the programme it would be difficult for the operators to get a steady income.
He hoped that with the help of corporate bodies ‘adopting’ or sponsoring the boats, the ‘perahu tambang’ could also be promoted as a tourism product.
“It is just like in Spain where tourists take rides on Gondolas, not just as means of transportation but also for sightseeing. It is an icon for them. Same goes for the ‘perahu tambang’ – it is an icon of Kuching City,” said Talib.
In an interview, Talib said the Tourism and Heritage ministry would constantly monitor these ‘perahu tambang’ to make sure they provide quality service.
“Apart from that, the operators were also given training in safety, as well as their boats being fitted with various safety features,” he pointed out.
Talib also said that as a city icon, the agencies adopting the boats would also serve as a source of promotion for the ‘perahu tambang’.
“The ministry will advertise the ‘perahu tambang’ in hotels and various tourist spots in the state,” he said.
Fourteen boats have been adopted by 13 agencies, namely the Tourism and Heritage Ministry, Sarawak Convention Bureau, 360 Hotel and 360 Xpress City Centre, Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites, Borneo Highland Resort, Damai Beach Resort, Sarawak Plaza Shopping Complex, Somerset Gateway Kuching, Tanahmas Hotel Sibu, Grand Margherita and Riverside Majestic Hotel, Hilton Hotel Kuching and One Hotel Santubong.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Chartered Boats Operators’ Association (Persatuan Pengusaha Tambang Sarawak) president Rosli Hidin said the programme would be an opportunity for the ‘perahu tambang’ industry to flourish again.
“Nowadays, operators can hardly find passengers to cross the river. With this programme, we can develop other potential packages especially for tourists and visitors, and at the same time increase the income of the operators,” he said, while revealing that operators could also sell food and drinks to complement their services. Back in the early days, Rosli said an operator earned between RM30 and RM40 per day. It had declined and operators had to hike the fare to 50sen per trip and the maximum of RM1 after 10pm.
“Throughout the state, there are about 100 registered operators, and all of them are in Kuching. They operate in two separate areas – Kuching City and Kampung Empila Samarahan.
“Majority of the operators are from Samarahan and Kampung Lintang. At the moment a total of 17 boats will be ‘adopted’. Fourteen are launched today while the remaining three are still waiting for sponsors,” he revealed.
At the moment there are no indications that the normal fare would be increased but Rosli hoped that with the increased prices of commodities the fare would increase in tandem.
During the launching ceremony, Talib presented certificates to the 14 boat operators who had been sponsored and RM28,000 to the Sarawak Chartered Boats Operators’ Association represented by Rosli. Hence each boat gets RM2,000 to install safety gadgets and have a makeover.