LABUAN: Labuan Ferry Corporation (LFC) Sdn Bhd yesterday denied public accusations that it wanted to monopolise ferry passengers, especially those on the waiting list either in Labuan or Menumbok.
Its chief executive officer, Shamsul Sahari, stated this when responding to a complaint from a passenger that he was ordered to wait in a lane to go into LFC ferry at Menumbok heading for Labuan after his Hari Raya holiday, but he wanted to get into the new ferry, Kimanis 1 owned by Juta Bonus Sdn Bhd.
“We had to take all the passengers as the new ferry Kimanis 1 did not want to take them. What I understand from their schedule, they were supposed to operate three return trips a day, but for this moment they are just operating one or two trips.
“That is why we had to take them all as there are many cars waiting in Menumbok, especially during the holidays. Ten days before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri we had increased our return trips to eight a day even until seventh day of Aidilfitri.
“I hope that the new ferry operator will increase its daily trips according to the schedule given by the Marine Department to meet the demands of passengers both in Labuan and Menumbok,” he said.
Shamsul added that if LFC would not want to increase its daily trips, who else wanted to take those passengers, including those on the waiting list in Menumbok.
“We just want to ensure they can return to Labuan,” he said.
Meanwhile, another passenger who declined to be named, said that the new ferry operator should follow the three return trips schedule daily issued by the Marine Department.
“Sometimes, the new ferry will carry vehicles and passengers from here to Menumbok and they will return here without carrying any vehicles and passengers.
“It gives a lot of problem to the passengers who want to return here as many of them will wait in Menumbok for another ferry (LFC) to carry them,” he said, adding that LFC would also face another burden.
For now, tickets for the new ferry can only be bought on the spot around the ferry terminal here for the journey on the same day.