Overloaded lorries to be barred from public ferries, says Daud

0

KUCHING: The government will stop overloaded lorries from using public ferries as they posed a danger to other passengers and vehicles.

Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman said trucks carrying oil palm bunches for example would be barred from using public ferry services.

“The government actually forbids large overloaded lorries to use public ferries but it is found out that many lorries especially those belonging to oil palm companies are using this services with loads that exceed the legal limit.

“As such we will make sure that these lorries will not use these ferries because it is for public use,” he said in the august house when responding to questions from Abdullah Saidol (BN- Semop) yesterday.

He said he would also instruct ferry operators to station security guards to monitor the situation to ensure smooth traffic flow on ferry paths.

He also said the Ministry of Infrastructure and Communication Development is preparing proposals to increase the number of ferries plying the Batang Lassa and Batang Paloh crossings and for the ferries to operate from 6am to 12 midnight.

He informed the august house that since 2012 for Semop and Daro, the government had approved an additional ferry for Batang Lassa and Batang Paloh during Chinese New Year, Gawai Dayak, Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and Christmas from 6am to 12 midnight for 14 days during the festive seasons.