Julaihi (second left) helps put life jacket on a community leader at Sibu Express Boat Terminal. Looking on are Richard (left), Murni (third right) and Wong (second right).
SIBU: The Sarawak government has brought early festive cheer to express boat travellers, following its approval for a subsidy of RM10 per passenger on express boats making extra trips for the Gawai Dayak and Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations across the Sibu-Song-Kapit and Kapit-Song-Sibu sectors.
Express boats making additional trips for passengers going back to their villages or longhouses have to levy extra charges because they are not taking any passengers on the return trips and the subsidy is to offset that extra charge.
Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the Sarawak cabinet gave the approval on Thursday, adding that the subsidy would take effect today and expire this May 31 for the Sibu-Song-Kapit sector, while for the Kapit-Song-Sibu sector, the subsidy would apply from June 3 to 9.
“This subsidy is RM10 per passenger, who will be taking express boats that make additional trips as approved by SRB (Sarawak Rivers Board).
“This is among the efforts by the Sarawak government, helmed by the GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak), to lessen the burden off passengers. This is indeed a piece of good news to the boat passengers,” Julaihi told reporters after launching the enforcement operations in connection with Gawai Dayak, Hari Raya Aidilffitri and the school holidays, at Sibu Express Boat Terminal yesterday.
Julaihi, who is also Sebuyau assemblyman, pointed out the subsidy as a win-win situation as operators of express boats plying extra trips would not suffer losses as they would not be transporting passengers on return trips.
He said the express boat operators association had appealed to the Sarawak government to consider giving subsidies like the one given for last year’s festive season.
He also stressed the importance of safety, urging both passengers and boat operators to work closely with the authorities in view of the anticipated surge in passenger volume as the festive celebrations drew near. It is learned that 26 extra boat trips between May 25 and 31 have been approved to meet the demands from the ‘balik kampung’ (homecoming) crowd.
On this, Julaihi said: “The extra trips alone reflect the size of the crowd. With the double celebrations – Gawai Dayak and Hari Raya Aidilfitri – just a few days apart from each other, we anticipate big crowds. We have made early preparations during the festive occasions.”
Earlier, Julaihi disclosed that the first of the two-phase integrated enforcement operations, which kicked off yesterday, would run until May 31, while the second phase would run from June 3 to 9.
“SRB will lead the integrated enforcement operations based on the Blue Ocean Strategy, where there are eight other enforcement agencies involved namely Sarawak Marine Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Marine Police, Civil Defence Force (APM), Rela, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and local authorities.
“I have been informed that SRB will mobilise 185 personnel and 15 patrol boats throughout the operation period this year, to be assisted by about 90 personnel and five boats from other enforcement agencies involved.
“This means that the overall manpower involved in the integrated operation along rivers and main terminals across Sarawak during Gawai-Raya celebrations and school holidays, would amount to 275 personnel and 20 enforcement boats.
“With these numbers, I am confident that the safety aspects of river transportation system would be well-controlled,” Julaihi said.
Also present at the press conference were SRB chairman Dr Murni Suhaili, SRB controller Richard Tajan and Sibu Deputy Resident Wong Hee Sieng.