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IF historical value takes precedence over the safety, comfort and efficiency of public transportation, then consider the history of the Penang Hill Funicular and this can add perspective on the latest changes in Penang ferry service.
Penang MCA Liaison Committee Secretary Yeoh Chin Kah said that on March 19, 2011, the then Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen launched the third funicular upgrade.
Although the white and blue train car that exists now looks nothing like the old wooden car that was first used in 1923, it outperformed the old one in terms of capacity, comfort, safety and efficiency.
“The federal government spent RM73 thousand to install the Swiss-made funicular system.
“When Lim became prime minister in 2008, he repeatedly called for the funicular to be upgraded to solve the problem of frequent breakdowns.
“The old funicular was historic just like the old Penang ferries. So why is Lim opposed to improving the ferry service? Yeoh asked.
Yesterday he spoke at a press conference held alongside an exhibition of the previous funicular car model at the Penang Museum on Macalister Road.
The Penang Hill funicular system began in 1923 and to this day, it ranks among the steepest railways in the world, offering a panoramic view of the island and mainland Penang on the way up.
The old wooden car was replaced in 1977 by a red and white car that had small fans for ventilation.
The blue and white car in use today is air-conditioned and much more spacious.
“It is natural and practical to replace the old ferries due to safety concerns,” Yeoh said.
He said he was puzzled by Lim’s opposition to the Ministry of Transport’s allocation of RM64,000 to upgrade the two ferry terminals and replace the old double-decker ferries with pedestrian water buses and vehicle transporters for two-wheelers.
“Why didn’t Lim turn down the funds to renovate the Penang Hill funicular? Why are you now opposed to upgrading the ferry?
“Lim, as an Assemblyman for Air Putih, must remember that before the launch of the new cable car in 2011, we were attracting only 500,000 visitors to Penang Hill per year.
“After the update, the number of visitors increased to 1.6 million in 2016 and even reached 1.8 million in 2019,” he said.
Yeoh added that just as the old funicular cars were never scrapped, but instead on display for posterity, the old ferries will remain in public view as icons of Penang.
“One will be reserved for tourists to visit after 18 months and the other will be moored at the terminal as a ferry museum.
Yeoh added that in 2019 alone, the ferry’s maintenance costs were insanely high and operators suffered a loss of RM24k.
“As such, it is not correct that the Federal Government continues to pay the bill since the money comes from the taxpayers.”
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