A trip to and from Langkawi aboard a ferry last month left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. In fact, just like the unbearably hot weather, I was fuming mad as I exited the ferry terminal at Kuala Kedah.
To begin with, the working trip to the popular tourist island did not get off on the right foot. The feeling of being hot under the collar was creeping in as we waited in line to board the ferry one afternoon.
Understandably, due to the holiday season, the ferry terminal in Kuala Kedah was teeming with local and foreign holidaymakers. Look anywhere at the terminal and every nook and cranny was filled with people, people and more people.
High up towards the ceiling, one could spot large screens playing videos welcoming tourists to Langkawi and Kedah, which was unsurprising, considering that this year is Discover Kedah 2016.
But there was nothing welcoming, inviting or comfortable about the terminal. Granted, there was nothing we could do about the hot weather, but to have to wait at a shabby looking terminal would be, perhaps, asking too much of visitors.
On top of that, a colleague was left sighing and complaining about the dirty washrooms. It was another strike, especially if you wished to welcome tourists to your state, never mind having to hustle towards the ferry and wait for more than a hundred other passengers to board while lugging bags.
So we stopped and, to take things easy, took a group selfie. I guess you could call that making the best out of a bad situation.
Upon reaching Kuah terminal in Langkawi, there was nothing to shout about either. While the jetty looked presentable enough, stepping onto the terminal was like being transported to another realm.
Simply shabby and overcrowded.
The irony of the entire situation was compounded by the fact that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was to present awards at the Langkawi International Tourism Awards, with his speech to centre on attracting high-end tourists to the island.
The next day, while the return trip back to the mainland was uneventful, alighting from the ferry became tedious.
Blame it on the impatience of scores of passengers who could not wait any longer in their seats, but the movement of humans from the ferry to the jetty was just too slow.
I lost count of how long we had to wait but, by then, coupled with pushing by irritated and impatient passengers, I was beginning to feel the same way.
By the time I was on foot to the arrival hall, I was boiling with rage, especially so with passengers who seemed to take their own sweet time.
My experience paled in comparison with what scores of passengers had to endure at the end of last month when they were stranded at Kuah jetty after tickets were sold out, with some even having to sleep at the jetty point. But over and above that, it only serves to show that the state government has much to worry about the conditions of the ferry service.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir had said they had applied to the Federal Government for the terminal in Kuala Kedah to be upgraded and expanded, but that appears to have stalled. He had also lamented that the usage of bigger capacity ferries that can take 600 passengers, as opposed to the 200-capacity ones, meant fewer trips could be made.
While things do not look good for the ferry service, there are certain things that can be done to improve it.
For one, if anything, they have to come up with a better and more systematic way for passengers to embark and disembark, and not have passengers making a beeline for the entrance or exit at the same time.
It would be more orderly if passengers entered and exited based on the sections they are in. On top of that, there should also be a proper way, perhaps a tagging system of sorts, for luggage being brought on the vessel.
As for the washrooms, it is needless to say that they have to be kept clean at all times. Ferry users, as well as workers at the terminal, must do their part to ensure the washrooms are spick and span.
It is certainly welcoming news that Transport Minister Datuk
Seri Liow Tiong Lai will make a
trip up north to assess the situation for himself, but from then
onwards, he has to be decisive
on what needs to be done to resolve the problems plaguing the ferry service.
The urgency of the situation can not be understated. If you want to turn Langkawi into the “Monaco of the East” and attract high-end tourists, there must be a 180° change to the ferry service, infrastructure and all.
If there is no change, we are only setting ourselves up for disappointment and embarrassment.
The writer is NST’s Kedah bureau chief