GEORGE TOWN: Penang has no plans to terminate the Penang Hill funicular train service, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
Chow said the proposal to temporarily stop the funicular train service, if necessary, was only meant to facilitate maintenance work.
"This is because I view the safety of visitors, especially the funicular train passengers, to be of paramount importance.
"The safety of the passengers is far more important than generating revenue from them," he said today.
With the explanation, Chow hoped this will end the speculation that there are plans by the Penang state government or Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) to permanently end the funicular train service.
On Nov 8, Chow said the PHC should consider stopping the funicular train service temporarily, if necessary, for maintenance work to be done.
He was responding to questions from the media regarding the temporary disruption of the train service on Nov 7.
Meanwhile, the Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) hoped the funicular train service shutdown will not be a permanent one.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said it was not against shutting down the Penang Hill railway for repairs or servicing as the safety of the train was most important.
"The source of the breakdown should be located and rectified. In this hi-tech age, it is incredible that breakdowns of the hill railway cannot be reduced substantially or prevented.
"Repair and service the Penang Hill railway at all costs for passengers' safety," he added.
The iconic Penang Hill Railway was opened in 1923 with work beginning in 1920.
The last modernisation of the train was in 2011 which reduced the time of the whole journey to just 10 minutes.