ALOR STAR: The Transport Ministry has been urged to look into a sustainable, long-term solutions for the shallow cruise line at the Kuala Perlis Passenger Terminal Jetty.
While welcoming the dredging maintenance works undertaken by the ministry which began on Sunday, ferry operators said the government should look into more sustainable solutions.
"Honestly the dredging works is a temporary measure to address the long overdue issue. But, it is not a sustainable option.
"In fact, it is waste of effort if the government does not adopt a long-term solution," Konsortium Ferry Line Ventures human resources and operations manager Baharin Baharom told the New Straits Times.
He urged the government to instead consider extending the Kuala Perlis Ferry Terminal further up on the waters, similar to the Kuah Ferry Terminal in Langkawi.
"Another option is to build a sediment trap from Pulau Ketam to the Kuala Perlis Ferry Terminal.
"Interestingly, this sediment trap breaker option may create an attractive recreational site and even a new commercial site for Kuala Perlis," he said.
The other option – though a less popular one – is to build a centralised jetty terminal in Kuala Sanglang located at the Kedah-Perlis border.
"But this idea might not augur well with the Perlis government as it will compromise the Kuala Perlis jetty's position," said Baharin.
He was commenting on Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong's announcement that the ministry had appointed the Drainage and Irrigation Department to carry out a study for a sustainable solution to address the sediment issue that is affecting the Kuala Perlis Passenger Terminal Ferry's cruise line and basin.
In a statement yesterday, Wee said the study, which would include recommendations for improvements to be adopted by the government, was expected to be completed by Feb 28.
He had added that to address the high sediment rate, the dredging works at the Kuala Perlis Passenger Terminal Jetty has been enlisted and approved as a priority project under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
Baharin said the consortium had been consulted on the study, but pointed out that the government should also take into account the views of local engineers and people who have better understanding of the nature of Kuala Perlis.
The Kuala Perlis jetty terminal had been plagued by shallow waters issue over the past two years, causing disruptions to the ferry services.
This led to several incidents of passengers being stranded for hours as the ferry could not berth at the jetty during low tide, with the latest incident was reported last Wednesday.