GWR
26-12-07, 08:19 PM
December 26, 2007 16:46 PM
PPSB Says It Lost RM14 Mln This Year On Ferry Service
PENANG, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) said Wednesday its ferry service remains stuck in the red, its losses increasing to more than RM14 million this year from last year's RM13 million.
Managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said today that it is the better performance of the other services that have helped PPSB remain the black.
"We need the government's support in subsidising the cost of the ferry service, and we have made a number of proposals to the government on how it can help PPSB," he told reporters after handing over schooling materials to children of PPSB employees here.
The proposals are a 100 percent fuel subsidy for the ferry service, renovation of the ferry terminals and purchase of fast passenger boats.
According to Ahmad, while the Finance Ministry has responded positively, PPSB has yet to be informed on the form of government assistance.
On the passenger boat service, he expects it to be operating by the end of next year, describing it as a more efficient way of moving people between the mainland and the island at lower fuel cost as the boats are lighter than the ferries.
PPSB spends RM10 million a year on fuel for its eight ferries, but Ahmad said the ferry service will be continued even when the passenger boats come into service.
That is because the ferries will shuttle cars and lorries while each passenger boat will transfer 200 commuters and 50 motorcycles.
-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/
PPSB Says It Lost RM14 Mln This Year On Ferry Service
PENANG, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) said Wednesday its ferry service remains stuck in the red, its losses increasing to more than RM14 million this year from last year's RM13 million.
Managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said today that it is the better performance of the other services that have helped PPSB remain the black.
"We need the government's support in subsidising the cost of the ferry service, and we have made a number of proposals to the government on how it can help PPSB," he told reporters after handing over schooling materials to children of PPSB employees here.
The proposals are a 100 percent fuel subsidy for the ferry service, renovation of the ferry terminals and purchase of fast passenger boats.
According to Ahmad, while the Finance Ministry has responded positively, PPSB has yet to be informed on the form of government assistance.
On the passenger boat service, he expects it to be operating by the end of next year, describing it as a more efficient way of moving people between the mainland and the island at lower fuel cost as the boats are lighter than the ferries.
PPSB spends RM10 million a year on fuel for its eight ferries, but Ahmad said the ferry service will be continued even when the passenger boats come into service.
That is because the ferries will shuttle cars and lorries while each passenger boat will transfer 200 commuters and 50 motorcycles.
-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/