RM3 FERRY FARE HIKE A SURPRISE
State govt not informed of hike, says exco man
PASSENGERS of the Langkawi ferry services were greeted by an unpleasant New Year’s Day surprise when they were charged an extra RM3 beginning yesterday.
The passengers, who were either travelling to the tourism destination or returning to the mainland via the Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis jetties, were startled when they found that the ferry fare had been increased by RM3 per passenger.
Confused by the sudden surcharge, Langkawi ferry passengers deluged social media with pictures of the tickets with the new prices, seeking clarification.
The normal fare for a one-way ferry ride from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi and vice versa is RM23 for adults and RM17 for children.
As for the Kuala Perlis to Langkawi and return trip, the fare is RM18 for adults and RM13 for children each way,
One of the passengers, Mesuary Mazlann, uploaded a picture of a Langkawi-Kuala Kedah ferry ticket which showed that the fare was RM26 instead of RM23.
The status was shared in a Langkawi Facebook page, which garnered over 700 comments and over 70 shares since it was posted at 10am yesterday.
, Kedah Transportation Committee chairman Datuk Tajul Urus Mat Zain said the state government was not informed of the hike.
Tajul, who contacted the Marine Department for clarification, said he was informed that the RM3 was an additional charge imposed only on passengers who buy ferry tickets over the counter. The fare remains the same for online purchases.
“The department said it is part of an initiative to encourage passengers to buy tickets online following a recent investment to upgrade the electronic ticketing system.
“I was also informed that Langkawi residents are exempted from the RM3 additional charge if they buy the ticket over the counter,” he said after visiting SJK(C) Sin Kuo Min in Bedong for the new school term, which began in Kedah yesterday.
However, Tajul said he would get to the bottom of the matter as the state government was not briefed on the fare increase.
“It is a shock to us (the state government) as well. We will seek an explanation from the Marine Department by today (yesterday),” he said.
Tajul said it was improper for the department to impose the hike without first informing the state government and the public.
He said it would be wiser for the department to create an awareness campaign among the public to encourage them to buy the Langkawi ferry ticket online before imposing the hike on overthe-counter purchases.