Kudat residents denied 50% ferry fare subsidy claim
KUDAT: The people of Pulau Banggi and Kudat are asking why they have been left out of the 50 per cent government subsidy on ferry fares plying between Kudat and Banggi, while those in more affluent destinations like LabuanKota Kinabalu continuously enjoy the discount since four years ago.
“The people here cry foul over this discrimination. It is blatantly an unfair treatment. Most of those in Banggi are small-time fishermen and farmers, but everytime they have to cross to Kudat they pay 100 per cent of the ferry fares,” claimed Sabah PKR Women head Rahimah Majid.
“Besides the KK-Labuan route, also given 50 per cent discount off ferry fares are those for the routes of Labuan-Menumbok, LabuanSipitang, Limbang-Labuan and Lawas-Limbang.
“The 50 per cent discount, which started in January 2013, also covers commercial vehicles registered under the LPKPLembaga Perlesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan for those routes.
“Why are the poor people of Banggi purposefully left out of such subsidy? What is the logic?” she asked.
Rahimah said the household income of those living in Banggi was much lower than those in Kota Kinabalu and Labuan, and yet the Banggi folks need to pay full fare for the hour-long ferry trip.
“But those in or those who go to Labuan are given 50% subsidy by the government. It is so unfair and it has been going on for more than four years now.
“PKR wonders why the people’s representatives from the ruling party in the affected areas have been so quiet.
“PKR has now gathered 1,000 signatures from the areas to petition the authorities to not only extend the same subsidy to KudatBanggi route but to compensate the discriminated citizens there,” she said.
“We will forward the petition to the relevant parties as soon as the right time has come,” said Rahimah who is also PKR Kudat division head.
She added that the costlier ferry fares have certainly burdened the people and have contributed to higher cost of living in the areas.
“Currently there are two ferries under a single operator servicing the Kudat-Banggi route,” Rahimah said.