Sea transport services from, to Labuan operating as usual

LABUAN: Sea transport services for the Labuan-Menumbok-Labuan and Labuan-Kota KinabaluLabuan routes are operating as usual for the essential services sector during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period, says National Security Council (NSC) Labuan director, Nurzaliza Kartika Abdullah.

“Labuan is not similar to other states, as the sea transport services are still widely used by people in the essential services…be they oil and gas industry employees, shipping crews, those on sign on and sign off or residing near Sabah’s mainland border and working in Labuan and returning daily.

“As we reinforce the CMCO, we must also ensure the economic activities that the people rely on will not be much affected,” she told Bernama yesterday.

There is still a high number of employees in Labuan’s essential services like shipping and oil and gas-related services who reside near Sabah’s mainland border like Kuala Penyu, Sipitang and Menumbok but working on the island.

The sea transport services from Menumbok and Sipitang to Labuan use the 14 and 40-seater passenger speed boats and ferry boats, and the NSC has reminded that they are strictly to run in accordance with the standard operating procedure (SOP) set including physical distancing.

Nurzaliza Kartika said the ro-ro ferry operation, LabuanMenumbok-Labuan, was still running as usual but more for ferrying essential goods from the Sabah mainland to Labuan.

Four ferries - Galaxy, Putrajaya I, Kimanis, and Goodwill - are currently plying between Labuan and Menumbok.

Meanwhile, she said for the nonconventional services, wooden boats, known as ‘kumpit’ and mainly used for barter trading activities were prohibited.

Not many boats and passengers are using the Labuan International Ferry Terminal following the reinforcement of the Conditional Movement Control Order.