GEORGE TOWN, Dec 16 — The Penang Port Commission (PPC) should hold a public inquiry to find out why its ferries suffer frequent breakdowns, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) said today.

CAP President Mohideen Abdul Kader said spending RM64 million on a new fleet of water buses along with upgrading the ferry terminals was wasteful, adding that it was cheaper to maintain the existing ferries.

He said the public inquiry should be held to identify the causes of the frequent failure of the current ferries otherwise the new ferries would suffer the same fate.

"Obviously the present fleet was poorly managed and lacked preventive maintenance which otherwise could have rendered the ferry service financially viable,” he said in a statement today.

He said if there was efficient service, more people would be encouraged to use the ferry.

He said there should be adequate sign boards indicating the average wait times before the ramps entering the ferry terminals so that motorists can decide on alternative travel arrangements if the waiting time was too long.

"Moreover, it is frustrating when critical information about the ferry services did not reach the commuters in time for them to make alternative plans of their travel,” he said.

Mohideen was responding to the announcement by Penang Port Commission chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng that the operations of the current ferries will be stopped by 2022 and replaced by water buses and vehicle transporters.

Starting next year until July 2022, fast ferries will replace the ferries in taking passengers across the channel while one current ferry will continue to transport bicycles and motorcycles until the new fleet of ferries arrives.

According to the Penang Port Commission, a total 1.5 million pedestrians, 498,922 cars, 12,517 lorries, 765,725 motorcycles and 11,964 bicycles used the ferry service in 2019.