Langkawi: Langkawi residents can now use a free emergency boat service, provided by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to facilitate the transportation of the deceased between the island and the mainland.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Persatuan Anak Muda MADANI Kedah chairman Datuk Zuraidi Rahim, said the initiative was launched in response to the urgent needs of the local community, who had previously relied on private boats or fishermen’s vessels, with transport costs ranging from RM800 to RM2,000 per trip.

Currently, the transportation of bodies largely depends on private or fishermen’s boats, placing a significant financial burden on residents, with rental fees varying according to timing and circumstances. ‘To ease this burden, I’ve initiated this free service for Langkawi residents,’ he said when contacted today.

The service includes two emergency boats, which will operate in compliance with the safety guidelines set by relevant authorities to ensure safe transportation. The boats can also be used to ferry patients seeking medical treatment on the mainland, subject to the patient’s condition and hospital approval.

Zuraidi also said that the service is available for transporting deceased tourists from Langkawi to the mainland for further arrangements. The boats will be available 24/7, ensuring that emergency access is always possible.

Meanwhile Kedah/Perlis Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director First Admiral Maritime Romli Mustafa, welcomed the service, adding that it provides a safer option for transporting both bodies and patients. He noted that the use of private boats or fishermen’s vessels had raised safety concerns, especially when transporting patients and their families, or the deceased. ‘Now, with this emergency boat service, passengers and accompanying family members will no longer face the risks associated with private or fishermen’s boats,’ he said.