Georgetown: Plans for a water taxi service in Penang are on hold due to technical and safety issues, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke. He clarified that while there has been prior private-sector interest, any maritime transport service must go through a stringent application and approval process involving the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Malaysian Marine Department.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the service also requires technical approval from the Penang Port Commission and involves landing points under the jurisdiction of the Marine Department. Loke emphasized these safety aspects are regulated in cooperation with the state government, given the land-related and logistical issues involved.

The government welcomes any initiative from the private sector to invest in and launch a water taxi service in Penang, provided all licensing and safety requirements are fully met. Previously, the Penang Island City Council agreed to cancel the Request for Proposal for the water taxi service after the appointed company failed to comply with the terms of its Letter of Intent, which required securing all necessary approvals from MOT.

In a separate development, Loke directed the contractor for the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project to maintain a continuous traffic mitigation plan. This is to be implemented in close cooperation with local authorities and the state government to alleviate road congestion as construction activity intensifies this year.

The Mutiara Line LRT project involves building a 29.5-kilometre line with 21 stations, designed to enhance connectivity between Penang Island and the mainland, reduce road congestion, and improve overall accessibility. The main alignment will run from Penang South Reclamation-Island A to Penang Sentral and Komtar Station in Georgetown, with train services scheduled to operate on an alternating schedule along the route.