PANGKOR, Sunday 6 February 2011 (Bernama) -- About 5,000 islanders here have expressed regret over the Lumut-Pangkor ferry service operator's alleged refusal to heed Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir's order for it to use the public jetty at Sungai Pinang Kecil (SPK) here from Feb 1.
Sungai Pinang Besar village headman Roslan Ahmad, 50, said they were disappointed with the operator's action as this had made it difficult for them to travel between here and Lumut while the existing public jetty on the island was already congested with holiday-makers during the Chinese New Year celebration period.
"The Menteri Besar had last week instructed the ferry service operator to use the new RM1.9 million jetty to ease congestion at the other jetty but the instruction was not followed," he told Bernama, here, today.
Roslan was met after holding a peaceful demonstration with more than 100 villagers against the ferry operator's alleged refusal to also use the new jetty.
One of them, J. Mogandas, 33, called on the state government to intervene as the Hindu community here will be having a religious celebration at a temple on the island next week.
He said other Hindus would also be coming to the island for the celebration, thus adding to the congestion at the Pulau Pangkor Public Jetty.
"If discussions with the ferry operator fail to have the desired result, we want the state government to allow another company to also provide the service, to break the monopoly of the existing operator," said Mogandas.
The Perak Menteri Besar is also the state assemblyman for Pangkor.
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