Embassy pushing for alternative vessel
Published on: Friday, October 28, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is consulting parties back home to facilitate an alternative vessel on the Sandakan-Zamboanga route following the capsize of another earlier."We are aware of the plight of the Filipino deportees and other stranded countrymen in Sabah as a result of the abrupt end of the weekly Sandakan- Zamboanga ferry service last month. The Embassy is fighting for an immediate replacement vessel," an embassy official said. ADVERTISEMENT He said the Embassy did not wish to see the problem aggravated in terms of further cancellations and delays of scheduled deportation exercises of Filipinos deportees, and stranded.On a suggestion by relatives of deportees to send a naval vessel to Sabah to facilitate their journey home, the Embassy believed such request is unnecessary for the moment.Last Sept 22, the M/V Danica Joy 2, the official vessel plying the route, capsized at Zamboanga port while unloading cargo. This forced its Philippine-based operator, Aleson Shipping Lines, to temporarily suspend its weekly operation.ADVERTISEMENT The already month-long absence of an alternative vessel is resulting in temporary holding centres in Sabah being congested with paperless Filipinos.The regular ferry service had been engaged by the Malaysian Government to deport Filipinos caught remaining in Sabah illegally. The ferry service also provided people and cargo mobility aming BIMP-EAGA member countries since its inception in the mid-90's.
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The Embassy said Aleson Shipping has identified the alternative vessel and is processing the necessary navigational permits to resume operations. "We hope the operation of the route will resume early next month," the officer stressed.the Sabah-based appointed agent of Aleson Shipping Lines here also expressed optimism that the Sandakan-Zamboanga route would resume next month.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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relatives of the deportees threatened to complaint directly to President Rodrigo Duterte in the event the Embassy in Kuala Lumpur dragged its feet on the matter seriously."We will wait untill early next month and if no good news are upcoming then, we will dirextly sought the help of President Duterte," they said.