Reduce ferry terminal fee, urge Indonesian operators

Tawau: Operators of the ferry services between Tawau and Indonesia's Nunukan and Tarakan have asked the Sabah Government to reconsider several issues, including the higher ferry terminal charge at the new Tawau Ferry Terminal. An employee of the Department of Ports in Nunukan, who requested anonymity, said an official letter on the matter was delivered Thursday to the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau to be forwarded to the Sabah Government.

"Among the issues raised in the letter is an appeal by the ferry operators in Nunukan and Tarakan to the Sabah Government to reduce the RM15 ferry terminal charge imposed on passengers.

"They also want the passenger tickets to be sold by the ferry operators instead of Fokasjadi Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire managing the terminal," he said.

On Wednesday, more than 700 local and foreign ferry passengers were stranded at the Tawau terminal as the scheduled ferry services to and from Tarakan and Nunukan in northern Kalimantan stopped operating from the previous day.

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Tawau Indonesian Consulate Chief Representative Krishna Dielani could not be contacted.

Meanwhile, a check at the terminal in the afternoon found a ferry from Nunukan docked here.

The operator of the Malindo Express ferry in Nunukan, Abdullah Ali, 54, said the ferry operators in Tarakan and Nunukan were not on strike but awaited further instructions from the Indonesian authorities.

He said that besides the ferry terminal charge, passengers who brought with them goods weighing more than 10kg had to pay RM1.30 for every additional kilogramme.

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However, Indonesian passenger Yuspa Hadi, 56, said he did not mind the charge for the heavier goods as it ensured safety of the luggage.

"The goods will be delivered safely outside the terminal unlike in the past when self-appointed porters rushed to carry the goods for passengers and there was always the fear of the goods going missing or getting stolen," he said.

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