Dear Editor,
For some time now I have observed that the sailors on the two Chinese ferries are overloading the vessels with vehicles causing discomfort to the passengers in cars, especially women and their little children. Some passengers prefer to stay in their cars because it’s more comfortable to sleep on their early morning journey to Georgetown. The doors of these vehicles cannot open for them to use the washroom because they are clustered up to each other. As I sat in my car I could hear women pleading with the sailors to leave a space for the door to open so they could exit the car in the case of an emergency. These sailors ignored their pleas, some of them are blatantly rude to passengers, they feel that they are doing the passengers a favour.
Since it has become overbearing, a group of elderly women who travel on the ferry on a regular basis asked me to help them voice their concerns by writing about it in the press. I had my share of discomfort but I tried to keep it to myself without highlighting it to the authorities who I know well. One morning I was travelling on the ferry to attend a meeting in Georgetown. I was instructed to park my car at the back of the ferry. Shortly afterwards the sailor directed a truck filled with cows to park in front of my car almost touching my bumper.
I told the sailor that those animals will mess up my car with their urine and cow dung and if he could please have it park somewhere else. I also told him that I could not take the smell of the animals. He refused to move the lorry with the animals to another place in the ferry. Lo and behold the animals messed up my car with their urine and filth. In my opinion, animals should not be among travelling passengers on a ferry.
Most of the old folks cannot climb up those ferry steps to get into the sitting area at the top of the vessel. The step is too sleep so they prefer to stay in their vehicles. I cannot blame the current government for this situation. They inherited these ferries from the previous administration like this. No disabled person on a wheelchair will be able to travel on these boats. It does not cater for such persons, there is no seating accommodation at the bottom.
I also feel that these sailors should be trained in giving first aid in the event that a passenger fell sick or was injured while travelling on the ferry. I do not feel that these ferries should be packed like sardines with vehicles. My niece told me that her car got damaged when the ferry ran into the Good Hope stelling because of the same situation with overcrowded vehicles close to each other.
Occupation Health and Safety is very important in any organization. Another problem which I observed which can cause an accident and damage to people’s cars in the ferry are the lumber trucks which are filled to the brim. When the vessel is rocking these planks can slide off causing damage and injuries.
I hope someone in authority will look into these matters before it is too late.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan
