Penang Port Commission (PPC) Chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng has made an inspection visit to Penang ferry terminal on 22 May 2020. The visit was conducted following news article from Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) claiming that ferry passengers ignored safety measures to prevent themselves from Covid-19 at the ferry terminal.
During the visit, he was briefed by Rapid Ferry Sdn. Bhd’s representative on steps taken at the ferry terminal in ensuring passengers to follow the ruling of social distancing and standard operating procedures (SOP) implemented during Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
Rapid Ferry only allowed 50 to 60 passengers to enter into the ferry and have their body temperatures checked. The seating in the waiting area at the ferry terminal and in the ferry has also been marked accordingly as to avoid passengers from sitting closely next to each other.
All passengers are required to line up before entering into the ferry and Rapid Ferry has marked the floor with yellow tape to ensure passengers adhere with the one metre social distancing regulation. The gate at the waiting area will only be opened after all passengers has lined up accordingly.
To avoid crowd, two passengers will be released into the ferry or going out from the ferry in stages. The car drivers and passengers are also not allowed to get out from their vehicles while waiting at the ferry terminal or in the ferry.
