Press Statement on PeTUA’s (Penang Forum member) decision to support the decision by the MCA-led Penang Port Commission to end the iconic Penang ferry services:
The Penang Public Transport Users Association or PeTUA that is proudly proclaiming itself a member of the Penang Forum has betrayed the people of Penang with their stand to welcome the PN government’s decision to scrap the existing ferry service which is an icon of the state of Penang.
PeTUA and Penang Forum as a whole should be condemning the PN government’s plans as they have often proclaimed themselves as defenders of Penang’s heritage instead of welcoming the decision to destroy our heritage in favour of the catamaran services. They should answer to Penangites of their sudden about-face of the destruction of the iconic ferry services and clarify if they are in favour of PN government despite claiming to be apolitical.
PeTUA and Penang Forum as a whole must remember that the current PH Penang State Government is the elected government chosen by Penangites and the current Penang Port Commission (PPC) administration is led by the MCA which had been completely rejected by Penangites. Therefore, the actions by PeTUA which is part of Penang Forum is akin to sacrificing the wishes of Penangites in favour of a rejected representative of the PN government.
PeTUA and Penang Forum as a whole should go to the ground and ask Penangites whether they favour a destruction of a Penang icon. Is the PN government incapable of upgrading and building new ferries of the same heritage design to respect the wishes of Penangites? Why can’t Penang Forum be pushing for that instead?
PeTUA and Penang Forum as a whole proclaims themselves the representatives of Penangites yet they are unelected and support a decision by the PN government to destroy an icon of Penang’s heritage. One needs to wonder if they are apolitical after all.
Chris Lee Chun Kit
Pulau Tikus Assemblyperson
文告：槟城公共交通使用者协会（PeTUA，槟州论坛成员）支持马华主导的槟港务局终结具有标志性意义的槟渡轮服务
针对支持国盟政府停止槟渡轮服务，行动党浮罗池滑区州议员李俊杰发文告表示他们此举背叛了槟州人民。
槟城公共交通使用者协会和槟州论坛应该谴责国盟政府，因为他们经常宣称自己是槟城文化遗产的捍卫者。
他说，如今具有文化历史意义的渡轮被喊停驶，继而改由双体船取代服务，这已经破坏了槟州遗产。
他认为，关于渡轮服务终止的事件，他们理应为槟州人民发声谴责国盟，结果他们却支持这项计划，甚至还宣称此举没有涉及政治动机。
槟城公共交通使用者协会和槟州论坛必须谨记，槟州政府是真正通过民选而成立的，也是获得槟州人民委托的代议士。
“反之，槟州港务局则是由槟州人民唾弃的马华所管理。 因此，作为槟城论坛一份子，槟城公共交通使用者协会的表态，无疑是违背了槟州人民的意愿，认同国盟所领导的中央代表。”
他认为，槟城公共交通使用者协会与槟城论坛都必须到基层去进行民调，以了解人民是否要毁掉这个标志性意义的槟州渡轮。”是不是国盟政府没有能力提升渡轮？为何槟城论坛不施压国盟提升渡轮呢？”
他说，槟城交通使用者协会和槟城论坛都不断强调本身是代表槟州人的非政府组织，但却支持国盟政府摧毁具标志性意义的槟渡轮服务，很让人怀疑他们是否存有政治动机。