KUCHING: There is a need to modernise the facilities for river transportation in the State, said Assistant Minister for Transporation Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
“It is high time to upgrade the facilities because we have approximately three million people who use the jetty every year.
“We should have facilities like e-ticketing so it’ll be easier for passengers to check-in and for us to keep track of them as to prevent overloading.
“This would ensure maximum safety for all river transport users in the state,” he said during the launching ceremony of Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) 25th Anniversary and River Safety Campaign at the Kuching Waterfront Amphitheatre here yesterday.
He also added that due to SRB’s efforts, the rivers have been kept beautiful and clean whereby passengers could use as part of their leisure time.
“But before we explore more on that matter, we do have to modernise our facilities so that passengers can feel comfortable and safe.
“There is also still a lot left to be done, such as taking preventive measures to ensure that we are accident-free.
“It is something we are serious about because we can have the best facilities but if we don’t know how to be safe then there is no point,” he said.
Also present during the event was SRB controller, Richard Tajan.
