KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu government will submit a proposal to the Marine Department to revoke or suspend the licences of tourist boat operators who do not follow regulations.
State tourism, culture, environment and climate change committee chairman Datuk Razali Idris said the stern action aims to serve as a lesson and reinforce the importance of ensuring tourist safety.
He said there are 628 licensed tourist boat operators in Terengganu, operating around resort islands such as Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Tenggol, Pulau Kapas and Pulau Lang Tengah.
“In Terengganu, 70% of the tourism sector is focused along the coast and islands. As such, we work closely with strategic partners like the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Marine Department, with whom we regularly hold engagement sessions to strengthen enforcement and related matters.
“Following the recent accident on Pulau Perhentian, which claimed three lives, we will submit a proposal to the Marine Department to revoke or suspend the licences of boat operators or skippers found to be negligent.
“The decision to revoke or suspend will depend on the specifics of each case,” he told Bernama at a press conference at Wisma Darul Iman here yesterday.
Razali said the state government, together with other enforcement agencies, will increase on-site visits to provide tourism operators with clearer guidance on the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing passengers and tourists.
He also said that boat operators are encouraged to provide safety briefings to passengers prior to departure.
“In the recent boat capsize case, we identified three serious violations by the operator: exceeding the passenger limit, failure to ensure life jackets were worn and, most concerning, the use of prohibited substances,” he added.
In the 10.30pm incident last Saturday, S. Arumugam, 40, his three-year-old daughter A. Sarrvihka and a 10-year-old relative, V. Vennpani, lost their lives after the boat they were on capsized.
Ten passengers survived, while two others suffered critical injuries.
All the boat passengers, aged between three and 40, were returning from Pulau Perhentian Kecil to Pulau Perhentian Besar after dinner when their boat was struck by large waves.
Meanwhile, in Butterworth, Penang, Arumugam’s widow claimed the boatman did not provide them with life jackets despite repeated requests.
S. Sanggetha, 39, said when they asked the boatman for life jackets, he said they were wet and couldn’t be given out.
She added that the boatman said the journey was only between 10 and 15 minutes.
Sanggetha said the worsening weather caused the boat to sway before it was struck by waves and capsized.
