Car ferry to Riau, Dumai

Wednesday Feb 14 2007, The Star
By LEE YUK PENG

MALACCA: Malaysians will soon be able to drive their cars in Riau and Dumai while Indonesians can do the same in the peninsula all the way to Thailand when a ferry service is launched this year.

The service meant for both passengers and vehicles from Kuala Linggi jetty to Riau and Dumai, Indonesia, is to be launched in June.

This will be the first time that Malaysian cars from the peninsula can be taken legally to Indonesia.

Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said meetings under the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle had approved the service.

The proposal was made more than three years ago.

He confirmed that the proposal was at its final stage of planning and would be submitted to the Cabinet soon.

Mohd Ali said Riau governor H.M. Rusli Zainal S.E. had raised the matter with him on several occasions.

"Paperwork on the Indonesian side is ready. We are in the midst of sorting it out with the Customs and Immigration departments and other agencies," Mohd Ali said at Seri Negri yesterday.

Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Anifah Aman said he was excited about the service, which would help to create new business for the jetty.

"The service will help to boost tourism activities here and create spin-offs where local folks will be able to find some jobs," he added.

On Monday, Anifah told reporters that since the ban on log exports by the Indonesian authorities in October 2001, the jetty had recorded a 42% drop in activities and about 5,000 people had lost their jobs.