By Wani Muthiah

Pulau Ketam(Malaysia), ferry operators will pay 50 sen less for diesel with immediate effect following the government's decision to give them subsidised fuel.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad visited Pulau Ketam to personally convey the news to the ferry operators.

However, the announcement did not go down well with the ferry operators who had expected a higher subsidy.

They had been unhappy about having to buy diesel at industrial rate even though they were running a public transport service.

"This small subsidy will not ease our burden much," said their spokesman Ng See Kai.

He said they should be given the same subsidy as land transportation operators or ferry operators in Sarawak.

The price of subsidised diesel for land transportation service is RM1.58 a litre while Sarawak ferry operators pay RM1.43 a litre, said Ng.

Shahrir assured the ferry operators that the 50 sen subsidy was only the start and added that the Government would continue to look into the matter.

Pulau Ketam MCA branch chairman Chia Mong Chun requested the minister to look into offering diesel subsidy to cargo boat operators who transported fish, daily needs as well as building material to and from the island.

He added that cargo boat operators as well as the ferry operators should be given the same subsided diesel rate as fishermen, which was at RM1.43 per litre.

Shahrir said he would bring the matter up with the Economic Council.

The Pulau Ketam ferry service makes 11 trips to Port Klang and 11 return trips to the fishing village daily and the seven ferries use up an estimated 46,200 litres of diesel a month