21 people were injured when the Teluk Bahang ferry collided with MV Mekar Jaya near the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal on September 1.

The cause has not been determined and there is no basis yet to blame either vessel.

But Penang should not wait for the investigation to end before reviewing the safety of its ferry operations.

The incident is the latest reminder that ferry safety requires continuous attention, even after major improvements to the service.

Penang Has a Difficult Ferry History

Penang's ferry service has faced serious safety problems before.

In 1988, the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal collapsed after becoming severely overcrowded. 32 people were killed and more than 1,600 were injured. The disaster remains one of the deadliest incidents in Penang's transport history.

The ferry service later faced a different problem, an ageing fleet.

By the end of the old ferry era, concerns had been raised over the age of the vessels, maintenance costs and safety. The Penang Institute noted that these issues contributed to discussions about replacing the older ferries.

In 2020, the Consumers' Association of Penang also criticised the service after technical problems left several ferries out of operation. The organisation called for preventive maintenance to be part of the operating procedures for the replacement fleet.

These problems were not ignored as Penang eventually moved towards a new ferry system.

A New Fleet Changed The Service

Four new fast ferries were introduced in 2023 as part of the transition away from the old vehicle-carrying ferries.

The new service has also attracted significant ridership. Penang Port reported five million passengers between its launch in August 2023 and April 2025, with the majority using the service as commuters.

That makes the ferry system's safety even more important.

This is not a tourist attraction that people use occasionally. It is public transport used by thousands of people to travel between Penang Island and the mainland.

New Ferries Still Need Oversight

A new fleet does not remove the need for safety checks.

In 2024, the state government said the ferry service included annual maintenance and scheduled inspections to ensure safety.

That is the right approach.

But the latest collision is still a reason to examine whether those measures are sufficient, not because the new ferries have been proven unsafe, but because safety systems need to be tested against real incidents.

The collision involved a passenger ferry and another vessel operating within Penang Port limits. 21 people were injured, while motorcycles were knocked over inside the ferry.

For passengers, the experience was frightening.

Suhaimi, 55, who has used the ferry for 24 years, said he feared the ferry would sink after hearing passengers scream during the collision. 

Another passenger, 23-year-old Amy Iyana, fell and injured her leg. A 12-year-old boy also suffered bruising to his head.

The injuries were minor but the fear was not.

Penang Should Not Wait For Another Disaster

The latest incident does not prove that Penang's ferry system is unsafe.

It does show why authorities should continue reviewing it.

The investigation should determine exactly how the collision happened. If it identifies problems with communication, vessel coordination, navigation or other safety procedures, those problems should be addressed.

Authorities should also make the findings public.

Penang has already seen what happens when transport safety fails on a devastating scale. It has also spent years replacing an ageing fleet and rebuilding confidence in its ferry service.

That work should continue.

21 injuries should be treated as a warning, not simply a fortunate outcome.

The fact that nobody died does not mean the system has passed its test. It means Penang has been given another opportunity to identify weaknesses before the consequences become worse.

The ferry service carries millions of passengers. It deserves a safety system that is reviewed continuously, maintained properly and transparent when something goes wrong.

Penang should not need another tragedy to prove that.