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PENANG will be paying special attention to improve the connectivity between Penang Sentral, the cross-channel ferry terminal and the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) station in Butterworth, following widespread public complaints.
State exco for infrastructure and transport Zairil Khir Johari has acknowledged the complaints and said that the state would listen to public feedback and complaints regarding the connectivity and installing more social amenities.
While there are complaints, Zairil also underscored the need to be patient as the Transport Ministry has approved an allocation to upgrade its KTM station here.
“Recently, the state received complaints from the public, particularly concerning inconvenience and connectivity issues," Zairil told a media briefing.
“During this site visit, it was observed that significant upgrades have been completed and more are underway by the relevant agencies,” he said.
The government agencies involved are the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) as the asset owner, KTM, Public Works Department (JKR), and Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB), the operator of Penang Sentral.
He also apologised that, for safety reasons, the pedestrian pathway connecting KTM Butterworth station and Penang Sentral was temporarily closed for one and a half months, causing inconvenience to passengers.
“These issues have now been addressed. The 200-meter-long pathway is air-conditioned and meets universal design standards and technical requirements."
He said that the state will plan to advise the stakeholders to enhance accessibility to the three main transport facilities, Penang Sentral, the ferry and KTM train terminals, which are located technically next to each other.
“For instance, issues with malfunctioning lifts. When a lift is not operational, users have no alternative but to use the stairs, which can be challenging. These matters are being resolved through a station upgrading project that has been supported by the ministry and is expected to commence in the near future,” he said.
Zairil said the proposed upgrading is currently at the tender evaluation stage, and it will include the installation of escalators on both platforms, as well as the segregation of pick-up and drop-off areas at the KTM station.
Zairil explained that at present, all pick-up and drop-off activities take place within a single lobby, resulting in traffic congestion. This has been one of the key complaints raised by users.
“By separating the pick-up and drop-off zones, traffic flow is expected to improve significantly,” he said.
At Penang Sentral, he said MRCB has also implemented proactive measures to improve e-hailing operations.
“Previously, e-hailing pick-up and drop-off points were located on Level 8, which caused inconvenience for drivers navigating multiple levels. Moving forward, these services will be relocated to Levels 2 and 2A, with Level 2 designated for taxis and Level 2A for Grab, complete with dedicated waiting lobby areas,” he said.
Zairil said he was encouraged by the proactive initiatives undertaken by all relevant agencies.
“Should further complaints be received, they will be addressed accordingly. To date, cooperation among the agencies involved has been very positive, with no major issues reported,” he said.
Zairil also said that another concern raised by users involved the alignment of schedules between ferry services and KTM, Electric Train Service (ETS) and other modes of transport.
“Measures have been implemented to improve schedule coordination. However, as with any public transport system, particularly buses and ferries, occasional delays may still occur. Train services are generally punctual, with delays usually limited to a few minutes. Ferry services, however, may be affected by weather conditions or technical issues,” he said. - January 20, 2026.
