ROMPIN: For those planning a vacation in Pulau Tioman near here, they can only reach the duty free island through the Mersing jetty in Johor.
Tioman Development Authority (TDA) general manager Datuk Idros Yahya said ferry services between Teluk Gading jetty (formerly known as Tanjung Gemuk) in Rompin and the island have been suspended due to the monsoon season.
"Ferry services from Rompin to the island have been temporarily suspended due to the uncertain weather and will resume on March 1 next year. Ferry commuters can only board the ferry between Mersing and the island.
"SKS Airways has suspended its commercial flight operations between Subang Airport (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) and Tioman airport since late October this year. Currently, the airport in Kampung Tekek is utilised by chartered and private aircrafts," he said when contacted today.
The Mersing jetty is about 30 minutes from Teluk Gading and the ferry trip to the island would take about an hour and 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, Idros said the soon to begin Tioman airport upgrading works is expected to give the island a new lease of life and allow the 72, and 42-seater Aerei da Trasporto Regionale (ATR) turboprop aircrafts to land on the island.
"Plans to lengthen the existing airstrip in Kampung Tekek and upgrade the airport for ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 aircrafts will certainly allow commercial carriers operators to service the Tioman route," he said.
Earlier this month, Pahang Public Works and Transport chairman Datuk Mohammad Fakhruddin Mohd Ariff said the land acquisition process to lengthen the existing airstrip has began and a consultant has been appointed.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when tabling the 2024 budget on Oct 13 announced that RM47 million has been set aside to improve passenger facilities at the airport terminal and extend the existing 850m runway to 1.3km.
After nine years, SKS Airways 19-seater turboprop DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft was the first commercial flight to touch down on the island on May 1 last year.