Serasa Terminal In A Sorry State
By Zasika Musdi

Bandar Seri Begawan - The current state of the ferry terminal in Serasa has become a growing concern amongst the public.

"Also, the ferry schedule keeps changing without notice, and most of the time it's confusing because you don't know when exactly you're supposed to board the ferry, and I find myself going back and forth between the counters, asking for help, but to no avail," he said.

Nicolas confessed that he hasn't gone to Labuan through the Serasa Ferry Terminal in awhile, and doesn't know whether it has improved now, but he says that most of his past ferry rides were the same: Very uncomfortable.

"Some of the boats are not air-conditioned, which makes the hour-long journey very uncomfortable and stuffy; it's kind of like a game of Russian roulette, where out of the five boats leavingfor the same destination that morning, only one would be air-conditioned - but unfortunately, that's not the one you're boarding," he said.

He said that he remembers one experience when he came back to Brunei from Labuan with a number of firsttime visitors. "They were very surprised with the standard of the ferry - it was very noisy, and once they arrived in Brunei, they didn't find it very welcoming; it was literally in the middle of nowhere."

Mohammad Idham thinks that the Serasa Ferry terminal is not up to standard "for an oil-rich country", and thinks._ the Labuan International Ferry Terminal is so much better. "In fact, not only is the ferry terminal at Labuan better than Serasa's, it is even better looking than Brunei's International Airport," he said boldly. "Our ferry terminal looks like it's over five decades old, with old fashioned facilities, and not very welcoming."

Jenny Malai Ali, Kristal FM DJ, said that from her experience two years ago, she finds the Serasa Ferry Terminal "not very attractive and has no personality .... "I remember getting a nice ferry, but it didn't leave on time," she said. She also added that when you walk past the terminal, it feels like "you're walking past a government office".

"I don't remember there being a working toilet the last time I was there," said John Smith. "There's also no proper place to wait for the ferry, and the corridors from the departure hall to the immigration check to the ferry itself was quite tight. I also find it very confusing, as there are different companies doing different times in different counters, and there's no proper labelling.

There should be an electronic signboard, like the one in Labuan, that shows the current time, departure time, what ferry to board, and on which platform."

"I feel that the location should be switched back to Bandar Seri Begawan, like it was many years ago, or somewhere more happening," he said. "The fact that passengers who just arrived don't see the `best of Brunei' until after over twenty minutes drive through the Serasa

Industrial Area and long highway does not create a good image from Brunei Darussalam."

Amin Jaafar thinks that the Serasa Ferry Terminal's parking lot is `horrible', with no exact indication of where to go. "Also, from personal experience and from those I've heard from others, the baggage checking is a bit rough; they don't seem to understand that the word `fragile' means that it should be handled with care. I've had friends who complained that their `fragile' belongings were broken due to the rough handling of the ferry terminal personnel."

We think that something should be done about the 'halfroof' along the platform from the Serasa terminal to the ferry, in case it rains. "Since Brunei has rains ever so often, there should be proper roofs on the platform towards the parking lot," he said.

Siti, who went to Labuan via the Serasa Ferry Terminal recently, was fortunate enough to get an air-conditioned boat, and she said the boat was "quite comfortable, but very tight around the leg area".

However, she thinks the journey would have been safer if something extra was added. "I am hydrophobic (have a fear of water) and I thought it would've been a good idea if there was' a `safety precaution demonstration' like they have on air flights. It would be very useful if passengers knew what to do during events of emergencies, where our life jackets are and how to use them, and where the closest exits are located, especially once you're out at the open sea!" she exclaimed.

"Also, when I compare the standard of welcome between Brunei's ferry terminal and Labuan's, there's a huge difference. There were welcome banners everywhere at the Labuan International Ferry Terminal, and all you get when you arrive in Brunei is a huge warning sign prohibiting drugs, with death being its penalty. If I were a first time visitor, I wouldn't want to return to Brunei!"

From the opinions of the public, there is clearly a lot that needs to be done at the Serasa Ferry Terminal.. We don't really need to go far for comparison - the Labuan International Ferry Terminal, with its duty free shops, airconditioned and nicely furnished interiors, fully roofed platforms, very clear electronic signboards, and proper waiting area, on an island with a population of only 85.000 and a total area of 92 sq kin, definitely has the upper hand. We have a lot to learn from our neighbour.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Related Story: Serasa Ferry Terminal Needs A Facelift

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