The Royal Malaysian Navy had to deploy KD Terengganu to ferry tourists from Pulau Tioman to Mersing, as the sea was too rough for boats running ferry services.

Earlier, hundreds of tourists were reported stranded because of bad weather. Mercifully, none of the boat operators took the gamble to sail, as the chances of sinking are high.

It is time for bigger boats or small ships to be used for passenger service, not just for Tioman but nationwide.

Daily, thousands of commuters and tourists use ferry services to and from the many islands dotted around our coastline.

They can be found from Langkawi to Sabah, and some of the popular islands in between are Pulau Pangkor, Pulau Ketam and Pulau Redang.

Rough seas can make some of the smaller boats perilious. The Marine Department should be more stringent in regulating ferry services and act now before another tragedy strikes.