Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng welcomed Prasarana Malaysia Bhd's impending take over of the state's iconic ferry service and hoped that new management would be led by professionals.

He said Prasarana must be willing invest in the service to make it a reliable transport provider.

"Prasarana also runs the Penang Rapid bus services and we have seen some improvement in the area. We hope it will be the same for the ferry services, we have seen the agency to be more committed and professional," Lim told a press conference in Penang today.

According to Star Online, Prasarana - Putrajaya's public transport arm - would take over the ferry service for a token sum of RM1 from Penang Port Sdn Bhd.

PPSB was recently acquired by Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn Bhd, a company with links to tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

Lim said the Penang government had offered to take over the ferry services in 2015 but the deal did not work out as several conditions were not met.

"We were willing to invest to improve the ferry services but our conditions were not met, especially our request not to have the Penang Port Commission (PPC) interfere in our business," Lim said.

Other conditions included 30 pre-approved licences for water taxis and the request for the federal government to take over the losses incurred faced by the ferry service while under the previous owners.

"Prasarana must have been able to ensure that its conditions are met. It is after all a federal government agency, PPC cannot push it around as it likes," said Lim who is also the DAP secretary-general.

Lim said Prasarana officials have informed him about the new development and assured him that the ferry's heritage and historical value would be preserved, while services will be upgraded with extra vehicles and added frequency between the island and mainland.