Penang Sentral provides a 24-hour waiting area on Level 1 at its stage bus platform, fitted with basic facilities for passengers, according to Bernama, after a social media post complained that a traveller was asked to leave the terminal in the early hours.
Zairil Khir Johari, chairman of the Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee, said the area is meant for passengers waiting for a bus or for their next connecting transport service.
He said the terminal is operated by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) and not by the state government, and that the waiting area is not accommodation or an overnight stay facility.
“MRCB also explained that public access to the terminal is restricted to Level 1 after 1 am, with visitors not allowed to wait or remain in other areas, including the commercial sections and the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), which are closed for security and operational reasons,” he said.
He was commenting on a post that said security guards had asked a passenger to leave the terminal after he arrived at about 1am. The passenger said he was waiting for a ferry to George Town and that his hotel check-in was only scheduled for 3pm the following day.
The terminal’s own passenger guide places the pick-up and drop-off area for local and express buses on Level 1, together with the police office and the bus bays. Level 2 carries the linkways to KTM rail services and to the ferry terminal, plus the bus and taxi ticket counters, baggage lockers, a baby room, a prayer room and a first-aid room. The guide lists information counters on Levels 2 and 3, with a food court and a medical clinic on Level 3, IBTimes Malaysia reported.
That layout matters after 1am. The guide describes where each service sits, not whether it stays open through the night, so a passenger allowed to remain on Level 1 is not thereby guaranteed a counter, a locker or a clinic at that hour.
Feedback from members of the public has also pointed to the need for a dedicated waiting space, particularly for passengers arriving on late-night or early-morning express buses.
Hana Nurdira Muhammad Haikal, 20, a university student who studies in Kelantan and returns to Penang during semester breaks, said she often arrives at Penang Sentral early in the morning with friends. She said the different needs of passengers should be taken into account.
“I believe MRCB could consider providing a dedicated waiting area for passengers arriving late at night or with early-morning travel schedules. It does not necessarily have to offer accommodation, but should at least have sufficient seating and accessible toilets,” she said.
Shahril Reza Ibrahim, 35, a Kuala Lumpur-based bank officer who travels regularly by express bus, said such facilities matter for long-distance passengers, especially those who continue on by ferry.
“MRCB may have its reasons in terms of security and operational control, but from the perspective of user experience, there are still some shortcomings that need to be addressed. As a frequent express bus passenger, I often use Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, which is equipped with a waiting area,” he said.
Penang Sentral serves as an integrated transport hub connecting ferry services, KTM train services, express buses and Rapid Penang buses, with the Mutiara Line LRT also planned to serve the area.
UTC Seberang Perai occupies the third and fourth floors of the terminal and spans more than 60,000 square feet. It houses nine government departments, including the Immigration Department and the National Registration Department.
