I have done very little work on Malaysia. I suspect that rivers were not sufficiently long for river navigation; they may also have been too steep and rocky. I assume that boats on rivers and lakes were at sampan level, for local fishing. There are estuarine ports.
The ferry operations which I have found are for offshore islands, and I haven't found steam ferries or photos of steam ferries.
The two discoveries:
* Johor Bahru - Woodlands (Singapore). The causeway was built in the early 1920s. It replaced a train-ferry operation. I enclose a photo of a train ferry photo (steam, but not paddle) which is on display in the railway museum inside the former main station in Kuala Lumpur.
* Prai - Penang. Prai was the original railway terminus, and connected by ferry to Georgetown. The current Butterworth station, linking to a shorter ferry crossing, was opened in 1967. I suspect that the swing bridge linking Prai to Butterworth dates from then too. I enclose a photo of a steam ferry photo (not paddle) on display in Butterworth station.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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