Baru Bian: Timely to consolidate all port authorities in Sarawak under central port authority

KUCHING, May 7 — The move to consolidate all port authorities in Sarawak under a central port authority is timely, especially with the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway to facilitate the movement of goods, said Baru Bian (GPS-Ba Kelalan).

He believed that the volume of shipments of raw materials and manufactured goods through the ports will increase as the completed Pan Borneo Highway will improve the connectivity to the interiors of Sarawak.

“It is timely therefore that the government is moving to centralise the management of the ports and to privatise the operations at the ports so that efficiency and productivity can be maximised,” he said when debating the Sarawak Posts Authority Bill 2024 during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting today.

Currently, he said the port authorities in Sarawak are Kuching Port Authority, Rajang Port Authority, Miri Port Authority, Samalaju Post Authority and Tanjung Manis Port Authority and they were set up to control the port in their respective areas.

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Baru highlighted the privatisation of port operations has been a trend worldwide and in Peninsular Malaysia such as the Penang Port, Port Klang and Johor Port.

He said under the Bill, there is a provision for the privatisation of port management and operations and this makes good economic sense since the experience of the private sector will improve the efficiency and the productivity of port operations.

“The speed of container handling and consequent vessel turnaround time is a crucial issue. Privatisation should bring an improvement in our ports’ performance.”

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Baru also said the composition of the Board must comprise representatives from all Sarawakian business and professional sectors with the required expertise about the industry.

“The appointments must be on merit and should not be politically motivated. Ports are important to rural economic growth so management of ports in Sarawak must be entrusted to the most able and astute professionals.”

He also called on the awarding of licences to operate ports in Sarawak to be carried out in a fair, open and transparent manner.

Baru also commended the Sarawak government’s achievements in successfully taking over the Bintulu port from the federal government by 2025.

“I believe that there is great potential for the growth of ports in Sarawak as we have a long coastline.”

Baru also hoped that the proposal to construct a Pulau Sari deepwater port in Lawas will materialise to boost the local economy and the ports in Sarawak can also provide services for cruise ships to spur the tourism industry. — The Borneo Post