Bill to establish Sarawak Port Authority to be tabled at next DUN sitting

KUCHING (Nov 29): The draft of a Bill to establish the Sarawak Port Authority is expected to be completed by May 2024 and ready to be tabled at the next State Legislative Assembly meeting, said Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.

The Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development also said his ministry and the State Attorney General’s Department are currently drafting the law.

“Currently, my ministry and the State Attorney General’s Department are drafting a bill to establish the Sarawak Port Authority.

“It is expected to be completed by May 2024 and ready to be presented at the next DUN session,” he informed the DUN during his winding-up speech for his ministry today.

According to Uggah, there are five port authorities in Sarawak; namely Kuching, Rajang, Miri, Tanjung Manis and Samalaju, and the Sarawak government is currently studying the need to unite them into one entity.

“This single entity will regulate, streamline and coordinate the management, operation, planning and development of all ports in Sarawak.

“The objective is to improve the efficiency of Sarawak ports in ensuring that each port plays a specific role in promoting trade and economic development,” he said.

On Bintulu Port, Uggah thanked the Prime Minister for his agreement to hand over Bintulu Port to Sarawak during his recent Budget speech.

He said the state government in collaboration with the federal government had discussed the mechanism of handing over Bintulu Port to Sarawak at the first Federal-State Joint Working Committee meeting held in Putrajaya on Nov 22 this year.

“The terms of the handover will be discussed in the Joint Technical Committee meeting scheduled for December 2023.

“The committee will also finalise a joint action plan to facilitate a smooth handover transition,” he said.