Call to place Sabah’s interests first over congestion complaints at Sepanggar Port

SEPANGGAR (Jan 14): Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick has called on all parties to place Sabah’s interests as a top priority in addressing complaints over congestion at Sepanggar Port.

The Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport said that the complaints involved the entire service supply chain, not only port operations but also activities outside the port, including the roles of various government agencies and the need for digitalisation of services.

“I visited Sepanggar Port today (Jan 13) to hold discussions with the port operators and various relevant agencies. I was briefed by Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd and DPW Sabah Sdn Bhd as port operators, and also received a briefing from the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority on the ongoing Sepanggar Port development project.

“I was also informed by Suria Capital Holdings about plans for the next phase of expansion at Sepanggar Port. The data shows a significant increase in import and export cargo volumes at Sepanggar Port, which is a positive indicator of Sabah’s economic activity,” he said.

Ewon said he would chair several follow-up discussions before tabling a Cabinet paper to obtain decisions on proposed interim solutions, while awaiting the completion of long-term solutions through port expansion.

“All parties must place Sabah’s state interests as the priority, and that this can only be addressed through a ‘Sabah First team’ that is willing to be part of the solution. With that approach, I am confident we can manage this congestion issue more effectively,” he said.