Uggah (right) and Deputy Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts 1 minister Datuk Sebastian Ting arrive at the DUN today. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 24): Sarawak will soon have a centralised port authority to oversee the operation of its ports located in Kuching, Rajang, Miri, Tanjung Manis and Samalaju, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
According to the Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development, the move is a restructuring exercise and the authority will be known as the Sarawak Ports Authority.
“The current state port authorities, comprising Kuching, Rajang, Miri, Tanjung Manis and Samalaju, will undergo a restructuring exercise to ensure a smooth transition into the new entity known as Sarawak Ports Authority,” he told the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) in his ministerial winding-up speech today.
According to him, the aim is to regulate, streamline and coordinate the management, operation, planning and development of all ports to ensure that each of the ports play its niche role in promoting trade and business.
With the impending reorganisation of the state’s ports, he added, Bintulu Port should be one of the clusters of the state’s ports, so that its future development and growth will be harmonised or streamlined with the other ports in Sarawak.
He said that it is within Sarawak’s interest that Bintulu Port be de-federalised and regulated under Sarawak’s jurisdiction.
“In this respect, the Sarawak government has registered its interest in taking over Bintulu Port from Putrajaya.
“At present, negotiations between the Sarawak and federal government are ongoing and this subject matter is to be pursued under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) agenda,” he said.
On a related matter, Uggah said that as the world economy gradually recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, Sarawak has experienced an overall increase in cargo handled at its state ports in 2022, registering a total throughput of 22.95 million tonnes, up by 11.4 per cent compared to 20.61 million tonnes handled the previous year.
“Kuching Port handled 9.87 million tonnes in 2022, an increase of 11 per cent from 8.89 million tonnes in 2021 while Rajang Port registered 1.49 million tonnes, an increase of 5.7 per cent from 1.41 million tonnes.
“As for Samalaju Port, which is operated by an approved port operator, it handled 6.73 million tonnes, a healthy increase of 26.3 per cent from 5.33 million tonnes in 2021.
“Miri Port recorded a 6.3 per cent increase in its cargo throughput of 3.21 million tonnes as compared to 3.02 million tonnes in the previous year.
“However, Tanjung Manis Port experienced a decrease of 15.8 per cent in cargo handled from 1.96 million tonnes in 2021 to 1.65 million tonnes in 2022.
“The decrease in Tajung Manis is mainly attributed to the market forces, whereby the shipping lines call directly on Rajang Port for Sibu-bound cargo,” he said.
The overall increase in cargo throughput, according to Uggah, is an indicator that Sarawak is on the right path of economic recovery and growth towards becoming a developed region by 2030.
He also informed that the Sarawak government had approved nine projects in the 12th Malaysia Plan to enhance the efficiency and capacity of Sarawak’s ports, with three having been completed while six projects are currently under various stages of implementation.
The completed projects are Aids to Navigation for Tanjung Manis, upgrading of Tanjung Po Lighthouse and upgrading of Tanjung Datu Lighthouse while six other projects – Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) for Sungai Sarawak, Kuching; Senari Free Zone feasibility study, Kuching; Miri Port Authority master plan study Phase 1; vehicle yard and associated facilities at Senari Port, Kuching; Supply, installation and commissioning of two quay cranes for Senari Port, Kuching; and dredging and associated works at Kuala Baram access channel, Miri – are at various stages of implementation.