Sarawak To Table Centralised Port Authority Bill In May - Abang Johari

KUCHING, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak government will be tabling a bill to establish a centralised port authority to oversee all ports in the state systematically in the State Legislative Assembly session in May, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. 

According to him, the bill will be tabled by Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who is the state Minister of infrastructure and Ports Development. 

“We have discussed with the federal government on the matter and for the official name of the body, we will wait as we must formulate a law for the central port authority to oversee all ports including Bintulu Port which will be handed over in June,” he said. 

He told reporters after attending the 2024 Chinese New Year ceremony organised by the Sarawak Premier's Department at the State Legislative Assembly building here, today.

Currently, Sarawak has five entities that control each port in their respective areas, namely Kuching Port Authority, Rajang Port Authority, Miri Port Authority, Tanjung Manis Port Authority and Samalaju Port Authority.

In his closing speech at the assembly sitting in November last year, Uggah said his ministry was still fine-tuning the draft bill to ensure the process of standardising the five ports runs smoothly.

Regarding the handover of Bintulu Port, the Ministry of Transport previously said that it will present the Bill for the repeal of the Bintulu Port Authority Act, 1981 at a later Parliament session.

-- BERNAMA