Abang Johari speaks during the Bintulu Port handover ceremony at Menara Kidurong, Bintulu Port Authority on Sunday. – Ukas photo
BINTULU (June 21): Sarawak aims to position Bintulu Port as a leading sustainable industrial and logistics hub by leveraging the state’s strengths in clean energy and green economic development, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said Bintulu has already gained international recognition as an industrial cluster, providing a strong foundation for future expansion.
“For the information of the Prime Minister, Bintulu has been recognised by the World Economic Forum as a strategic industrial cluster.
“With clean energy and logistics capabilities, we can elevate Malaysia’s status as a sustainable economic region,” he said during the Bintulu Port handover ceremony at Menara Kidurong, Bintulu Port Authority.
Abang Johari recounted the history of the deep-sea port’s development, noting that although ports fall under the State List in the Federal Constitution, Sarawak initially lacked the financial capacity to undertake the project.
He said the state had sought a loan of about RM400 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to develop the port, but required a sovereign guarantee from the federal government.
As a result, discussions between the late prime minister Tun Hussein Onn and the late chief minister Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub in the early 80s led to an agreement for the federal government to develop and manage the port.
“Although ports are under the state list, both the state and federal governments had to agree because Sarawak was unable to provide the sovereign guarantee required at that time,” he said.
Abang Johari said Sarawak is now financially capable of assuming responsibility for the port and intends to further develop it with modern facilities to meet evolving economic demands.
He added that ongoing international engagements, including discussions in China on sustainable development, highlighted growing interest in Sarawak’s economic transformation.
“God willing, we will ensure Bintulu Port under the Sarawak government achieves sustainable status and continues contributing to the state’s and nation’s economic growth,” he said.
The federal and Sarawak governments had earlier agreed in principle on a valuation of RM1.8 billion for the state’s acquisition of Bintulu Port.