By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 7: The Sarawak government has denied appointing Belgium-based Antwerp Bruges Port to conduct a feasibility study on building a deep-sea port at Tanjung Embang.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development (MIPD) Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas clarified that the feasibility study for the project is currently being undertaken by an unnamed consultant appointed by the government.
He was responding to Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen who had earlier questioned the Sarawak government regarding rumors that the feasibility study for the Tanjung Embang Port project was being undertaken by the foreign port.
“I don’t know where you got the information that we (Sarawak government) have given the right to develop Tanjung Embang to a company (associated) with Antwerp (port),” Uggah said during his winding-up speech on the proposed Sarawak Ports Authority Bill 2024 in Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.
Chong then attempted to prove his point, stating that the matter was reported by a news outlet.
However, Uggah corrected him by saying that the news only reported that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Antwerp-Bruges Port and Hubline Berhad for the deep sea port project and did not in any way indicate that the foreign port authority will conduct the feasibility study for the project.
“….There is a potential for this (Tanjung Embang port) and we have appointed a consultant to study (the project) but not Antwerp-Bruges port,” Uggah emphasised.
On July 26, 2022, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg witnessed the signing of the MoU between Antwerp-Bruges Port and Hubline Berhad at Antwerp, Belgium.
The Antwerp-Bruges Port is the second largest international container port in Europe and the 14th largest in the world, while Hubline is a local company involved in bulk shipping logistics services. — DayakDaily
