By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 26: The Sarawak Ports Authority is expected to commence operations in the second quarter of 2026.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Majang Renggi explained that under the Sarawak Ports Authority Ordinance 2024, all port boards in Sarawak will be consolidated under a single regulatory body, the Sarawak Ports Authority, as part of the State government’s effort to streamline port management and operations.
“To implement this, the government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development, has set up a Task Force responsible for establishing the administrative and management framework for the Sarawak Ports Authority,” he said in response to Batu Danau assemblyman Dato Paulus Palu Gumbang during the question-and-answer session at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting today.
Majang outlined that the unification process will be conducted in three phases: the interim phase, incorporation, and eventual privatisation.
During the interim phase, regulatory authority will be transferred from the existing port boards to the Sarawak Ports Authority, as stipulated under the ordinance.
The incorporation phase will see port boards transition from statutory bodies into fully government-owned companies under the Companies Act, allowing operations to be market-driven while emphasising efficiency, financial stability, accountability, and readiness for future privatization.
He added that port board staff will be offered positions either within the Sarawak Ports Authority or in the new corporate port entities, following the principle of “no less favourable”. — DayakDaily
