By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 22: Minister of Transport Anthony Loke is confident that all operations in Bintulu Port will be fully handed over and implemented by the Sarawak authority by 2025.
Speaking at a press conference after the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between MOT and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development Sarawak (MIPD) in Putrajaya today, Loke said that apart from being the main port for oil and gas in Sarawak and Malaysia, Bintulu Port can also be expanded to support other industries in Sarawak.
According to him, firstly, the Bintulu Port Act needs to be repealed in the Parliament because Bintulu Port was established under the Parliamentary Act in 1981.
Secondly, he said that because Bintulu Port Act usage is extended to Labuan Port, there is a need to remove Labuan Port from the act and put it under the Port Act of Malaysia.
“This includes other technical matters that will be discussed between the MOT and MIPD, such as the provision agreement to the operator and port staff, and also some financial elements that need to be further detailed between the federal and the State.
“So we are very confident that all these processes will be completed and finalised within this year as well,” he added.
Earlier, MOTS and MIPD signed a MoU to formalise the change of Bintulu Port’s status from a Federal Port to a State Port. — DayakDaily
