KUCHING, Jan 8: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas wants the State’s port management to be prepared to modernise, innovate, and adopt new technologies.
With Sarawak hoping to become a high-income society by 2030, he said the ports would have increased and more important roles.
“The plan is for us to export more food products by then. Thus the ports will be a very crucial component of the development,” he said when visiting the Senari Port here yesterday.
The visit was his first to a port after being appointed the Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development in the Cabinet reshuffle after the recently concluded 12th Sarawak Election.
Uggah said modernisation would include looking at new management styles and improving or enhancing all essential facilities.
“Look at port models around the world and set your benchmark on the successful ones. We in the ministry will be proactive to ensure your growth in the direction,” he said.
He also pointed out that State ports had a lot of potentials and could be as competitive as those in the regions.
On the Senari Port operated by the Kuching Port Authority (KPA), he said it should find ways to improve its productivity and, at the same time, come up with plans to meet new challenges.
Uggah further thanked the port chairman Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah and KPA general manager Robert Lau Hong Thiam for the visit and briefings on the port’s activities and expansion programme.
Uggah was joined by his assistant ministers Dato Majang Renggi and Aidel Lariwoo, and his ministry’s permanent secretary Dato Safri Zainudin during the visit. ― DayakDaily
