KUCHING: The change of status of Bintulu Port from a federal port to a Sarawak state port is not about buying a port.
In stating this, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said Bintulu Port is in Sarawak’s territory and is the most profitable port in Malaysia.
“(The port) is part of Sarawak nation-building,” he said in a Facebook post following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony to facilitate the process of changing the status of Bintulu Port on Friday (Mar 22).
The MoU was signed between Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, and witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“In 2018, we took over Bakun Dam from the federal government which not only generated good revenue for Sarawak but finally Sarawak had total control of electricity and allowed us to sell to Sabah, Indonesia and soon Singapore for a premium,” said Dr Sim.
Citing Abang Johari, he said the extra revenue generated, among others, allowed the state to provide Covid-19 financial assistance through the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) totalling RM6.7 billion and to offer free tertiary education at Sarawak owned universities by 2026.
“Pray there will be good progress for our education and health autonomy under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). These are crucial components of Sarawak nation-building,” he said.
He also said last year the World Bank had recognised Sarawak as a high income state with RM13.3 billion.
“The best is yet to come as when we continue nation-building, Sarawak aspires not to just have a high income state but high household income,” said Dr Sim.
