MUKAH: Sarawak will amend its laws on ports in order to upgrade, modernise and enhance efficiency of ports and port services in the state.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the legislation is being looked into by the Infrastructure and Ports Development Ministry which was formed in the last cabinet reshuffle.
He noted that ports development and services are under the state government’s jurisdiction.
“The proposed amendment to the Port Ordinance is crucial as ports play are important role to the development of the state as a trading entity.
“We are competing with other ports in the region and we have to make our ports more attractive as transit points,” he said when addressing the State’s Development Coordination Committee meeting held at Recoda Building here yesterday.
He told senior government officers attending the meeting that the ministry and the state Attorney-General would study the laws and Sarawak’s need before coming up with the amendments.
“Ports are important for trade. We have to upgrade our ports for example to enable tracking of movement of vessels in real time.
“Turn-around time for loading and unloading of containers must be reduced in order to be attractive as transiting port,” he said.
On the smart city programme, he said it would start in Kuching especially in the heritage area.
The programme, among other things, was designed to mitigate street crime by installing CCTVs that would be linked to a central data system.
