KUCHING, Nov 26: The Sarawak Ports Authority is slated to commence operations in the second quarter of 2026.

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, Datuk Majang Renggi said that under the Sarawak Port Authority Ordinance 2024, all port boards across Sarawak will be unified under a single regulatory entity, enhancing efficiency and coordination in port 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.

He was responding to Batu Danau assemblyman Dato Paulus Palu Gumbang during the question-and-answer session at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly Sitting today.

Majang outlined that the consolidation will occur in three stages: an interim phase, incorporation, and eventual privatisation.

During the interim phase, regulatory powers will shift from the existing port boards to the Sarawak Ports Authority, in accordance with the ordinance.

The incorporation phase will see the port boards transformed from statutory bodies into fully government-owned companies under the Companies Act, enabling market-driven operations while prioritising efficiency, financial sustainability, accountability, and readiness for privatisation in the future.

He added that port board personnel will be offered positions either within the Sarawak Ports Authority or in the newly established corporate port entities, following the principle of “no less favourable” employment terms. – TVS