Bintulu Port officially handed over to Sarawak government

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today witnessed the official handover of Bintulu Port from the federal government to Sarawak, marking a new chapter in the administration of the strategic port. The handover took place in conjunction with Sarawak hosting the national-level Malaysia Day 2026 celebrations, Bernama reported. At a ceremony at Kuching International Airport, Transport Minister Anthony Loke represented the federal government, while Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas represented the state government. According to a statement from the Sarawak Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development, four key documents were exchanged during the ceremony. They comprised the Ports (Privatisation) (Amendment of Schedule) Order 2026, the Bintulu Port Authority (Dissolution) (Vesting Date) Order 2026, and documents relating to the effective date for the Declaration of an Area in the District of Bintulu to be a Federal Port (Repeal) Act 2024 [Act 858] and the Bintulu Port Authority (Dissolution) Act 2024 [Act 859]. “With the coming into force of Act 858 and Act 859 on Sept 1, Bintulu Port officially changed its status from a federal port to a state port under the jurisdiction of the Sarawak government,” the statement said. The transition also resulted in the dissolution of the Bintulu Port Authority (LPB), with its functions taken over by the Bintulu Port Authority (Sarawak), a state statutory body established under the Port Authorities Ordinance 1961. The statement said all assets, rights, interests and obligations of LPB were transferred and vested in the Sarawak government with effect from Sept 1, 2026. The takeover process began about three years ago, following Abang Johari’s announcement on Jan 30, 2023, that Sarawak intended to take over the port. The proposal was subsequently approved by the Sarawak Cabinet in February that year. Anwar later announced the agreement for the handover while tabling Budget 2024 in Parliament on Oct 13, 2023. The federal and Sarawak governments signed a memorandum of understanding on March 22, 2024, before the legislative process was completed with the Dewan Rakyat’s passage of Acts 858 and 859 in July 2024. On Feb 4 this year, both governments agreed on a RM1.8 billion takeover value for LPB. A completion agreement was subsequently signed on June 21, 2026, followed by a cheque handover ceremony in Bintulu, where the Sarawak government made the payment to the federal government. - September 16, 2026 The post Bintulu Port officially handed over to Sarawak government appeared first on Scoop .