A SUB-COMMITTEE under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council has been formed to draw up a “full report” on Sarawak’s request for the Bintulu Port – now a federal port – to be transferred to the state.

The council had met in Putrajaya on Monday.

Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah, who has been tasked with the push for the transfer, told reporters after the Sarawak Day thanksgiving prayers at the Association of Churches Sarawak’s Christian Ecumenical Worship Centre in Kuching last night he hoped the report could be completed in a month.

The sub-committee, with representatives from the Transport Ministry and the SarawakInfrastructure Development and Ports Ministry, will be chaired by Sabah and Sarawak Affairs and Special Duties Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Armizan Mohd Ali.

The report would then be forwarded to the MA63 technical committee to first deliberate on before it is submitted to the cabinet for a decision.

“We (the state government) are confident this report can be completed in a month,” he added.

When asked if Putrajaya is seeking compensation, Uggah said what was most important to Sarawak first and foremost is for the federal government to agree to the request to change Bintulu Port’s status from a federal port to a state port.

“That is the most important part, for the federal government to give us the port.”

He said the manner and arrangements on how it will be transferred, paying compensation and other details will come later.

In a statement, Uggah said the transfer request was in line with the state desire to have all ports in the state under a “single entity”.

He also said Putrajaya would be in compliance with what was agreed in the MA63, the federal and Sarawak state constitutions with the transfer as ports are matters under the jurisdiction of the state government. – July 21, 2023.