‘Market is ASEAN’s 700 million, not 2.8 million’: Abang Jo defends Sarawak’s mega port, airport plans

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, May 16: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has defended the State’s push for major infrastructure expansion, including a deep-sea port and airport development in Tanjung Embang, stressing that Sarawak must position itself to serve ASEAN’s 700 million population rather than rely solely on its 2.8 million people.

He said Sarawak is geographically positioned in the centre of Southeast Asia, making it naturally suited to become a regional logistics and trade hub.

“When people ask me, ‘Why build a big port and a big airport when our population is only 2.8 million?’, my answer is simple — God placed us in the middle of ASEAN.

“If you look at it carefully, the distance within ASEAN makes us almost equidistant to the region. So we are in the middle of ASEAN, and ASEAN is our partner.

“In other words, you are located in the middle of 11 countries in ASEAN. The market is 700 million, not 2.8 million. And we cater to that 700 million. Because other ports are far away, we are in the middle,” he said when speaking at the 65th anniversary dinner of the Kuching Port Authority (KPA) last night (May 15). An audio recording of his speech was later shared with DayakDaily.

He further said Sarawak must think beyond its domestic scale and prepare infrastructure capable of supporting regional trade flows, particularly as cargo volumes continue to rise and global logistics systems become increasingly digitalised.

Abang Johari said the existing river-based port system was approaching its physical limits, pointing to shallow river conditions and rising dredging costs as key constraints.

“Senari Port is also not enough. The river mouth is getting shallower and shallower,” he said.

He noted that cargo handled by KPA had surged from 138,975 tonnes in 1961 to 10.4 million tonnes in 2025 — a 74-fold increase — reflecting Sarawak’s expanding economy.

The Premier said global port operations are now driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital systems, where documentation is completed before ships even arrive at port.

Abang Johari said Sarawak must adopt seamless, technology-driven port systems to remain competitive in regional trade.

He reiterated that the State’s long-term solution lies in developing a new deep-sea port at Tanjung Embang, located about 7km offshore, where natural depths of 13 to 16 metres would eliminate the need for frequent dredging.

“If we dredge the Sarawak River, perhaps every three years we have to dredge again. The cost can reach RM300 million to RM500 million each time,” he said.

Abang Johari said the offshore port would support both general cargo and a dedicated gas and petrochemical terminal, in line with Sarawak’s push to expand its oil and gas downstream sector.

Also present were Deputy Premier-cum-Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development (Port Development) Datuk Majang Renggi, KPA Board of Directors chairman Azizul Annuar Adenan and former chairman Senator Dato Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah. — DayakDaily

Advertisement