KUCHING, Sept 16 2026: Bintulu Port, the country’s primary gateway for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG), was officially handed over to the Sarawak government today in a symbolic ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Abang Johari Openg.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, representing the federal government, handed over to Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah the official documents transferring the ownership of the port from the federal to the state government.
The state government had paid RM1.8 billion to the federal government for the take-over of the port on June 21 2026.
With effective from Sept 1, 2026, all assets, rights, interests, and obligations of the Bintulu Port Authority (BPA) were transferred to and vested in the Sarawak government.
KEY ASPECTS OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR ACT 858 AND ACT 859
• Via Federal Government Gazette P.U. (B) 313 and P.U. (B) 314 dated 28 August 2026, the Minister of Transport Malaysia designated 1 September 2026 as the date upon which Act 858 and Act 859 would come into force.
• With the coming into force of Act 858 and Act 859, Bintulu Port officially changed its status from a federal port to a state port.
• The Bintulu Port Authority was dissolved, and its role as the authority for Bintulu Port was assumed by the Bintulu Port Authority (Sarawak), a state statutory body established on 1 September 2024 under the Port Authorities Ordinance, 1961.
TIMELINE FOR THE TAKEOVER OF BINTULU PORT AUTHORITY (BPA)
• 30 January 2023 – The Premier of Sarawak announced the intention to take over the port.
• 23 February 2023 – The proposal to take over Bintulu Port as a state port was approved by the Sarawak Cabinet.
• 13 October 2023 – The Prime Minister of Malaysia announced approval for the takeover of Bintulu Port during the presentation of the 2024 Budget in Parliament.
• 22 March 2024 – Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and the Sarawak Government.
• 17 July 2024 – The Declaration of an Area within the Bintulu District as a Federal Port (Repeal) Bill 2024 and the Bintulu Port Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2024 were tabled and passed in the Dewan Rakyat.
. • 1 September 2024 – Date of establishment of the Bintulu Port Authority (Sarawak) to regulate Bintulu Port following the dissolution of the Bintulu Port Authority, consequent to the change in Bintulu Port’s status from a federal port to a state port.
• 4 February 2026 – Agreement on the acquisition value of the Bintulu Port Authority, amounting to RM1.8 billion.
• 21 June 2026 – The Federal Government and the Sarawak Government signed a Completion Agreement, followed by a ceremony in Bintulu for the handover of the cheque from the Sarawak Government to the Federal Government.
• 28 August 2026 – Gazettement of the effective dates for Act 858 and Act 859, and the Bintulu Port Authority farewell ceremony held by the Federal Government.
• 1 September 2026 – Effective date of the Declaration of an Area within the Bintulu District as a Federal Port (Repeal) Act 2024 [Act 858] and the Bintulu Port Authority (Dissolution) Act 2024 [Act 859].
• 1 September 2026 – The Bintulu Port Authority was dissolved, and the Bintulu Port Authority (Sarawak) assumed the role of port authority under the Port Authorities Ordinance, 1961.
HISTORY OF THE BINTULU PORT AUTHORITY The Bintulu Port Authority (LPB) was established under the Bintulu Port Authority Act 1981.
It is a Federal Statutory Body under the purview of the Ministry of Transport Malaysia.
The responsibilities of the Bintulu Port Authority encompass the development, marketing, and provision of comprehensive and efficient port services, with the aim of establishing the facility as an efficient port that serves as an effective and efficient transportation and distribution hub within the BIMP-EAGA network.
The Authority was established to ensure all necessary preparations were in place for the port to commence operations in 1983, with Bintulu Port constructed as a deep-water port.
Its development aligns with the government's policy of positioning the port as a driving force for industrial activities in Bintulu, particularly for the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry.
Its strategic location on the shipping route between Eastern nations and Europe offers a distinct advantage to Bintulu Port Authority as an international port.
It also serves as a primary export gateway for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Malaysia.
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