KUCHING, Feb 6 2026: The Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) clarified today that the RM1.8 billion valuation of the Bintulu Port was amicably agreed through constructive engagement between the federal and the Sarawak governments.
MIPD Permanent Secretary’s Office said the agreement was reached by the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Abang Johari Openg.
“This reflects the strong spirit of cooperation and mutual respect underpinning federal–state relations,” MIPD office in a statement in response to Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan’s criticism of the amount to be paid by Sarawak government.
It said that the valuation represents the combined value of port assets based on detailed valuation exercises and negotiations.
“It is not an arbitrary figure,” MIPD office, referring to Voon’s comments.
“Historically, the land allocated for Bintulu Port was alienated to the federal government, with land premiums paid to the Sarawak government,” it said, adding that key infrastructure, including the LNG and Oil Terminals, was also constructed at the Bintulu Port Authority’s cost.
“The return of Bintulu Port is a foundational step towards a central port authority framework in Sarawak, enabling more coordinated and efficient port development, and strengthening Sarawak’s role as a regional trade and logistics hub.
“This move is fully aligned with Sarawak’s Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), which prioritises modern, integrated infrastructure to drive economic diversification, sustainable growth, and enhanced connectivity, benefiting both Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole.
“The ministry remains committed to responsible stewardship of Sarawak’s ports and continued collaboration with all stakeholders to advance shared prosperity,” MIPD office said.
At a press conference, Voon questioned the willingness of the state government accepting to pay RM1.8 billion for the acquisition of Bintulu Port from the federal government.
He wanted a transparent disclosure by the Sarawak GPS government on why it agreed to the payment without public consultation.
He described the amount asked by the federal government as political extortion and called for an independent assessment body to be appointed to determine on how much the federal government has already earned from Bintulu Port over the decades.
He claimed that the federal government had made lots or money from Bintulu Port -which could be in trillions of ringgits since the Port was taken over by the federal authority.
Voon also said for decades, Bintulu’s land, resources, and strategic location were used by the federal government to generate enormous revenue, without fair compensation to Sarawak.
He added that he has found no publicly disclosed record that the federal government paid any compensation to Sarawak at the time Bintulu was declared a federal port.
He also said that he has found no credible sources to show a payment been made to Sarawak related to that historical change.
“In other words, historically, there is no known cash compensation paid to the state by the federal government for the historical federal status of Bintulu Port,” he said.
On Feb 4, federal Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced in Parliament that the Sarawak government had agreed to pay RM1.8 billion for the acquisition of Bintulu Port from the federal government.
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