Sarawak plans Damai port for international cruise liners

2026-03-25 - 13:50

The port project in Damai, Sarawak, is expected to begin at the end of 2026 or early next year, says deputy minister Abdul Rahman Junaidi. (SEDC pic) PETALING JAYA: The Sarawak government is planning to construct port facilities at Damai to accommodate international cruise liners, according to a state deputy minister. Abdul Rahman Junaidi, a deputy minister in the Premier’s Department, said the project would be implemented by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation. “The cruise routes (currently) start from Phuket and stop at Port Swettenham (Penang) and Singapore before heading to Hong Kong, bypassing Borneo because of the absence of a suitable port,” Rahman, the project coordinator for regional development agencies, Kuching North city hall, and Islamic Affairs, said. He said each liner typically carried up to 6,000 tourists. “To address this, a port is being planned and is expected to be completed within two to three years, allowing cruise ships to stop at Damai,” he told reporters at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Kuching, Borneo Post reported. Rahman, who is also the Pantai Damai assemblyman, said the project was expected to begin at the end of 2026 or early next year. He said the state government had identified his constituency as an area to be upgraded for tourism. “The state government will develop two highways, one as a continuation of the Pehin Sri Adenan Satem Highway and another leading to Kampung Telaga Air, both as dual carriageways. “A second road will also connect to the upcoming university,” he said. He also said there was a need to upgrade Jalan Sultan Tengah from Bulatan Yayasan to Damai, spanning 22.4km. “The existing single carriageway will be expanded into a dual carriageway with bicycle lanes, jogging, and pedestrian paths. In the centre will be the green line designated for the Autonomous Rapid Transit system,” he said.