S’wak shipping associations look forward to reimplementation of cabotage policy

The Sarawak and Sabah Shipowners Association, and the Sarawak Shipping Association lauded Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s announcement on the reinstatement of cabotage policy.

While describing this as a piece of great news, the associations said they looked forward to it being officially gazetted and implemented as soon as possible.

“This is great news for shipowners, ship builders, dock operators and other players related to the Sarawak shipping industry.

“Since the Transport Ministry had made the announcement, we look forward to it being officially gazetted and implemented as soon as possible,” they said in a joint statement yesterday.

Loke had, on March 1, announced that the Cabinet had agreed to implement again the cabotage policy for ships operating cargo services from the peninsula to Sarawak, but it would be maintained in Sabah.

He said the decision was made following the Sarawak government’s request to support the local shipping industry’s growth, which had been under pressure due to the cabotage policy exemption since June 1, 2017.

Meanwhile, the associations noted that the Transport Ministry also made clarification that foreign ships could always make ‘direct call’ to any Malaysian ports as the government’s National Load Centre Port Klang had long been abandoned.

On the other hand, they said there were still several pending issues related to the Sarawak shipping industry.

“We look forward to having further deliberation with both the Sarawak Transport Ministry and Federal Transport Ministry for amicable settlement,” they said.