BUGAYA Assemblyman Jamil Hamzah wants safeguards to be put in place to ensure Sabah’s port privatisation deals do not let private profits flow out while losses fall on the public.
“A licence is not a blank cheque. A company may operate the port, but it must deliver the service. Profit must not sail away while loss is left anchored with the people of Sabah,” he said.
“Every right granted must carry a duty, every profit earned must carry responsibility, every failure must carry consequences,” he said when debating the Sabah Ports (Privatisation) (Amendment) Enactment 2026 Bill, Thursday.
He said every port privatisation arrangement should be tested against three measures which he called the book of profit, the book of risk and the book of service.
“What does the operator earn? What fees, rent, dividends, royalties or other returns does Sabah receive?” he said.
He said the government must also know who pays when equipment fails and whether service, safety and cargo handling have actually improved.
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He proposed three transparency measures for all port privatisation deals. These included a status report on all privatisation decisions made before and after Dec 3, 2025, an annual public scorecard showing operator performance and returns to the State and a regional benefit schedule requiring operators to commit to local employment, training and infrastructure investment.
On tariffs, Jamil said any increase should come with a clear cost justification and a published explanation to the public.
“An operator should not be allowed to charge more merely because the public has no easy alternative,” he said, adding that licences must carry enforceable duties, not just collection rights.
“A license must not be treated as a permit to collect revenue, it must impose clear duties,” he said, adding that Sabah must not issue licences that are strong when collecting fees but weak when enforcing service.
On the bill’s retrospective effect from Dec 3, 2025, Jamil said he was not alleging wrongdoing but wanted transparency.
“A retrospective effect should not hide the commercial record from the house,” he said.
Jamil raised Semporna Port as an example, saying operators granted rights over the asset should also carry obligations to the wider East Coast.
“The sea is in Semporna, the work is done by the people of Semporna,” he said, adding that his support for the bill came with conditions.
“With clear accountability, firm enforcement and fair regional benefit, Bugaya supports the bill,” he said.
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