KUCHING: Sarawak’s plan to develop Tanjung Embang into a new airport–port–gas hub is intended to replicate the economic impacts of Changi Airport, positioning it as a catalyst for a southern growth corridor rather than a standalone infrastructure project.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the integrated development would anchor downstream gas activities and expand logistics capacity while creating employment opportunities for Sarawakians through a new industrial cluster along Kuching’s coastal zone.
“Tanjung Embang will have a gas terminal besides the new airport. This is not a mega project – it will trigger economic development in the area,” he said at the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Convention 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today (Apr 19).
Abang Johari said the initiative complements Sarawak’s strategy to strengthen control over strategic assets such as the Bintulu Port Authority, which is fully owned by Sarawakians and supports the state’s expanding gas-based industrial ecosystem.
“The World Economic Forum has recognised Bintulu as an emerging low-carbon industrial cluster. From the gas cluster, there will be benefits and jobs for Sarawakians,” he said.
He stressed that the state adopts development models suited to its needs, citing Singapore’s aviation hub as an example of infrastructure driving long-term economic transformation.
“If Lee Kuan Yew could build Changi Airport, today we can see how positive the impact has been on Singapore’s economy,” he said.
On connectivity, Abang Johari said Sarawak is working to expand direct international access through AirBorneo to reduce reliance on transit routes via Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
“Tourists entering Sarawak through Kuala Lumpur still have to fill in another immigration form because we have our own immigration rights. That is why we want to expand direct routes,” he said.
He added that flights such as those between Kuching and Jakarta already carry many Indonesian patients seeking treatment in Sarawak, reflecting the importance of strengthening regional access.
