TEBEDU: Once a thriving inland port town in the 1980s, Tebedu is poised for a revival with the development of a new township and the upgrading of its immigration complex at the Sarawak–Indonesia border.
Serian District Council (SDC) chairman Datuk Peter Minos said the upcoming projects are expected to spur population growth and stimulate local businesses, injecting new life into the small but strategically located town.
“Hopefully, the private sector will venture more into agriculture and tourism in Serian. These will create incomes for the people and benefit the region,” he said in a statement, noting the council’s current push to promote both sectors.
However, Minos acknowledged that not all areas in Tebedu are flourishing.
“The once-flourishing inland port, which handled over 200 containers a day in the 1980s, is now struggling due to changing cross-border policies.”
He added that according to Nobel Pang, the developer and manager of the inland port, revival is possible but fraught with challenges. “Still, we will try,” Minos said.
He noted that Pang is now considering a shift toward commercial agriculture, which aligns with SDC’s long-term development goals.
Minos expressed hope that more private sector players will invest in agriculture and tourism in the greater Serian area to drive sustainable economic growth.
