Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg declined to disclose the latest request and said it will be announced before the end of the year.

“We are discussing three matters, maybe the third matter will be handed back to Sarawak,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 5th anniversary celebration of the Sarawak public communication unit (UKAS) last night.

“You know that the Bintulu Port and MASwings (requests) received positive feedback. As for the third matter, let’s wait for my announcement.”

Since January last year, the Sarawak government had expressed its intention to take over the administration of Bintulu Port, and also to acquire MASwings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines Bhd.

In June last year, both requests were approved by the federal government.

Abang Johari also said an announcement will be made on the establishment of a “board of guardians” to manage the state’s sovereign wealth fund.

On Nov 22 last year, the Sarawak assembly unanimously passed the Sovereign Wealth Future Fund Board Bill 2022 with an initial allocation of RM8 billion to strengthen the state’s financial sustainability.

In May, Bernama reported that the board of guardians, comprising eight finance and investment experts and professionals, would provide professional management for the sovereign wealth fund.

Abang Johari said the state government was looking for guardians who could act both professionally and transparently to ensure the fund was well protected.