The remaining works, including surcharge and soil settlement, are expected to be completed by the end of March next year, he said after a working visit to the site on Monday.

According to him, the project was proposed as Sarawak’s first dedicated lorry terminal designed to meet the growing needs of the freight and logistics industry in Miri and northern Sarawak.

“Miri is a strategic transit point for long-haul lorry movements between Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Brunei, Limbang, Lawas and Sabah.

“Every day, an estimated 50 or more long-haul lorries and prime movers from Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu pass through Miri, with some stopping overnight before continuing to Brunei, Limbang, Lawas and, in some cases, Sabah,” he said.

Lee said the increasing volume of cargo movement had not been matched by adequate facilities, resulting in some heavy vehicles being parked along roadsides, industrial areas and other unsuitable locations.

He said some long-haul drivers also had to sleep in their vehicles with limited access to proper toilets, showers, food, and rest facilities.

The terminal will be an integrated facility with lorry parking, driver accommodation, food outlets, toilets, showers, rest areas, and light vehicle maintenance services.

It will also include tyre, battery and basic mechanical services, fuel services, warehouses, cargo handling areas, loading and unloading bays, security systems and closed-circuit television (CCTV).

Lee said the warehousing facilities could help turn Miri into a more efficient cargo consolidation and distribution centre for Northern Sarawak.

“Logistics operators from Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu can unload and temporarily store goods at the terminal before they are delivered using smaller lorries to Miri and surrounding areas.

“This can reduce the need for long-haul lorries to enter congested urban areas while improving the efficiency and safety of cargo distribution,” he said.

He said the system would also work in reverse, allowing goods from Miri and northern Sarawak to be consolidated at the terminal before being transported by long-haul vehicles to Bintulu, Sibu, Kuching and other parts of Sarawak.

Lee said the ministry had also taken note of concerns raised by the Miri Lorry Association over the lack of a suitable access route for lorries arriving from the north, including Brunei, Limbang, Lawas and Sabah.

“This matter is important and needs to be addressed early as these heavy vehicles will travel along part of the Pan Borneo Highway before entering the terminal.

“A suitable access route is essential to ensure smooth traffic flow and more efficient movement of heavy vehicles,” he said.

In addressing the matter, he said he instructed his ministry to hold a coordination meeting with the Land and Survey Department, Public Works Department (JKR), Miri City Council, Miri Lorry Association, police and Road Transport Department (JPJ) to study the access arrangement and identify practical solutions.

Lee said the terminal should also be developed as a modern facility that could expand with future industry needs, including digital terminal management, electronic parking reservations, security monitoring, vehicle tracking and cargo management systems.

“With proper planning, the terminal has the potential to develop into the Northern Sarawak Logistics Hub, further strengthening Miri’s position as a strategic gateway connecting Southern Sarawak, Central Sarawak, Northern Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah,” he added.

Credits: Rachel Purai Lihan, The Borneo Post 2026