Sarawak cement shortage due to lack of raw material vessels

Indonesia’s Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has explained the current shortage of cement in Sarawak, attributing it to the demand generated by various construction projects such as the Pan Borneo Highway and the Baleh dam in the state.

State director Datuk Stanley Tan acknowledged the current shortage throughout Sarawak and noted that many major projects that had been disrupted by the nationwide movement control orders (MCO) since the Covid-19 pandemic last year were finally resuming. “The demand for cement also increased due the opening of nearly all economic sectors especially involving construction activities after a long period of the movement control order due to COVID-19 was lifted,” he said when asked by Malay Mail.

The shortage was partly due to the limited number of ships that could cross the China Sea from Peninsular Malaysia, where most of the raw material are sourced. Increase in demand for vessels from other parts of the economy were to blame for the lack of vessels to transport cement raw materials.