Bintulu: the local picture
Bintulu, the divisional capital of Bintulu Division, was a fishing village until oil and gas reserves were discovered in 1969, and now hosts one of the world’s largest LNG complexes. The Department of Statistics (DOSM) records a population of about 190,000 for Bintulu.
Which process applies here
For hiring in Bintulu: Sarawak uses its own GENESIS/HAVEN system and the Sarawak Labour Department, under the Sarawak Labour Ordinance — separate from the Peninsular route, and the Employment Act 1955 does not extend here.
Costs and checks that apply here
In Bintulu, Sarawak, the statutory costs are the ones set nationally: the permit and visa fees — which Immigration's own guidance bundles with the annual foreign-worker levy at approval and at each PLKS extension — the FOMEMA medical and PERKESO cover. Confirm the current levy amount with Immigration rather than budgeting it as waived.
There is no official cap on the service fee an agency charges a household in Bintulu, so compare written, itemised quotes and verify the licence on the JTKSM register before paying — a licence confirms legitimacy, not price.
What to do next
Write a short household brief for Bintulu — who needs support, the main duties, timing and budget — then use it in every agency conversation.
Ask any agency serving Bintulu for its legal name and licence number, and verify both before paying anything.