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Sarawak’s Cabinet has approved a two-year service extension for 100 personnel with the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS). Their current service period is due to end on Dec 31, and the extension was approved at the Cabinet meeting on Sept 24. The staff help JKMS handle welfare cases and disaster-relief operations, and support programmes such as the Kenyalang Gold Card. The department recorded 57,211 monthly welfare-assistance recipients across Sarawak, including children, older people, persons with disabilities and bedridden patients. The decision keeps an existing support team in place; the announcement did not set out a new benefit amount or change to eligibility.

The Kuching Marathon scheduled for Sunday, Sept 27, has been cancelled after the organiser reviewed the haze and consulted relevant authorities and medical advisers. More than 13,000 people had registered. Participants can collect their finisher medal and event T-shirt at Plaza Merdeka’s Alfresco area. The reported collection hours are 9am–9pm on Saturday, Sept 26, and 8am–1pm on Sunday, Sept 27. Bring the physical race bib; one person may collect for up to five runners if they present each bib. Anyone who has not collected a race pack must do that first. The cancellation is final for this edition; the finisher-item collection is the remaining in-person arrangement. Check the Kuching Marathon Association’s official channels for any updated collection instructions.

Sarawak has recorded RM1.35 million in disaster assistance this year, covering 258 cases and 7,722 people affected by five types of disasters. The figures, presented at a Kuching aid handover on Sept 25, cover storms, fires, landslides, floods and drought. Fire victims accounted for the largest allocation: RM636,300 across 92 cases involving 422 people. Flood assistance totalled RM331,710 for 1,714 people in 14 cases. Officials said support is assessed from each household's profile and needs. It can include food, clothing, bedding, small-business assistance and building materials, rather than one uniform package. The announcement did not specify a new application window or a standard cash amount, so affected households should check with the Social Welfare Department about their own case.

Sarawak is developing a state-level framework for early childhood care and education, while 2,949 kindergartens and childcare centres currently serve 72,136 children. The proposed framework is intended to align standards across access, quality, inclusion, child development and educator professionalism. It is also expected to cover family involvement, safe learning environments, early detection and intervention, and children's transition to formal schooling. As of Aug 31, Sarawak had 2,719 kindergartens and 230 childcare centres, supported by 5,796 teachers and educators. The framework is still being developed; the reports did not give an implementation date or explain how the standards will be assessed. Parents and providers can watch for those details before treating the proposal as a new operating requirement.

Three outdoor activities planned for Sunday at Sarawakku Sayang in Betong have been cancelled as haze persists. The programme organisers cancelled aerobics, Betong Berekot and Ngohet Sikai after consulting the Betong Divisional Health Office, which cited unhealthy API readings. The three-day programme is being held at Betong Sports Complex from Sept 25 to 27. Organisers said the rest of the programme would continue as scheduled while conditions are monitored. Visitors planning to attend on Sunday should leave those three activities out of their plans and check for any further notices before travelling.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) says it is open to a one-to-one electoral arrangement among Sarawak opposition parties, but its president has not announced a concluded pact. Voon Lee Shan said in a Sept 24 statement that PBK would discuss cooperation for the 13th Sarawak election where parties can agree on a single opposition candidate. He said any arrangement should protect party identities and honour constituency agreements, with no poaching of members or leaders. Voon also said earlier discussions among opposition parties had not produced a comprehensive agreement. His latest statement sets out PBK’s conditions; it does not confirm that an alliance or seat-sharing deal is in place. Any one-to-one contests would still depend on negotiations.

Renovation work at Betong’s Taha Ariffin Stadium is expected to finish in October, with turf, changing rooms and spectator seating among the areas being upgraded. Sarawak Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Development Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu said safety improvements and an audit are also part of the work, including safer entry and exit when the venue is full. He said the upgrades are being carried out in stages and must meet Fire and Rescue Department and police requirements. The October date is an expectation, not a confirmed opening date. This is the Betong stadium project, separate from the Sarawak Stadium upgrade in Kuching reported earlier this year.

Drivers using Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddin will face a changed temporary traffic arrangement from Sept 28, with the diversion scheduled to run until Jan 21, 2027, during construction. The Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) says the contractor will issue further updates if the affected dates, hours or areas change. The works contract runs from July 15, 2024 to Jan 21, 2027, so the new arrangement spans the coming months rather than a single weekend. Regular users should check LCDA’s latest notice before setting out and allow time for the altered route. For traffic enquiries or feedback, contact LCDA at 082-235944.

An 11.67-hectare plot at Block E, Nangar Besar, is being considered as a possible site for perennial-rice research. Landowners and local stakeholders discussed the proposal in Daro on Sept 24; the site still needs a technical suitability assessment, so this is not an approved farm or a confirmed planting plan. The proposed work would involve Borneoland Paddy, which has taken part in earlier perennial-rice trials in Sarawak. Some varieties can regrow after harvest without being replanted, but the approach still has to be tested against local conditions before Daro’s plot can move ahead. Previous trials in Kuala Baram offer context, not proof that this proposed site is suitable. No assessment deadline, start date or production target was announced. For nearby farming communities, the next meaningful step is whether the land review proceeds and how landowner feedback is reflected before any decision is made.

The Selampit Bridge project in Lundu was 94 days behind schedule as of Thursday, with physical work at 41.09% against a planned 79.05%. The gap is significant for residents of Selampit, Kendaie and nearby communities who are waiting for the new crossing, but the project is not yet ready for traffic. A site review focused on delayed funding flows, contractor cash flow and the purchase and delivery of bridge materials, including piles and girder components. Financial progress stood at 46.48% against an 80.64% target. Payment certificate No. 18, worth RM757,344.81, is still being processed, while allocations are released in phases to the Public Works Department. The revised completion date is Jan 3, 2027. Officials said a recovery plan is being monitored, but no earlier opening date was announced. Until the bridge is completed and officially opened, people travelling through the area should continue to use the current crossing arrangements.

The 17 additional seats approved for Sarawak’s state assembly are unlikely to be ready for the next state election, the Election Commission says. The distinction matters: the July 2025 vote expanded the assembly from 82 to 99 seats on paper, but electoral boundaries still have to be reviewed before the new constituencies can be used. The Commission expects that review to continue beyond February 2027, when the current assembly term expires. Its chairman made the assessment during a visit to the proposed-boundary-review exhibition at Kuching North City Hall on Thursday. The Commission has received 18 objections so far. They include proposed changes to polling-district centres and constituency names in Sarikei, Bintulu and Sibu. Those matters are still under examination, so the new boundaries are not yet settled. For Sarawak voters, the immediate takeaway is that a passed seat-expansion bill does not by itself determine the map used at the next poll.

Kuching Marathon road closures start at noon Saturday, with 26 roads and junctions affected in stages. The first three sections — Lebuh Wayang–Jalan Main Bazaar, Jalan Main Bazaar–Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg–Carpenter Street — close from noon on Sept 26 until 10am on Sept 27. Jalan Barrack–Jalan Pearl follows at 10pm Saturday. From 12.01am Sunday, another 22 points along the route will be closed or diverted until 10am. Affected approaches include the route towards Padang Merdeka and junctions by Jalan McDougall and Jalan Kampung Lintang–Jalan Astana, as well as roundabouts in the city and Samariang. Anyone crossing central Kuching early Sunday should allow extra time and use an alternative route. Police also ask motorists not to park on road shoulders. Traffic enquiries: Kuching District Police Headquarters, 082-259900.

A total of 142 schools in Serian and Lundu are closed today as haze readings remain in the very unhealthy range. The temporary closure took effect on Thursday, Sept 24: 108 schools in Serian and 34 in Lundu. At 10am, the Air Pollutant Index stood at 212 in Serian and 225 in Lundu. The Sarawak Education Department said the decision follows Education Ministry Circular No. 8 of 2016 on managing lessons during disasters. For schools near areas above API 200, principals and head teachers may consider home-based learning after weighing pupils’ health and safety. The notice gives no reopening date. Families should check with their own school for the day’s learning arrangements. If readings trend down, schools may begin preparing to reopen, but that is not a confirmed timetable.

Carimin Petroleum’s 90%-owned subsidiary Sri Borneo Energy has proposed to buy a 7.246-hectare leasehold property in Sejingkat, Kuching, for RM21.12 million. The site includes factory and fabrication facilities, and the company plans to restart metal fabrication and galvanising there. The deal is not yet complete. The title currently restricts the land to dockyard use, and the transfer requires written consent from the Sarawak minister responsible for land. Carimin expects completion within 12 months, subject to approval. The proposed return of industrial capacity is the local point; no production restart date or employment numbers have been announced. A signed sale agreement should not be read as a completed transfer or a confirmed opening.

More than 1.25 million hectares of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land had been surveyed across Sarawak by Aug 31, a progress update at a Kuching land and survey event on Wednesday said. The next steps run from boundary checks through documentation and registration to issuing titles. The state says community engagement remains part of that process, even as technology is used to speed up the work. The figure measures surveyed land; it does not mean every lot has been registered or titled. The update gave no district-by-district breakdown or timetable for the remaining stages.

At 8am Thursday, Lundu’s Air Pollutant Index (API) had risen to 223, in the very unhealthy band. Serian stood at 218 and Kanowit at 216, while Kuching was at 195, classed as unhealthy. Under Malaysia’s API scale, readings from 101 to 200 are unhealthy and 201 to 300 are very unhealthy. These figures are a morning snapshot from monitoring stations, not a uniform reading for every neighbourhood. The stations are updated through the day, so check the latest APIMS reading before planning extended outdoor activity. People with breathing or heart conditions should take extra care while the haze persists.

Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad has contributed RM802.3 million in dividends to the State Financial Secretary Sarawak and Equisar Assets Sdn Bhd, according to a company appreciation-ceremony update. The figure was announced as the port operator highlighted its operating performance and its role in Sarawak’s trade network. Biport Bulkers was reported to handle about four million tonnes of cargo a year, or roughly a quarter of Sarawak’s total exports. The company also said it was expanding cargo-handling capacity and pursuing sustainability initiatives. A Regional Halal Hub launched last July was cited as one effort to diversify trade opportunities. The dividend figure is a reported contribution, not a promise of future returns. The next practical measure for Sarawak will be whether the operator’s planned capacity expansion translates into stronger services and wider trade activity by 2030.

A historic silk cotton tree at Kuching’s Padang Merdeka could receive formal heritage protection under a wider plan for Old Kuching. Sarawak’s tourism minister said he had asked the Sarawak Museum Department to study gazetting the Pokok Kapas, also known as the kapok tree. He described it as part of Kuching’s living heritage and said specific protection would help prevent heritage assets from being removed or damaged. The proposal sits within the Old Kuching Smart Heritage initiative, which is assessing areas including Gambier Street, Main Bazaar and India Street, along with landmarks such as the Old Courthouse and Round Tower. The review is also expected to consider privately owned heritage buildings, with engagement and possible compensation discussed before legislation. The tree has not been gazetted through this announcement. It is a proposal for assessment, while the wider conservation work is still being organised as Kuching continues to develop.

Repair and rehabilitation works are planned for damaged sections of two roads serving Bintulu Port and the Tanjung Kidurong industrial area. The roads identified by JKR Sarawak are the Jalan Bintulu/Tatau Junction (Mile 5)–Bintulu Port route and Jalan Tanjung Kidurong. Inspections found surface deterioration on several sections, with continuous heavy-vehicle movement cited as one contributing factor. The repair plan will take site conditions, safety requirements and traffic management into account. JKR also says the locations will be monitored during the works and motorists should follow signs and traffic-control instructions. No full closure timetable was announced in the update. For road users, the practical change is to stay alert for work zones around two routes that carry both public traffic and industrial logistics.

Six overtaking lanes have been proposed along the Bintulu-Bakun Road to make a heavily used freight corridor safer. The RM216 million proposal covers about 12km at six locations around KM16, KM39, KM49, KM75, KM106 and KM109 on Federal Route FT803. The Works Ministry says the package would also include related structure upgrades and street lighting. The route carries heavy vehicles serving plantations, logging and other economic activity, while also linking Bintulu and Sebauh with Sungai Asap, Belaga, Bakun and Murum. With no practical alternative route for those lorries, the proposed work is framed as an upgrade to accommodate existing traffic rather than a ban. The proposal has been submitted for consideration under Rolling Plan 2 of the 13th Malaysia Plan. Until a decision and work schedule are announced, motorists should continue to expect the current winding sections, limited visibility and heavy-vehicle movements.