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A month-long half-road closure will affect the Jalan Kuching-Serian stretch between the Mile 15 traffic-light intersection and the Kuching-Samarahan divisional boundary at Mile 25. The closure is scheduled from Sept 21 to Oct 20, daily from 9am to 5pm, while street furniture and related repair works are carried out. The section remains open under traffic control, so drivers should allow extra time and follow signs through the work zone. The Sarawak Public Works Department has advised road users to plan their journeys and take care near the construction area. Queries during office hours can be directed to the JKR Serian Divisional Office.

As Malaysia prepares to table Budget 2027 on Oct 9, Sarawakians are asking for help that reaches daily costs as well as longer-term earning power. The priorities raised in Kuching include better employment opportunities, targeted assistance, affordable housing, stronger education and skills development. Small-business support also featured, with calls for machinery, financing, training and help with digital marketing. Students from Sarawak studying in Peninsular Malaysia highlighted travel assistance, clearer fuel-subsidy information and stronger support for skills and AI literacy. Those concerns sit alongside calls for price controls and aid that reaches rural and suburban households. These are public expectations ahead of the federal budget, not announced allocations. The details to watch on Oct 9 are which measures receive funding, who qualifies and how the programmes will reach Sarawak’s smaller towns and rural communities.

The old Batang Layar Bridge in Betong is expected to reopen on Saturday after two weeks of repair work, but heavy vehicles will still need to use alternative routes. The bridge was closed after structural damage was found and repairs were carried out to protect road users. Sarawak Public Works Department director Cassidy Morris said the bridge is recommended for light vehicles because of its age. A final safety inspection by Betong Division JKR is due before the reopening. That means the Saturday date remains conditional on the inspection, rather than a blanket return to normal traffic. Drivers heading in and out of Betong should follow the latest site instructions. Heavy vehicles should continue planning for the alternative routes even if the bridge opens to cars and other light traffic.

Water pressure at Kuching’s Kenyalang Food Centre has improved after Sarawak Water carried out a temporary reconnection on Friday. The work followed complaints from hawkers and traders, who said the pressure was especially weak after 5pm. Sarawak Water replaced and installed connection points using an existing connection near the centre. Supply to the food centre and nearby shophouses was interrupted from 10am to 3pm while the work was carried out. Water support was arranged for affected food and beverage operators during that window. The reconnection is an interim measure, and MBKS said it will continue monitoring the supply with Sarawak Water. For traders, the immediate test is whether pressure remains adequate through the evening operating period.

Japan’s Taiyo Yuden plans to expand its multilayer ceramic chip capacitor plant at Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone, with completion targeted for October 2028. The proposed A2 expansion was announced after a company delegation met Sarawak officials in Kuching on Thursday. The project is expected to add high-quality employment, support human-capital development and deepen the electronics manufacturing base in the state. Taiyo Yuden has operated in Sarawak since 1994, producing electronic components including multilayer ceramic chip capacitors. The latest plan is an expansion proposal, not a claim that construction has already begun or that a final production date is fixed. For Kuching, the significance is in the continuity of Sama Jaya’s industrial role: a long-established electronics manufacturer is planning another capacity increase, with the next useful milestones being project execution and the targeted 2028 completion.

Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd has been appointed the approved operator of Bintulu Port for 30 years, under a notification published in the Sarawak Government Gazette. The wholly owned Bintulu Port Holdings subsidiary’s appointment runs from Sept 1, 2026 to Aug 31, 2056. Bintulu Port Authority said the appointment was approved by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly and made under Section 12(2)(a) of the Port Authorities Ordinance 1961. The operator will continue under the terms of a Heads of Agreement until a Port Operation Concession Agreement is executed. That means the 30-year appointment is now gazetted, while the final concession document remains a separate step in the port’s operating framework. For Sarawak, the decision sets the long-term legal and operating basis for one of the state’s major ports. The next material update will be the execution of the concession agreement and its detailed conditions.

Bebuling Short Take-Off and Landing Airport in Spaoh, Betong has completed its first trial landing, bringing the rural facility closer to service while leaving the commercial launch date open. A Super King 300 aircraft landed at the newly completed STOLport on Friday after departing Kuching at 10am. The trial was described as smooth, but further discussions on safety, operations and maintenance must be completed before licensing and commercial operations are finalised. The RM248.03 million facility has a runway of about 1.19km and is designed to support passenger flights as well as cargo linked to agriculture and other local industries. A Kuching-Bebuling flight is expected to take about 15 minutes, compared with roughly three hours by road to Betong. The trial is therefore a readiness milestone, not an announcement of scheduled flights. The next public detail to watch is the licensing and safety approval process.

Haze worsened across Sarawak on Friday, with Kuching still in the unhealthy range and Kanowit becoming the state’s first monitoring station to reach the very unhealthy category. Kanowit’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose from 186 at 8am to 209 at 2pm, according to Sarawak’s API status data. Kapit also moved from moderate to unhealthy at 152. Kuching improved from 192 at 8am to 178 at 2pm, while Samarahan fell from 184 to 171 and Lundu from 176 to 142. Even so, 13 locations remained in the unhealthy band at 2pm, including Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu, Betong and Sri Aman. An API reading of 101 to 200 is classified as unhealthy, while 201 to 300 is very unhealthy. Bario was the only location in the good category at 2pm, with a reading of 50. Residents should check the latest station reading before spending long periods outdoors, especially if they are children, older adults or have respiratory and heart conditions.

Protecting the Sarawak Pepper name and its geographical indication remains a priority as Malaysian pepper products compete in markets that demand traceability, food safety and consistent quality. The Malaysian Pepper Board said the work includes laboratory testing, certification, grading and enforcement. Japan remains Malaysia’s main pepper export destination, making its import requirements an important benchmark for growers and processors. The board is also pushing beyond raw pepper. It has guided 77 micro, small and medium enterprises producing 220 pepper-based retail products; 11 have reached Level 4 of its entrepreneurship rating programme and entered international markets, while 42 received financing to expand. The downstream products now include food and drinks, personal-care items, extracts and essential oils. The board said their combined annual sales value was estimated at RM20 million. For Sarawak’s pepper sector, the message is practical: the GI label only carries value if the product’s origin, quality and safety can be consistently demonstrated from farm to export shelf.

A 200MWac solar facility planned for Tinjar, Sarawak, is targeted to begin commercial operations by the end of 2029 under a proposed RM570 million development. Reservoir Link Energy Bhd said it has signed a power purchase agreement with Syarikat Sesco Bhd to design, build, own, operate and maintain the photovoltaic facility. The agreement was disclosed in a filing reported on Friday. The project is not yet the same as electricity already being generated. The agreement still depends on corporate and government authorisations, required studies, licences, security arrangements, testing and commissioning requirements. If the conditions are met and the agreement is not extended or ended earlier, the PPA will run for 30 years from the facility’s commercial operation date. RLEB has set Dec 31, 2029 as the target date, but the filing leaves room for the timetable to change as approvals and construction progress are completed. For Sarawak’s energy picture, the key figures are the proposed 200MWac capacity and the RM570 million estimated development cost — not a claim that the plant is already operating.

Sarawak’s haze thickened on Friday morning, with 13 monitoring stations moving into the unhealthy range and Kuching recording an API reading of 192. The 8am reading was up from 174 at 4pm on Thursday. Kanowit rose sharply from 58 to 186, while Samarahan reached 184, Serian 180, Lundu 176 and Tebedu 166. Several central Sarawak stations also saw steep overnight increases: Sibu climbed to 158, Sarikei to 157, Sri Aman and Bintulu to 153, and Mukah and Lubok Antu to 104. Kapit was the only station to move into the moderate band among the locations highlighted in the morning update, at 93. Miri and ILP Miri remained moderate at 61 and 58, while Limbang and Bario were in the good range at 49 and 12. The API is a 24-hour running measure. Readings from 101 to 200 are classified as unhealthy, so conditions can change with the next update. People in affected areas should check the latest readings and cut down prolonged outdoor activity while the air remains poor.

Sarawak is planning three waste-to-energy plants across the northern, central and southern regions, with a potential combined capacity of up to 1,330 megawatts. The proposal would use satellite collection centres to channel municipal, wood, biomass, animal and industrial waste to the plants. The state says the model could address two problems at once: reduce the amount of waste sent for disposal and add another source of electricity. The plan is part of Sarawak's circular-economy push. A separate landfill-gas pilot at the Kuching Integrated Waste Management Park in Mambong has been described as having potential to generate up to 3MW from 700 tonnes of daily waste when fully scaled up. The 1,330MW figure is a potential capacity, not electricity already being generated. The latest announcement does not name the three plant sites, set a construction timetable or confirm the final regulatory framework; a new waste-to-energy ordinance has been proposed for next year.

The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has taken over a RM9.98 million purpose-built store for seized goods at Muara Tebas, Jalan Bako. The government-owned complex replaces rented premises and includes three storage areas, a vault, an exhibit room, an open-air incineration area and a secure storage system. It also has offices, parking and supporting mechanical and electrical facilities. The facility was built by the Public Works Department and received its Certificate of Practical Completion on May 26. The handover gives Customs a permanent site for goods held during enforcement operations, while the department says the arrangement should reduce long-term rental costs. The project was re-tendered after no company joined the initial tender. Authorities said it was completed within the stipulated cost, quality and timeframe; the handover report does not disclose how much seized material the new store currently holds.

A RM10 million project will add visitor facilities to the community-run Tagang system at Kampung Terbat Mawang in Serian. The development, under the Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency, involves 4.84 hectares and is planned to include a pavilion, parking area, mini market, toilets, gazebos, a substation, cafeteria and campsite. The Tagang system is a community-based way of protecting and restoring river and fish resources. The Terbat initiative involves three villages — Terbat Mawang, Terbat Leban and Muara Ahi — so the project is also intended to create more income opportunities around a resource the villages already manage. The latest announcement confirms the allocation and proposed facilities, but does not give a construction timetable or opening date. For Kuching-area visitors, that distinction matters: the project is a future rural-tourism upgrade, not a newly opened attraction.

Sarawak plans to develop a low-carbon hub and gateway at Tanjung Embang as part of its push towards a green, high-income economy, Premier Abang Johari said at the Malaysia Day celebration in Kuching on Sept 16. He also cited Bintulu’s inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s Transitioning Industrial Clusters and cooperation with the Asian Development Bank. A projection of RM100 billion in investment over the next decade was also mentioned. The hub, the financing and the investment figure are plans or estimates at this stage. No completed project, construction schedule or confirmed investment package was announced.

The Health Ministry has rejected a claim that senior officials failed to attend the funerals of health workers who died in Sarawak. The ministry said the claim was untrue in a response issued on Sept 16. Its statement addresses the attendance allegation, but does not provide a full account of every funeral arrangement. The immediate confirmed development is the ministry’s rebuttal. Further details about individual ceremonies should be treated separately from the broader claim.

A 23-year-old student from Kampung Bogag, Bau, lost RM1,000 after callers posing as communications and police officers accused her of online gambling and money laundering, police said. She made a mobile-banking transfer during the Sept 4 call and later contacted the National Scam Response Centre. Bau police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code. The callers’ claims and identities remain part of the investigation. A phone call, remand or investigation does not establish that an allegation is true; people who receive similar demands should end the call and verify through official channels before moving money.

Talks between PETRONAS and PETROS have moved into the remaining commercial details after the two sides agreed on the fundamental principles, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in Kuching on Sept 16. The government’s stated aim is to protect Sarawak’s interests while retaining PETRONAS’s national role and strengthening PETROS. That is the direction described publicly; the final commercial terms, implementation timetable and financial details have not been announced. Until those terms are released, the update signals progress in the negotiations rather than a completed operating agreement.

Sarawak’s interim special grant will rise to RM1.5 billion a year from 2026, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced in Kuching on Sept 16. The payment is made under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. The higher figure is an interim arrangement while Putrajaya and Sarawak continue negotiating a longer-term formula. That distinction matters: the announcement sets a larger annual amount for the interim period, but it does not settle the final mechanism for calculating the grant. The next step is the continuing federal-state talks.

Bintulu Port has completed its move from federal to Sarawak administration, with the formal handover held in Kuching on Sept 16. The port’s state status took effect on Sept 1 under the transfer legislation. The handover marks the end of a three-year transition involving the port’s management and government responsibilities, rather than a shutdown of port operations. Transport Minister Anthony Loke handed the documents to Sarawak Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah in a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Abang Johari. The agreed takeover value was RM1.8 billion. For businesses using the port, the immediate story is continuity under a new state administration. Future changes to investment, tariffs or operating arrangements will depend on later announcements.