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Pending Jetty Hawker Centre has seen some improvements, but further infrastructure work will depend on continued funding and planning. The Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor said toilets had been renovated, a monument installed and upgrading work around the jetty was under way after a site visit on Sept 16. MBKS will continue working with federal agencies on better facilities and development opportunities for the centre and its surrounding community. The council also said it would gather feedback from residents, hawkers and other stakeholders. No final cost or completion schedule was announced in the update. For traders, the immediate takeaway is that the centre remains an active community project rather than a finished redevelopment package.

More than 900,000 Sarawakians have benefited from Rahmah cash assistance, with 88,855 recipients recorded in the Kota Samarahan parliamentary constituency. The figures were announced in Kota Samarahan on Sept 16 as the government promoted the combined support of Rahmah Cash Aid and Rahmah Basic Aid. Eligible households in the most-needy group can receive up to RM4,600 a year through the two schemes, according to the minister cited in the announcement. The Rahmah Madani Sale programme is also being expanded through shops, supermarkets and mobile outlets. The stated target is at least three such programmes each month in every state constituency, giving rural communities more ways to access lower-priced daily necessities. The cash-aid figures are a record of beneficiaries, not a new application deadline. Households should rely on official government channels for eligibility and payment updates.

Five rural markets in the Mas Gading constituency will receive a combined RM1 million redevelopment allocation. The package covers a new Tembawang Sauh rural market, sales stalls at Kampung Grogo and upgrades to the Jagoi, Duyoh and Stenggang farmers’ markets in the Bau area. The implementing agency, UDA Holdings, will handle planning, delivery and monitoring. Before work starts, the project scope, land status and bill of quantities must still be reviewed. The announcement gives traders a clearer list of which sites are included, but it is not a completion date. The allocation forms part of Sarawak’s wider rural-market programme, which recorded 61 projects worth RM13 million from 2024 to Aug 31, 2026.

Miri Hospital is seeking another 4,000 blood donors to reach its 10,000-donor target for the year. The hospital had recorded about 6,000 donors by August, and is aiming to collect at least 1,000 donors a month through the end of 2026 to keep supplies steady. The appeal was made at a Malaysia Day blood-donation programme in Miri, where organisers said voluntary donation has been the city’s established model since 1979. Blood collected in Miri can also be supplied to hospitals in Marudi and Limbang when needed. For Sarawak residents, the practical point is straightforward: regular voluntary donors help keep the state’s northern blood supply available beyond a single campaign day. People considering donation should use the hospital or Malaysian Red Crescent’s current channels to check eligibility and the next session.

Sarawak is setting a new target of 50 million trees by 2030 after exceeding its previous five-year planting goal. The target comes under Malaysia Greening Programme 2.0. The state had planted more than 35 million trees between 2021 and 2025, according to the latest forestry update. The programme is being linked to a broader push to make forests support rural livelihoods as well as conservation. A southern-zone non-timber forest products expo held from July 31 to Aug 9 brought together 40 community-based entrepreneurs and generated RM501,677.70 in sales. That combination matters for Sarawak’s forest policy: the next phase is being presented not only as a planting exercise, but also as an attempt to create income from non-timber products, ecosystem services, biodiversity and ecotourism while keeping natural resources under sustainable management.

Sarawak is exploring Hong Kong partnerships to bring more investment and commercial opportunities into its semiconductor and deep-tech ambitions. The discussion took place in Kuching on Tuesday during a meeting involving Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg, SMD Semiconductor and venture-capital firm Gobi Partners. The areas under consideration include institutional and strategic investment, co-investment opportunities, and the commercialisation of emerging technology. The proposal links two different strengths: Hong Kong’s finance and innovation networks, and Sarawak’s developing semiconductor, digital-infrastructure and technology base. It is still at the exploration stage, with the next task being to identify specific projects where the partners can work together. For Sarawak, the significance is less about an immediate new factory than about building routes to capital, talent and technology partners as the state tries to move from semiconductor manufacturing support into locally developed products.

All Sarawak schools are due to return to normal classes on Sept 17 after the latest air-quality readings moved out of the unhealthy range. The Sarawak Education Department said Lubok Antu district schools, the last group affected by the haze-related suspension, would resume physical lessons on Thursday. The latest 8am readings cited by See Hua Daily News placed Kuching at 75, Serian at 70 and Kota Samarahan at 68 — all in the moderate range. Families in areas where smoke or fine particles still linger may keep a child at home if health concerns remain, but the absence must be reported to the school. Air quality can change during the day, so parents should continue checking official updates rather than treating the reopening as an end to all haze precautions.

Sarawak is upgrading former logging roads so remote communities can reach clinics by land instead of relying on helicopter services for routine healthcare access. The road push includes routes in Baram and Marudi, with about 142 kilometres of JKR R3-standard roads and a much wider network planned statewide. Reports from DayakDaily and The Borneo Post put the broader completion target between 2030 and 2032, depending on the project scope. The policy matters beyond travel time: a road is available day and night, while air services depend on aircraft, weather and operating conditions. The state has not said that helicopters will disappear immediately. The next useful measure will be which stretches are funded, opened and connected to clinics and longhouses in each remote district.

Sarawak will host the 2029 Islamic Solidarity Games, bringing a 57-country competition to a state still preparing for next year's SEA Games. The event is expected to be centred in Kuching, with Serian being considered for some competitions. Sarawak has received the hosting rights and an agreement has been signed, according to reports from DayakDaily and The Borneo Post. The final sports programme and detailed budget are not yet fixed. The early estimate reported by The Borneo Post puts the cost at about RM400 million to RM450 million, above the RM350 million allocation cited for the SEA Games. For Kuching, the practical test will be whether venue upgrades, transport and accommodation plans can handle athletes, officials, crews and supporters from across the OIC membership.

Malaysia Red Crescent volunteers and medical personnel brought food aid and health support to two families in Sungai Seruas, Bakong. The Miri District branch held the community-care visit on Saturday, Sept 12. Families received essential food baskets, while doctors and medical officers provided consultations, reviewed medical records and offered advice on existing health concerns. The visit also involved Miri City Council, PKB Miri and Klinik Kesihatan Bandaraya Miri. It was a targeted community-service effort rather than a general aid announcement, and the report did not state that the programme had opened a wider application scheme. The model combines immediate household assistance with a basic health check, giving volunteers a clearer view of what support the families may need next.

A proposal to make Siburan a district has been revived as the area’s population and economic activity grow. Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said the proposal was first raised more than a decade ago. He said the Siburan, Tapah and Beratok areas could develop into a satellite town serving Kuching and Serian if growth is planned in an integrated way. The proposal is not an approved district upgrade. Jerip said the three areas should continue receiving attention as a more organised growth area. He also said RM5 million had been allocated to renovate and upgrade Siburan Multipurpose Hall, including work to obtain its Occupancy Permit and add parking. For communities south of Kuching, the update points to a planning direction and a confirmed hall allocation, but not a new administrative boundary or implementation timetable.

Sarawak expects as many as 30,000 people may need palliative care by 2030, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said. Dr Sim said the state is expanding access to end-of-life care through the free Hospice and Palliative Care Centre, which is run by Kuching Life Care Society with Ministry of Health hospital services operating on its premises. The centre increased its capacity from eight beds to 16 after opening its service in April. He said palliative care is also planned as part of the Sarawak Cancer Centre, currently targeted to operate by 2032. The projection is an estimate, not a confirmed patient count, and the report did not announce a final statewide bed target. The immediate issue is capacity: the centre’s growth has outpaced workforce expansion, while families who cannot afford home hospice care still need accessible support near the end of life.

The RM9.89 million replacement project for SK Kampung Selanyau in Subis remains a sick project after missing its original completion date. The school site was handed over in May 2021 and was scheduled for completion in July 2022. Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said during a recent visit that the project is receiving attention and that all parties must complete their responsibilities. The replacement covers classrooms, an administration building, laboratories, teachers’ quarters and other facilities. The latest report does not announce a new completion date, so the project should not be described as near completion. For the school community, the key update is that the delayed project remains under attention while the promised facilities and equipment still await completion and handover.

The newly completed Lawas Hospital is expected to gain more staff and services as human resources become available. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said not all positions have been filled because of current manpower constraints. She said the ministry hopes specialists can eventually be stationed there permanently instead of visiting on a scheduled basis. The 76-bed hospital recorded 14,083 emergency and trauma patients in 2025, while 693 patients were transferred elsewhere, including 440 to Limbang, 151 to Miri and 102 to Kota Kinabalu. Those figures explain why local specialist access remains a work in progress rather than an immediate promise. The hospital has two operating theatres, four high-dependency beds and nine additional haemodialysis machines. More facilities and services will be introduced in phases.

Sarawak’s first phase of a Special Needs Community Centre in Samarahan is targeted for completion by May 2028. Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the state government has approved RM30 million under the 13th Malaysia Plan for the first phase. The centre is intended to provide support ranging from early intervention and rehabilitation to skills development, employment preparation and longer-term residential care. The minister said the residential component is meant to address future needs of people who may no longer have parents or guardians able to care for them. The project is planned in phases, so the May 2028 target is not a claim that the full lifelong-support system will be ready by then. The state also reported that 745 children had received early-intervention services by the end of 2025, including 673 in Kuching and the remainder at OSEIC Dalat.

A new operational guidebook is being introduced to make cross-border transport procedures between Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah clearer for operators. The guidebook sets out key documents, permits, regulatory authorities and travel conditions for commercial buses, tour buses and freight vehicles. It was launched in Kuching alongside a two-day review of two BIMP-EAGA land-transport memoranda of understanding. Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the review is intended to improve coordination and understanding between jurisdictions, not to impose identical laws. Industry participants are contributing practical problems from the border and transport process, while future work is expected to include regular guide updates and digitisation. For businesses and travellers moving through Borneo, the immediate value is a clearer checklist of documents and permits; the workshop itself does not announce a new single border rule or promise an instant end to delays.

Miri police traced and issued two summonses to a driver after a video showed a Toyota Hilux travelling against traffic in Jalan Taman Tunku. The video circulated on the Miri Community Facebook page and showed the vehicle failing to follow directional signs. Police from the Miri Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division located the driver at about 3.20pm on Monday, Sept 14, Sarawak Tribune reported. Police said the driver admitted taking the nearest route to avoid waiting. The case concerns an alleged breach of Rule 13 of the Road Traffic Rules 166/59, and two PDRM Form K257 summonses were issued. The incident is a useful reminder for Miri drivers that a short cut across a marked traffic flow can create a danger for other road users and still lead to enforcement action.

Kuching police seized 99 motorcycles and issued 222 summonses during a weekend road-safety operation. The operation, held from Saturday night into Sunday morning along Jalan Tun Salahuddin, involved more than 30 police officers and personnel, according to Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu. Police said a 17-year-old local boy was arrested after officers alleged that he used a fake licence plate. His case is being investigated under Section 108(3)(f) of the Road Transport Act 1987. The statement did not say that he had been charged or convicted. The 99 motorcycles were impounded under Section 60 of the same Act for various traffic offences. For Kuching motorists, the operation is a reminder that weekend enforcement is also targeting vehicle documents and road behaviour, not only speeding.

Bintulu Port has officially come under Sarawak’s control, ending its status as a federal port. The transition took effect on Sept 1 after a three-year process, with the port now operating under the jurisdiction of the Sarawak government. The change places one of the state’s key gateways for energy and bulk cargo within the state port system. The immediate message for shippers and businesses is continuity: port operations are expected to continue without disruption during the handover. The longer-term test will be how the new arrangement supports Bintulu’s role in Sarawak’s energy, industrial and export plans. For Sarawak readers, this is an administrative change with practical economic consequences rather than a change of port location or a shutdown. Companies using the port should continue to follow notices issued by Bintulu Port Holdings and the relevant state authorities as the new governance arrangements settle.

Sarawak is pursuing up to US$1 billion in downstream gas investment, with Bintulu identified as the proposed industrial hub. The proposal involves Indorama Ventures and Highchem developing higher-value products from Sarawak’s gas resources. Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said the plan could support skilled jobs and the state’s move towards lower-carbon industrial development. The money is not committed yet. Sarawak Petchem and the companies are expected to work through the details, with another discussion planned in Bangkok in October. For Bintulu and the wider Sarawak economy, the next milestone is whether those talks produce a defined project, timeline and investment agreement.