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 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.

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.

Two Malaysia Day promotions worth noting in Kuching this week. Check the terms before paying, as selected items, outlets and stocks may vary. 1. Emart Kuching 9.16 Countdown Sale 14–15 September 2026 Location: Emart Boulevard, Taman Berlian, King Centre, Moyan, Sejingkat, Summer Mall, Tabuan Jaya, Batu Kawa and Matang outlets. The member-day flyer lists selected fresh items, groceries and daily necessities at member prices. The promotion also points shoppers to the emart MY App, including a coupon collection offer. The flyer shows examples such as fish from RM9.99, selected groceries from RM2.79 and household items from RM12.99; check the in-store labels for the exact product and member price. [image: 1789351678131-emart0.png] Source: Emart Moyan official Facebook post 2. J.CO Malaysia Day Special 15–16 September 2026 Location: Participating J.CO outlets in Kuching. Buy an Iced Café Santan Latte or Iced Santan Spanish Latte and receive one free donut. J.CO is also introducing the limited Malaysia Day Donut Pelita. Terms apply, so confirm participation and available flavours at the Kuching outlet before ordering. [image: 1789351678181-jco.jpeg] Source: J.CO Malaysia official Instagram post The Emart offer is useful for a planned grocery run; the J.CO deal is a short two-day treat. Source links: https://www.facebook.com/EmartMoyan/posts/985215631271484/; https://www.facebook.com/JCoMalaysia/posts/1395018656097319/; https://www.syioknya.com/promotion/jco-malaysia-day-promotion-donut-pelita-15-16-sep-2026

Crossing the Sarawak River into Petra Jaya changes the scale of a Kuching day. I would come in the late afternoon, when Masjid Jamek Negeri Sarawak can be read from the outside as a working place of worship rather than as another old-town photo stop. [image: 1789266926746-mosque01-resized.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons — Yeo Jiun Tzen, CC BY-SA 4.0 The present mosque was inaugurated on 5 October 1990, as Kuching’s civic centre of gravity was spreading across the river. Its 99-metre minaret is tied to the 99 names of Allah, and the complex was planned for a congregation of up to 14,000. Those figures matter less as trivia than as a clue to why the building feels so different from the tight shophouses on the Waterfront: this is a state-scale religious space built for a growing capital. [image: 1789266927305-mosque02.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons — Yeo Jiun Tzen, CC BY-SA 4.0 There is an older chapter beneath that modern outline. The state-mosque story is linked to earlier riverside buildings, including an older site traced to 1847 and a 1968 building before the move to Petra Jaya. I would keep those layers separate instead of pretending the current dome is one unchanged monument; the movement across the river follows Kuching’s own change from trading town to planned administrative city. [image: 1789266927461-mosque03-resized.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons — Eirazzom, CC BY-SA 4.0 The skyline is also in motion. A live improvement plan calls for four main minarets of about 75 metres and two smaller ones, with solar power and low-energy lighting, drawing inspiration from Medina’s Masjid Nabawi and Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia. The project was announced for a 2025 start and a two-year build, so the forecourt, sightlines and visitor route may look different by the time you arrive. Check the mosque or LAKMNS channel before making this a fixed photo appointment. [image: 1789266927771-mosque04-small.jpg] Source: Wikimedia Commons — Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0 Give the visit 30–60 minutes if you are interested in architecture, Islamic geometry and the way Petra Jaya reorganised the city. The visitor hours commonly shown for the site are roughly 5am–10pm with no admission charge, but worship always comes first; Friday prayer and major religious events are poor windows for casual sightseeing. Dress modestly, keep voices low, remove shoes where required and ask before photographing people or prayer spaces. From the Waterfront, allow about 10–15 minutes by car or e-hailing, then pair it with Pustaka Negeri or another Petra Jaya stop. Travellers wanting a museum route may find the visit too brief, while anyone curious about Kuching beyond the heritage core will see why the river crossing matters. I would go for the relationship between dome, minaret and open ground—and leave room for the building’s next chapter. Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak ️ Google Maps: Masjid Jamek Negeri Sarawak Would you place this across-river detour before or after your old-town walk?

<p><strong>Air quality changed quickly across Sarawak on Saturday morning.</strong> Four areas moved back above 200 on the Air Pollution Index (API), after rain had briefly improved readings the day before.</p> <p>At 10am, Serian recorded 252, while Lundu and Lubok Antu were both at 217 and Tebedu at 214. Kuching was 189; Sri Aman 198, Samarahan 193 and Betong 189. Miri, Lawas, Limbang, Kapit and Bario remained in the moderate range at that snapshot.</p> <p>The practical point is that one reading is not a day-long forecast. Smoke and wind can change the number within hours, so anyone planning outdoor work should check the <a href="https://eqms.doe.gov.my/" rel="nofollow ugc">Department of Environment Malaysia air-quality portal</a> for the latest reading before leaving. People with breathing conditions, children and older adults should avoid prolonged exertion when the reading is unhealthy or worse; seek medical advice if symptoms become serious.</p> <p>This update reports the Saturday 10am snapshot, not a permanent condition for every town. The next useful check is the live reading for the specific area you are travelling to.</p>

A three-storey shop near Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce in Kuching caught fire in the early hours of Saturday, with crews from three fire stations taking about an hour and a half to bring the blaze under control. The call reached the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) at 3.42am. Firefighters from the Batu Lintang station responded first, with support from the Padungan and Tabuan Jaya stations. When they arrived, the first floor was fully engulfed and about 80 per cent of the second floor was affected; the ground floor was not involved. The building, roughly 40 feet by 80 feet, was fought with a 200-foot hose line running three nozzles. Low water pressure from the nearby hydrant forced crews to bring in a water tanker from Tabuan Jaya to keep the supply steady. The fire was brought under control at around 5.18am. Bomba reported no casualties, and overhaul work continued through the morning to clear the affected floors. The cause of the fire has not been stated. While damage is still being assessed, shop owners and workers in older commercial buildings nearby may want to double-check their own fire alarms, extinguishers and exit routes.

Serian haze worsens again as API reaches very unhealthy level Serian’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose to 202 by 11am on Friday, pushing the district back into the very unhealthy range after rain brought lower readings earlier in the morning. The Natural Resources and Environment Board readings show Serian climbing from 197 at 9am to 202 two hours later. Lundu recorded the second-highest reading at 192, followed by Tebedu at 185, Kuching at 182 and Samarahan at 181. At 8am, Serian and Lundu were at 195 and 177, respectively. The later figures show that the morning improvement was not holding across all monitoring stations. For people in Kuching and nearby districts, conditions can change within hours. Check the latest API reading for the area you are heading to, and limit prolonged outdoor activity when readings remain unhealthy or worse.

A Bak Buan Kukuot morning starts before the waterfall appears. I would leave Kuching early for Kampung Sadir, because the Bidayuh village road, bamboo crossings and working plots are part of the journey rather than a delay before the “real” attraction. [image: 1789094013265-waterfall-resized.jpg] Source: In My Tiny Boots From Sadir, the walk takes about 90 minutes or more. The path crosses streams and cultivated ground, and a small beri hut offers a pause on the way. Pitcher plants and broad leaves once used for wrapping rice are the sort of details that make a local guide worthwhile: this trail is also a way into farmland, not a path cut out from village life. [image: 1789094013824-falls2020-resized.jpg] Source: In My Tiny Boots The reward is a powerful two-tier fall and a broad pool, but the upper tier is harder to reach and the return to the kampung still takes time. Older waterfall mapping describes several falls around Sadir, with bamboo bridges and farm trails connecting the wider landscape. I would treat the water as the turning point of a half-day route, not promise a quick roadside swim. [image: 1789094014228-pitcher.jpg] Source: In My Tiny Boots There may be a simple jungle café near the falls, with hot food or bamboo tea when it is operating. That is a community detail, not a guaranteed facility. Arrange a village guide ahead—especially on weekends—and budget for guide service, because the route changes with weather, vegetation and local access rather than following a national-park boardwalk. [image: 1789094014308-stream.jpg] Source: In My Tiny Boots Allow roughly 3–5 hours for the drive, hike, pause and return, and about an hour or more each way by car from central Kuching depending on the road. Parking in the kampung is limited; e-hailing is a poor return plan. Wear shoes with real grip, carry water, insect repellent, a dry bag and spare clothes, and be cautious around wet rock after rain. Current local hiking arrangements advertise weekday and weekend outings, but confirm the guide, route and weather before leaving. This is a good match for hikers who want a Padawan day with village context and a physical payoff. It will disappoint anyone expecting paved family access, reliable toilets, a fixed café or a guaranteed swimming session. Pair it with Annah Rais or another Upper Padawan stop only when daylight leaves room for the road home. Kampung Sadir, Padawan, Kuching, Sarawak ️ Google Maps: Kampung Sadir Would you make the waterfall the main goal, or let the village trail set the pace?

A free-drink offer for visitors attending the 2026 Malaysia Day celebration: [image: 1789092126952-milo-malaysia-day.jpg] 🥤 Milo will distribute 10,000 cups of drinks for free via the Milo Truck. Date: 16 September 2026 Venue: Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), Kuching Distribution is for visitors and while supplies last. Check the organiser’s on-site arrangements before queuing. Image: Sarawak Tribune / Bernama

Weekend plans still empty? Here are four Kuching picks for 11–13 September — from a big music festival and anime gathering to an inclusive art showcase. Because haze conditions have been affecting outdoor programmes, check the organiser's latest update before leaving. Borderland Music Festival at Sarawak Cultural Village in Damai is the full evening option, with KSHMR, Ben Nicky, Blasterjaxx, Arcando, RAMENGVRL and more than 40 artists on the line-up. It needs the most transport planning, especially for anyone returning to Kuching after the final set. Torabera 4.0 at The Spring Shopping Mall is the easier indoor choice: cosplay, creator booths, gaming tournaments and themed cafés spread across a three-day gathering. It suits a casual visit where people can arrive and leave around the mall schedule. At GSC The Spring, the free screening of Michiru offers a shorter, more local story. The 30-minute animated short uses Kuching streets, markets, the riverfront and public library as its setting. Seating is first come, first served, with ticket collection from 10am at the Isekai Zero Booth for the afternoon screening. The fourth option is the inclusive art showcase listed in the programme. Unlike the festival and mall events, it is the quieter pick for visitors who want a slower indoor stop. Check the organiser's current timing before travelling because programme details can change, and haze may affect outdoor activities.

Sarawak Energy and SESCO have been told to investigate reports of sudden electricity bill increases and explain the findings publicly. The directive follows complaints from some customers after digital meters were installed. The utility companies are expected to compare account histories, billing records and meter readings before deciding whether any discrepancy occurred. Sarawak Energy said its billing-support arrangement, first opened at Wisma SESCO in Kuching from Sept 2 to 4, will continue through October and expand to Sibu, Bintulu and Miri. It said 22 cases raised on Facebook had been identified: 20 customers had been contacted, one case was being followed up and one customer could not be reached. Customers with concerns can request a review through Sarawak Energy’s existing customer-service channels and submit supporting information. The company also says flexible payment arrangements may be available while an account is being assessed. No public explanation has yet established whether the reported increases came from digital-meter readings, billing errors or other account factors. The next substantive update is expected from Sarawak Energy and SESCO.

Sarawak is expected to remain a major focus for infrastructure spending when Budget 2027 is tabled next month, with the Kuching Urban Transportation System among the projects analysts are watching. A TA Securities preview says the federal government could continue funding projects that narrow the development gap, including Pan Borneo Highway phases, rural roads and bridges, port and airport upgrades, flood mitigation, water treatment and electricity networks in East Malaysia. For Greater Kuching, the report singles out KUTS as a project that could receive continued support as it moves towards commercial operations. The next phase is expected to involve not just the autonomous trains, but also feeder buses, integrated ticketing, park-and-ride facilities and passenger information systems. That is an analyst forecast, not a confirmed allocation. The Finance Ministry’s pre-budget statement identifies regional development, infrastructure delivery and stronger economic resilience as priorities, but the actual projects and amounts will only be known when the budget is presented in Parliament on Oct 9. For Kuching commuters and businesses, the useful marker is whether the final document attaches firm funding and delivery milestones to KUTS and other transport links, rather than simply repeating broad development commitments.

POPULAR Bookfair at Aiman Mall: how to compare the offers before buying This post is a comparison update for the POPULAR promotion, not a second full event listing. The main details are kept in the KuchingHub event listing; the September deals roundup is here. If you are going mainly for the book deal, the headline offer is three selected English books for RM20 nett. If you already plan to buy two or more selected English or Malay books, compare that basket against the 20% rebate instead. The RM5 voucher only becomes relevant at a minimum RM50 nett spend, while the purchase-with-purchase savings require a minimum RM60 spend and apply only to selected items. The promotion runs from 3–28 September 2026 at the Ground Floor of Aiman Mall, 9:30am–10pm. “Selected” is the important word: check the shelf label, final price and stock before paying. This update is meant to help readers choose the offer that matches their basket, rather than repeat the venue and dates.

Temporary Sarawak Energy billing help desks are next headed to Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, with the rollout expected to run through October. The utility began with a counter at Wisma SESCO in Kuching from Sept 2 to 4. The travelling service is for customers who want staff to go through account records, bill amounts or meter readings face to face. Sarawak Energy said it traced 22 billing concerns raised on Facebook. Staff have contacted 20 users; one case is still being followed up, while another user could not be identified from the post. If a bill looks wrong, bring the account and bill details, plus the relevant meter information, when lodging an appeal. The company may discuss a payment arrangement after reviewing the case. Exact dates, hours and venues for the three cities have not yet been announced.

Lundu and Serian recorded hazardous air quality early Tuesday, as haze conditions worsened across Sarawak. Readings at 6am put Lundu at API 329 and Serian at 303. Kuching was at 241, with Samarahan at 239, Tebedu at 242, Sri Aman at 230 and Lubok Antu at 212 — all in the very unhealthy range. The latest figures mark a sharp deterioration from Monday: Lundu had been at 260 at noon, while Serian rose from 222 to 303. Other stations, including Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, Miri and Betong, remained unhealthy. Kapit and Limbang were below 100, while Bario recorded 38. Air quality can change through the day, so people in affected areas should check the latest official API reading before planning prolonged outdoor activity, especially for children, older people and those with breathing problems.

Serian’s haze emergency is over, but air quality remains poor in parts of Sarawak. The Prime Minister’s Office said on Sept 7 that the King had consented to end the declaration after Serian’s latest API readings fell out of the hazardous range. The emergency was declared on Sept 4, when the index went above 500. That decision does not mark the end of the haze episode. Kota Samarahan recorded an API reading of 226 at 8am, and several other areas were still in the very unhealthy band. Conditions may shift with wind direction and hotspot activity. Residents in affected areas should keep outdoor time down and follow the latest instructions from the authorities while monitoring local API updates.

The first thing to understand about Kampung Simuti’s new tanju is that it is not a resort dropped into the hills. It is an open-air verandah built by the village, reached as part of a rural Padawan drive where the view and the people who maintain it belong in the same story. The timber platform is the kind of place where I would arrive in daylight, let the greenery do the work, and resist turning a living village into a quick photo stop. [image: 1788748436245-tanju-resized.jpg] Source: New Sarawak Tribune Tanju is the local name for this verandah, known here as KUD Ngerat. It officially opened in 2026 as a community-based tourism product, with a practical purpose beyond a lookout: the platform is intended to host camping, so visitors can stay close to the landscape rather than simply pass through it. That explains the broad, uncluttered deck and the way the structure faces out over the surrounding green rather than toward a commercial attraction. [image: 1788748436572-simuti1.jpg] Source: Majestic Padawan The more important detail is how it came into being. The initial construction used a RM20,000 government allocation, but the tanju itself was built through gotong-royong by Kampung Simuti villagers. Once fully operational, the village JKKK is meant to manage it and return proceeds to the community. This is not background decoration: the platform is a small experiment in letting a rural settlement earn from its landscape while keeping control of the visitor experience locally. [image: 1788748436650-simuti2.jpg] Source: Majestic Padawan Look beyond the railing and you can read the older layer of the place. Public trail and visitor records already identify Kampung Simuti as a Padawan outdoor destination, while older community photographs show the village as a landscape to move through, not a single built attraction. The new tanju changes that relationship: it gives the scenery a place to pause, and gives the village a clearer reason to receive visitors. A second development phase has been announced for toilets, changing rooms and an observation tower, so expectations should stay realistic while those additions are unfinished. [image: 1788748436739-simuti3.jpg] Source: Majestic Padawan I would combine this with a daytime Upper Padawan route, allowing time for the road, village etiquette and whatever local arrangements the JKKK has confirmed. It suits travellers who want a quiet community-led stop, a camping possibility and a closer look at how rural tourism is assembled. It may disappoint anyone expecting a staffed visitor centre, guaranteed food service, fixed ticket counter or a polished all-day attraction. The tanju is newly opened, and facilities are still developing; check access and camping arrangements with the village before setting out. Kampung Simuti, Upper Padawan, Kuching, Sarawak ️ Google Maps: Kampung Simuti, Padawan Would you make this a slow Padawan stop, or stay overnight if the village camping arrangements suit your route?

Two Kuching deals worth noting this month: 1. POPULAR Bookfair at Aiman Mall 3–28 September 2026 Ground Floor, Aiman Mall, Kuching 3 selected English books for RM20 nett 20% rebate on selected English and Malay books when buying 2 or more Free RM5 voucher with minimum spend of RM50 nett Up to 60% off selected purchase-with-purchase items with minimum spend of RM60 nett [image: 1788746494050-popular-bookfair.jpg] 2. Country Farm Organics Grand Opening Promotion 3 September–4 October 2026 Village Grocer Horizon, Kuching Buy 1 Free 1 Organic Chia Seed 300g Up to 20% off selected Country Farm Organics products Any 2 Red or Green Raisin Canisters for RM30.70 [image: 1788746494121-country-farm.jpg] Offers are subject to selected items, stock availability and in-store terms. Check the promotional labels before paying. Sources: POPULAR Book Malaysia Facebook · Country Farm Organics Facebook