Sarawak is assessing 1,059 applications to create community-leader and village-chief positions. The review includes requests from Lundu, but the applications have not yet been approved. Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Office (Law and Native Customs) Jefferson Jamit Unyat gave the update in the legislative assembly on October 13. The reply addressed a request submitted through the Lundu District Office in 2021 for an additional community-leader position in Sematan, where the existing Penghulu oversees a large number of villages. Sarawak currently has 7,710 official Community Leader and Village Chief positions, known collectively as KMKK: 671 community leaders and 7,039 village chiefs. Kuching Division accounts for 641 positions, including 129 in Lundu District. These are the existing posts, not jobs newly approved under the current review. Population growth, settlement patterns and the size of the area covered are among the factors assessed when creating posts. A village, longhouse or settlement needs at least 20 households to qualify for a village-chief position. For communities awaiting a decision, the update confirms that applications remain under scrutiny; it does not provide an approval date for the Sematan request or a timetable for the full batch.

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.

星期四早上8时，Lundu的空气污染指数（API）升至223，进入非常不健康级别；Serian为218、Kanowit为216，也超过200。古晋当时为195，属不健康级别。不同监测站的差距明显：Betong为170，Sibu和Sarikei为158，Miri为114，不能把单一站点的读数当成全州每个地方的状况。 马来西亚API标准中，101至200为不健康，201至300为非常不健康。Lundu从星期三下午6时的163升至星期四早上8时的223；Serian和Kanowit的读数也比前一晚高。时间点很重要：这些数字反映早上8时的监测结果，不是全天固定值。 监测站读数会持续更新，长时间户外活动前应先查看较新的APIMS数据。烟霾未散期间，有呼吸或心脏疾病者尤其要留意空气状况。

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.

Clean-water aid has reached two dry-spell-hit communities: 84 families in Biawak, Lundu and another 10 in Lingga, Sri Aman. The 2026 Dry Season Clean Water Delivery Report dated Aug 31 records 670 cartons of 1.5-litre bottled water for 335 residents of Kampung Pasir Hilir. Rumah Perindu at Sungai Pisang received 80 cartons for 40 residents. Together, the deliveries covered 375 people in 94 families. Lower river levels are also reducing the raw water available at some treatment intakes. The Sarawak Social Welfare Department is coordinating bottled-water aid with the Rural Water Supply Department, which handles tanker deliveries. Communities relying on rainwater, gravity-fed systems or SAWAS supplies are especially exposed during a long dry spell. Households with disrupted supply have been asked to report through their divisional or district Disaster Management Committee. The number of residents, daily drinking-water needs and expected duration of the shortage are used to determine assistance.

A two-hectare forest fire at Samunsam Forest Reserve in Lundu was extinguished after a five-day operation. The blaze was detected on Aug 20. Firefighters from Lundu station used a forest-fire pump, a 500-foot hose line and water from a nearby river to put out the remaining 0.1 hectare, with the operation ending at 4.09pm on Aug 24. Drone monitoring by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation had estimated the affected area at about two hectares. The operation also involved the Forestry Corporation, the Department of Environment and the Natural Resources and Environment Board. The fire is now reported as extinguished, but the public updates did not state its cause or mention injuries or evacuations. That distinction matters while Sarawak is dealing with poor air quality: residents should check the latest APIMS reading instead of assuming that every haze reading is linked to this site. Do not enter a restricted or remote forest area to investigate smoke; call 999 if an active fire is spotted. The next point to watch is whether agency monitoring detects any re-ignition.