Thirty-nine local community rangers have been hired under a wildlife project covering Ulu Sebuyau, Sedilu and Gunung Lesong national parks, Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) says. The appointments put residents into paid conservation work around the three project areas. They form part of the Global Wildlife Programme's Bornean orangutan and habitat component, which SFC is implementing in Sarawak from 2025 to 2028. SFC separately aims to appoint Honorary Wildlife Rangers by the end of 2026. Those roles involve voluntary community participation; they are not the same as the 39 jobs already reported. At an October 5 community-engagement workshop in Kuching, SFC also discussed Community Conservation Areas and community-based ecotourism around the parks. Those approaches are being developed with residents. The report does not announce a new tourist attraction, an opening date or an application round for more ranger posts.

Federal and Sarawak agencies have jointly mobilised more than RM950 million for Sarawak's enterprise ecosystem from January to October 2026, according to the Sarawak Economic Development and Coordination Committee (SEDCC). The figure brings together support across agencies, including financing facilities, training, capacity-building and market access. It is not an announcement of a single new grant that every business can apply for. SEDCC said its coordination links government agencies, government-linked companies, financial institutions and the private sector so their programmes complement one another. For local firms, the relevant support still depends on the individual facility or programme; the statement does not set out a new application window or a per-business entitlement. A separate SME competitiveness master-plan collaboration between the state Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment and Unimas Holdings Sdn Bhd covers digitalisation, innovation, financing, markets and business capacity. The report describes an exchange of agreement documents, not a completed rollout of new services.

Sarawak's SMD Semiconductor unveiled keteq.GaN, a locally designed gallium nitride power semiconductor chip, at IDECS in Kuching on October 5. The launch was held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, DayakDaily reported. Its focus is power conversion and management rather than simply processing data. SMD identifies AI infrastructure, renewable energy, battery energy storage, smart grids and future solid-state transformers as the applications it is targeting. The company was established in 2022. Its chairman said the next step is to take the technology beyond design and into practical applications — an important distinction for a state developing both energy and semiconductor industries. The launch establishes a named local technology, but it is not a timetable for deployment. The reports give no customer rollout dates, production volumes or independently measured efficiency figures. Those would show how the design translates into operating power systems.

SarawakPass users can now scan a MyDigital ID QR code to reach participating Federal web services. In the other direction, MyDigital ID users can scan a SarawakPass QR code to access participating Sarawak services, DayakDaily reported on October 5 after the integration was showcased at IDECS 2026. The cross-government integration was implemented this year following a memorandum signed by the Sarawak Government and the National Cyber Security Agency on November 28, 2025, the report said. It is an access route for participating services, not a claim that every government service is already connected. The report said selected MyDigital ID-enabled mobile apps are expected to be added in the coming months. The showcase took place at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on October 5; that is the event venue, while the service integration itself has no physical project site identified in the report.

Sanggar Kreatif Kuching won the Sarawak-zone title at the Malaysia Theatre Festival 2026 with its production Sumpah Darah Meranti. The final night was held on October 4 at Balai Budaya, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Sarawak branch, Utusan Sarawak reported on October 5. The Sarawak-zone festival ran from September 28 to October 4, with seven productions. The troupe received RM10,000 and also won five special awards: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Script. It will represent Sarawak at the national festival, which the report says is expected next year.

The Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) launched the Sarawak Cybersecurity Strategy and Roadmap 2030 at IDECS 2026 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on October 5, Utusan Sarawak reported that day. The plan is described as the state’s first cybersecurity strategy covering Sarawak as a whole. The five-year roadmap contains 18 initiatives under five pillars: safeguarding strategic information assets; protecting the public, businesses and communities; developing talent; strengthening governance and operational frameworks; and strategic cooperation. SMA said the framework is intended to guide security and resilience as the state’s digital ecosystem grows; the launch itself does not mean the initiatives have already been completed.

Sarawak’s planned Trade and Tourism Office in Pontianak, Indonesia, is expected to begin operating around mid-2027, The Borneo Post reported on October 5. The state has identified a building for the office, which must be renovated before it can open. Sarawak’s deputy premier and minister for international trade, industry and investment said the eventual chief executive appointment requires approval from the Indonesian government. He gave the update after the Welfare Micro-Entrepreneur Awards ceremony in Kuching on Sunday; the report does not name the ceremony’s specific venue. Renovation and approval remain outstanding, so mid-2027 is an expected start, not a confirmed opening date.

Imasa Dinasti Sdn Bhd and SDEC Karuna JV Sdn Bhd have reached a memorandum of understanding to explore smart mobility, EV infrastructure, intelligent urban systems and digital technology for Kenyalang Smart City in Miri, The Borneo Post reported on October 5. The report says the MoU documents were exchanged on October 4 during IDECS 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), in Kuching. BCCK was the event venue; the Kenyalang Smart City project is in Miri. The areas for exploration include EV charging and energy management, intelligent building systems, smart street lighting, AI-enabled city management and environmental monitoring, as well as integrating devices with the development’s digital platforms. The report gives no rollout schedule, first-phase locations or customer prices, so the collaboration remains exploratory rather than a confirmed deployment.

Kelington Technologies Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kelington Group Bhd, was awarded a contract worth about RM133 million for major structural-steel works tied to an advanced data-storage manufacturing facility project in Kuching. The Star reported the award on October 5, citing a Bursa Malaysia filing. The customer is described as a manufacturing company in Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone, but its name was not disclosed. The article says earlier awards to Kelington’s unit for the same project totalled about RM283 million; with the latest contract, the awards now add up to about RM416 million. The RM133 million covers a construction scope, not the value of the entire facility. The report gives no completion date, production capacity or job estimate, so the contract update does not establish when the facility will begin operating or how many local positions it may create.

Renovation of Kuching’s Sarawak Performing Arts Centre, in the former State Legislative Assembly building, was 46 per cent complete and 1.6 per cent ahead of schedule as of October 2, with completion targeted for June 2027. DayakDaily reported the figures after a site visit. The report says the heavier construction work is largely finished, with the focus shifting to interior design and finer details. Reworking an existing building has required adapting to its structure rather than building from a blank site. The wider project also covers the former Lapau Building, which is to become a restaurant, and an upgrade to the old fountain area. June 2027 is the construction completion target; the report does not give a public opening date or performance schedule.

Some 95,883 Sarawak smallholders had been identified as eligible for RM400 a month under BUDI Agri-Komoditi, but 35,676 applications — 37.2 per cent — had been approved by September 2026. DayakDaily reported the figures on October 5, citing the Plantation and Commodities Minister’s written parliamentary reply. The eligible group comprises 37,631 oil-palm, 19,644 rubber, 555 cocoa and 38,053 pepper smallholders. The approval count is a separate measure from eligibility: it does not mean every grower identified in the total had an approved application or had received payment. The reply described BUDI Agri-Komoditi as part of the targeted diesel-subsidy rationalisation. It said eligible smallholders in Sabah and Sarawak began receiving RM400 monthly from June 22. The ministry also cited agency hotlines and in-person outreach, but the report did not list a contact number or application deadline.

The Sejingkat Bridge opened to the public on October 5, adding a direct crossing between the Kota Samarahan and Sejingkat sides of the Sarawak River. DayakDaily reported the opening after the ceremony. The newsroom report puts the bridge at 1.281 kilometres and identifies it as part of the Second Trunk Road. It is one of Sarawak’s 21 planned mega-bridges; 12 have now been completed, according to the report. For people travelling between Samarahan and Sejingkat, the bridge is available now. The wider DC3 road package is separate and remains unfinished, with completion expected by the end of 2027. The new crossing should not be mistaken for a completed continuous route onward to Sadong and Sri Aman.

A false killer whale released back into the sea at Pueh Beach in Sematan washed ashore again and died on October 3. The initial release did not mark the end of the rescue incident. Sarawak Forestry Corporation said fishermen later reported the adult female stranded near the Pueh Youth Camp beach. It was found weak. The agency’s account put the second-stranding report at about 9am and the death at about 2pm that Saturday. The animal measured 3.85 metres. SFC carried out a necropsy and collected specimens for its DNA database, turning the response from a rescue operation into examination and documentation of the stranding. The agency’s instruction for beachgoers is to report stranded, injured or dead wildlife to SFC rather than handle it themselves. It directed the public to its hotline or nearest Kuching regional office so the appropriate rescue or examination response can be arranged.

Sarawak has no formal proposal before the Election Commission to add federal seats yet, but the state says the process could begin after Parliament acts on the principle of increasing Sabah and Sarawak’s representation. Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said the federal agreement in principle still needs a Bill passed by Parliament. Only after that, he said, could the Election Commission start its formal constituency review, publish proposed boundaries and invite objections. The Commission said on Sept 25 that no proposal to change Sarawak’s 31 parliamentary seats had reached it. Its current Sarawak review concerns state constituencies: the proposal on public display from Sept 1 to 30 would raise the State Assembly from 82 seats to 99. The often-cited figure of 15 extra federal seats has not been adopted. A bill and the Commission’s subsequent review remain the steps to watch.

AirBorneo is expected to add a direct Kuching-Jakarta route in October, according to an announcement made in Lundu on Sunday. The flight is expected to take about one hour and 20 minutes, creating a new link between Sarawak and Indonesia’s capital. The state has framed the route as part of its tourism and healthcare plans: visitors from Jakarta could reach Kuching directly, while patients may find the journey more convenient. Those are the government’s stated aims; the route’s actual passenger demand will become clearer after operations begin. The announcement did not specify a launch day, flight frequency, fares or when tickets would go on sale. Travellers should wait for AirBorneo’s booking details before making plans around the new service.

Sri Aman-born singer Mawat won the inaugural Best Borneo Song award at the 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25) in Kuching on Saturday night. His song “Dayang Bintang” was chosen for the first award in a category created to recognise music from Borneo. The 24-year-old, whose full name is Gibrael Mawat Clement Saran, becomes the category’s first recipient. AIM25 was staged in Kuching for the first time this year, bringing the national recording awards to Sarawak and giving Borneo music a dedicated place in the programme.

A new water treatment plant in Sebuyau was 79% complete at the latest site update on Sept 23. The five-million-litre-a-day project, funded by the Sarawak government at a cost of nearly RM15 million, is intended to add treated-water capacity for Sebuyau and nearby communities in Samarahan Division. The area currently receives treated water from the 868-MLD Batu Kitang plant in Kuching, alongside the smaller 3.2-MLD Sungai Ular facility. The new plant will draw raw water from Sungai Ular and is expected to ease reliance on supply from Batu Kitang once it is operating. The Sept 23 update gave no opening date; the 79% figure is construction progress, not an operating status.

Scheduled flights between Betong Division’s Bebuling Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOLport) and Kuching are planned once the facility begins operating. The operating date has not been set because several matters are still being finalised, so this is not a start-date or ticket-sales announcement. A second flight trial took place on Sept 26 as part of readiness checks. A separate report said the test flight from Kuching took about 15 minutes, compared with roughly three hours by road to Betong. That trial time is not a published passenger timetable. The project is expected to improve access for Betong and Spaoh, but residents will need to wait for an operational date and confirmed service details.

Sarawak plans to establish a dedicated authority to manage and develop its lake areas, including reservoirs created by dam projects, as part of the state’s development plans for the next five years. The proposal was announced in Betong on Sept 26. The lakes named for development include Batang Ai, Murum, Baleh, Bakun and Bengoh. The stated aim is to improve facilities and develop selected sites as tourism destinations. No name for the new authority, budget, implementation timetable or individual lake projects was announced, so the plan remains at the announcement stage rather than a set of scheduled works.

Kanowit recorded Sarawak’s highest air-pollutant reading at 4pm on Sept 26: an API of 201, down from 213 at 10am but still in the “Very Unhealthy” band. It was the state’s only station in that category. Serian was at 137, classed as “Unhealthy”, while most other stations were moderate; Kuching stood at 91 and Samarahan at 84. The morning snapshot had Kanowit at 215 and Serian at 152, so both readings had eased by afternoon. The figures are tied to a specific time and can shift during the day. Residents, especially in Kanowit and Serian, should check the latest NREB API reading before planning prolonged outdoor activity.