Sarawak to launch SAMUDAH platform to streamline business-to-government dealings The Sarawak government will soon introduce the SAMUDAH Management System, a coordinated digital platform designed to improve communication and issue-resolution between businesses and government departments. Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said the system will provide a structured mechanism for resolving business-related issues, with clearly recorded data to help policymakers identify and address system-level problems. His speech was read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian at the opening of the SHEDA Property Expo 2026 at voco Kuching. The initiative is part of a broader push under the 13th Malaysia Plan to streamline government delivery. It will complement the Integrated Results-Based Management (IRBM) system, which manages the performance of 13MP commitments including the construction of 20,000 affordable homes. Location: Kuching

Sarawak developers must now set aside 10% of project land for green spaces Developers in Sarawak will be required to dedicate at least 10 per cent of their project area to green spaces, Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg announced at the SHEDA Property Expo 2026 in Kuching. The requirement forms part of the state's push to embed sustainability into new developments. The same event also outlined that all new government buildings have been required to incorporate green features since 2025, while Building Information Modelling (BIM) will be used for government projects valued at RM10 million and above. The government is also targeting the use of Industrialised Building System (IBS) technology in 70 per cent of future government buildings and schools, and aims to source at least 50 per cent of construction products locally. Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, the state has also committed to building 20,000 affordable housing units. The Premier's speech was read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian. Location: Kuching Details: The policy applies to new developments across Sarawak and was announced on Sept 4, 2026 at voco Kuching.

The Kuching High Court has ended a nearly three-year drug case without calling the five accused to enter their defence. At the close of the prosecution’s case on Sept 3, the judge ruled that evidence from 15 witnesses had not established a prima facie case. All five were discharged and acquitted. The charge alleged that the group, acting with common intention, trafficked 42.2kg of methamphetamine at a hotel near Jalan Nanas at about 12.30pm on Oct 12, 2023. It was brought under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code. Because the court stopped the case at the prosecution stage, the five were never required to answer the allegation. The Sept 3 ruling is an acquittal, not a release after serving a sentence; no further step by the prosecution was stated.

The engineering question raised in Kuching reaches beyond one gadget: how can exams stay credible when AI can generate or display answers? For Sarawak's universities, schools and engineering students, that is the practical issue behind Thursday's fireside chat. Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said future engineers may need to develop technology capable of spotting AI-generated answers. He was referring to a report he had read about AI-enabled glasses that could provide answers, not to a proven incident in a Sarawak exam. The exchange took place during the 34th FEIAP General Assembly and World Engineering Congress at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching. Hosted by the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, the regional gathering runs from Sept 2 to 4. The session announced no new Sarawak examination rule, detector purchase, trial, budget or implementation date; any classroom or examination change would require a separate decision from the relevant education authorities.

Kuching's API was 285 at 2pm Thursday, putting the city in the Very Unhealthy band as haze continued to affect Sarawak. Residents planning a long stretch outdoors should check the newest reading rather than rely on the 2pm figure. Children, older people, pregnant women and people with heart or respiratory conditions face higher risk. Anyone who develops breathing difficulty should seek medical care. Lubok Antu posted the 2pm watch's most severe reading at 469, rated Very Hazardous. IPD Serian was at 370 and Lundu at 305, both Hazardous; Samarahan recorded 271 and Sri Aman 282, joining Kuching in the Very Unhealthy range. Miri's 100 was Moderate. The API is a 24-hour running average based on the dominant pollutant, not a single moment outdoors: 201 to 300 is Very Unhealthy, 301 to 400 Hazardous and 401 to 500 Very Hazardous.

A former Kuching bank relationship manager has been sentenced to seven years in prison and fined RM40 million after admitting 24 cheating and money-laundering charges. The Sessions Court heard that eight customers aged 60 to 75 lost more than RM1.58 million in a bond investment scheme that did not exist. He had offered higher returns while handling investments and remittances for the bank’s customers. Instead of placing the money in investments, he used customers’ signatures and biometric approvals to move funds into third-party accounts through DuitNow, interbank transfers and cashier’s orders without their knowledge or consent. He pleaded guilty to 16 cheating charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code and eight charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the anti-money-laundering law. The court ordered the prison terms to run concurrently; reports said he did not pay the RM40 million fine. A bank title is not proof that an investment is authorised. Customers should verify the product and recipient account through the bank’s official contact channels before approving any transfer or biometric confirmation.

Eight people are under a four-day remand after Kuching CID raided a Jalan Song apartment suspected of housing an online love-scam call centre. The raid was carried out at around 11pm on Sept 1. Police detained two local men, one local woman and five foreign men, all aged 21 to 26, and seized laptops, phones and other devices believed to have been used in the operation. Police said their preliminary checks pointed to an alleged call centre targeting people outside Malaysia, with the eight believed to have worked there full-time. Those claims remain part of an investigation under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code. The Kuching Magistrates’ Court granted the four-day remand on Sept 2. None of the eight has been reported charged or convicted. Police have asked anyone with relevant information to contact a nearby station or the Kuching District Control Centre at 082-244444.

Stampin Resettlement Scheme’s flood project now has a contractor, but residents are still waiting for the construction timetable. DID Sarawak handed the Letter of Award to TMK Construction and Transport Sdn Bhd on Sept 2. The first package, valued at RM87,956,231.16, covers roadside drains and culverts along Jalan Stampin Baru and work on outlets leading to Sungai Stampin, Sungai Stutong and Sungai Kuap. This is the first firm step towards site work after years of planning. A DID update in July said the RM350 million scheme was announced in November 2022 and had yet to begin physical construction at that point. The wider plan will be delivered in stages, with reinforced-concrete drains, channels and detention ponds among the proposed works. Project estimates put the reach at 1,053 households, or 9,026 people. The award does not mean flood protection is already in place. DID has not published the start and completion dates or a traffic-management schedule, details that Jalan Stampin Baru residents will need once work begins.

Former The Borneo Post editor and Sibu haiku poet John Tiong Chunghoo died on Wednesday at the age of 66. His brother confirmed the death. No cause was disclosed. John began his journalism career with The Borneo Post in the 1980s, serving as an editor before later working with national newspapers. He also wrote travel pieces and remained active as a poet. His PoemHunter biography lists more than 3,000 poems and records that his work was used by schools and universities in several countries, including material connected with GCE and International Baccalaureate examinations. His writing also appeared in international literary and education publications. Former colleagues and readers remember a Sibu newspaperman whose haiku found an audience far beyond Sarawak. Condolences to his family and friends.

Open burning along the Sibu Jaya bypass has been ordered to stop after a Tuesday fire was linked to nearby farming activity. Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) said its chairman inspected the site with Natural Resources and Environment Board officers and firefighters. Sibu’s Air Pollutant Index was 327 — in the hazardous range — when the fire was reported. NREB officers told the council that people believed to be involved ran into nearby bush when enforcement personnel arrived. No suspect has been identified publicly and no charge has been announced. SRDC will ask the Land and Survey Department to verify the affected plots and their registered owners. Landowners along the bypass have been urged to check for unauthorised farming, while the council plans a multi-agency meeting over repeated burning in the area.

Jalan Oya Health Clinic is still operating at its present site while authorities assess a rented building for a possible temporary move. A Sept 1 inspection covered both the existing clinic and the proposed rental premises. The move is being considered because of the present building’s condition, with rising patient numbers and staff workload also putting pressure on the clinic. No temporary address, move date or change to appointments has been announced. Sarawak health authorities and the Health Ministry still have to decide whether the proposed premises are suitable and how services would be transferred. Patients should continue using the arrangements already given by the clinic unless an official notice says otherwise.

Kuching households can still benefit from the 25% discount on domestic electricity bills provided by the Sarawak government. [image: 1788314754798-sarawak-electricity-25pct.jpg] Source: UKAS Sarawak, via SoyaCincau Provider: Sarawak Energy / Sarawak government Deal: 25% discount for all domestic electricity users in Sarawak. It is for residential electricity accounts, not commercial accounts. Validity: April to December 2026 Where: Statewide in Sarawak, including Kuching domestic accounts The nine-month measure is expected to benefit 714,557 domestic users. If you have a Kuching residential electricity account, check the discount shown on the applicable monthly statement; no separate retail purchase or promo code is involved. Details: Sarawak electricity discount report

Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) has received the Alliance for Healthy Cities’ “Healthy City Expert” recognition at its global conference in Sydney. The recognition was presented during the alliance’s 11th Global Conference, held from Sept 1 to 3. DBKU linked it to its community-inclusion work, particularly Kejiranan Mesra and programmes that involve residents in neighbourhood development. DBKU’s own directory lists 54 Kejiranan Mesra areas for 2025–2026, showing the local network behind the submission. The city hall says the approach is intended to make Kuching North more inclusive, safe, sustainable and liveable. No new funding, facility or change to public services was announced with the recognition. Any expansion of the neighbourhood programmes or new targets will require a separate DBKU update.

From Sept 1, Sarawak Water customers can reach a 24-hour call centre at 1-300-88-2020, including on weekends and public holidays. The new line gives households and businesses one central number for customer assistance instead of limiting contact to normal office hours. Sarawak Water has not yet published a full list of the cases handled by the centre or a response-time target. When reporting a supply or premises issue, callers should give the exact location and keep an account or premises reference available if they have one. This helps the operator identify the case and route it without relying on a separate departmental number.

Voters in Tabuan Jaya, Stutong, Kenyalang and nearby neighbourhoods can now see how a proposed new state seat would redraw their area. The Election Commission map is displayed in the MBKS headquarters lobby from Sept 1 to 30 during normal office hours. Under the proposal, Tabuan Jaya, Tabuan Laru, Stutong, Tabuan Heights, Supreme and Kenyalang would form N16 Tabuan Jaya. P195 Bandar Kuching would then comprise N9 Padungan, N10 Pending, N11 Batu Lintang and N16 Tabuan Jaya, with 116,679 electors in total. Representations are not filed as casual individual objections. The notice allows submissions by the Sarawak government, an affected local authority, or a body of at least 100 registered electors from the constituencies concerned, within one month of publication. The boundaries are not final. Statewide, the review proposes 17 additional DUN seats, increasing the total from 82 to 99, while leaving Sarawak's number of parliamentary seats unchanged.

Kuching’s air quality worsened again on Monday afternoon, with the API reaching 366 at 4pm. Samarahan stood at 350 and Serian at 445, while Lundu reached 405. All four readings were in the hazardous band. The same 4pm update placed Tebedu at 399, Lubok Antu at 396 and Sri Aman at 334, also hazardous. Sarikei, Sibu and Mukah were in the very unhealthy range at 277, 243 and 216 respectively. API readings move through the day, so the afternoon figures should not be treated as a forecast for tonight. Sarawak’s disaster committee said there was no need for an emergency declaration yet. If a local reading reaches 500, the matter would first be taken up with the National Disaster Management Agency, and any emergency would apply only to the affected locality—not the whole state. Offices, schools and activities in that locality would be required to close under such a declaration, apart from essential services. For areas at API 201 and above, residents are advised to limit outdoor exposure and wear an N95 mask when going out, or at least a three-ply mask if one is unavailable. Children, older people and those with breathing problems should take extra care and seek medical help if symptoms worsen.

Sarawak has set API 500 as the line for closing most workplaces — but no shutdown order is in force now. Under the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee’s progressive haze guidelines, an API reading above 500 would close government and private-sector offices and workplaces, with essential services excluded. The closure would remain pending a national disaster-emergency declaration. At 2pm on Aug 30, APIMS recorded 425 at Serian, 336 at Samarahan and 313 at Kuching. Those readings are below 500, but the current rules already call for outdoor work to be avoided at 400–500. At 301–400, employers must assess visibility, drivers should use headlights and outdoor workers should use N95 respirators. Events are still a separate decision: organisers decide whether to continue, postpone or cancel unless an authority issues a specific directive. For workers in Kuching and elsewhere in Sarawak, check the reading at the worksite and official notices before sending staff outdoors; waiting for 500 is not the safety advice.

Sarawak’s next cloud-seeding window is Sept 3–5, but the operation could start earlier if the haze worsens. The federal plan covers Sarawak, Kedah and Perlis, with the Malaysian Meteorological Department working alongside the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Sarawak officials are also weighing whether to bring forward the Sarawak operation as air quality deteriorates. APIMS readings at 2pm on Aug 30 were 425 in Serian, 336 in Samarahan and 313 in Kuching. Cloud seeding is being considered for two practical reasons: helping haze-affected areas and adding water to dams as reserves fall. The dates are a window, not a weather guarantee. Flights still depend on suitable clouds and their movement; daily flight times and target locations have not been announced.

Sarawak motorists will get the 300-litre BUDI95 basic quota back from Tuesday, Sept 1. The monthly limit was cut from 300 to 200 litres on Apr 1. The government’s latest announcement restores the 300-litre allowance and is expected to cover more than 16 million subsidised RON95 users. The same announcement gives eligible owners of diesel-powered pick-up trucks and jeeps up to 400 litres of Budi Diesel each month. It changes the monthly allowance; it does not announce a new RON95 price. For Kuching drivers, the useful check is their own BUDI account once the new month begins. The announcement gives the effective date but no separate timetable for when each account will show the revised balance.

At 10am on Aug 30, Serian’s API reached 385 and Samarahan’s 316 — both hazardous. Kuching and Tebedu were at 297 each, just below the hazardous threshold of 301 and within the very unhealthy band. Lundu and Lubok Antu were both at 236, while Sri Aman recorded 215. Ten other Sarawak locations were unhealthy, including Sarikei at 196, Sibu at 189, Bintulu at 182, Samalaju and Mukah at 173, Kapit at 160, Miri at 157, ILP Miri at 153, Bario at 119 and Lawas at 106. Limbang was the only listed location in the moderate range, at 92. The NREB figures are a time-specific snapshot and can change with weather and smoke movement. Check APIMS before making outdoor plans and reduce prolonged exposure while levels remain high, especially for children, older adults and people with respiratory or heart conditions. Avoid open burning.