Students and graduates at Swinburne Sarawak have a new on-campus route to career coaching and job-matching support through a MyFutureJobs Career Hub set up with Socso. The hub was launched alongside the university's Careers Fair on October 2. A report released on October 16 puts participation at 1,065, with 30 employers and seven partner organisations involved. The fair has already taken place; it is not an invitation to attend this Friday. Unlike a one-day booth visit, the hub is intended as a dedicated campus resource linking users to employment opportunities and the MyFutureJobs digital platform. The university also exchanged an MoU with Top Glove to explore internships, industrial training projects and graduate recruitment pathways. Initiatives are expected in the coming months, so the agreement should not be read as confirmed placements for every student. For a student planning the next step after graduation, the useful follow-up is to ask the university about hub access and career support, while checking any internship or vacancy against the employer's actual requirements.

The Kuching Autistic Association says this year's Autism Food Fair raised RM400,000 for its ongoing programmes, services and activities for individuals with autism and their families. The result, reported on October 16, combines ticket sales, food-fair cash sales and donations. It is not a single sponsor's contribution, nor a new payment scheme for individual families. Food vendors, volunteers, donors and ticket sellers contributed to the fundraiser. Its public outreach also aimed to build understanding and acceptance of autism beyond the day of the fair. For supporters, the next stage is how the proceeds sustain the association's existing work. The report did not break down the amount by programme or announce new service places. Families looking for support would still need to ask the association about its services and availability; the fundraising total alone does not establish access or eligibility.

Sarawak plans to put RM22 million into graduate work-readiness training in 2027, with 1,000 graduates expected to benefit. The programme is aimed at the gap between qualifications and employers' needs. The Graduan Enhancement Training Sarawak Work Readiness Programme, or GETS-WRP, will focus on sectors including renewable energy, hydrogen and green energy, the State Legislative Assembly was told on October 15. The explanation went beyond the choice of degree. Limited practical experience, communication skills, mismatched job expectations and too few high-skilled opportunities were also identified as obstacles to employment. Sarawak's graduate unemployment rate was reported as 3.2 per cent in 2024, down from 4.4 per cent in 2020. Those are historical figures, not a reading of unemployment this month, and they do not mean every graduate has found suitable work. For students choosing a course, the practical question is what placements and skills it offers alongside the qualification. For jobseekers, the RM22 million is a planned training allocation, not a promise of 1,000 jobs or an announcement that applications are already open.

A gula apong collection, processing and packaging centre at Kampung Tambak in Pusa is expected to be completed in September 2027, rather than opening immediately. The RM11 million integrated nipah project covers 14.6 hectares, with 4.3 hectares intended for plantation development. Its agropark approach links sap production with processing, packaging and marketing, giving local growers a downstream facility as well as cultivation support. An update at the State Legislative Assembly on October 16 placed the work in Kampung Tambak—not at the Kuching assembly venue. The September 2027 date remains an expected completion target. Alongside the project, RM1 million under the 2026 first rolling plan is allocated for smallholder productivity and sustainable sap supplies, including access improvements, equipment, rehabilitation and training. A separate RM700,000 allocation supports processing machinery and equipment for sago and nipah entrepreneurs in Beting Maro. For producers, the facility's completion and the supply of sap will have to progress together. The announcement is not a purchase-price guarantee or confirmation that the new centre is already accepting deliveries.

Young entrepreneurs in Sarawak can seek start-up grants of up to RM15,000, but the funding is subject to eligibility conditions and approval—not an automatic payout. The SYStartUP grant is intended to cover initial business needs and development. A separate RM25 million soft-loan facility arranged with Affin Bank offers another financing route. That figure is the size of the facility, not a grant available to each business. Details presented at the State Legislative Assembly on October 16 also described follow-up help with registration, licensing, financial management and business plans. The first SYStartUP Hub serves as an information, advice and networking centre. For a prospective operator in Kuching or elsewhere in Sarawak, the useful distinction is between non-repayable grant support and borrowing that carries repayment obligations. A business plan should not treat the maximum grant as money already secured. Applicants need to check the programme's conditions and approval process with the ministry or hub before committing to equipment or premises.

A souvenir stop in Miri is more interesting when the question changes from “what has the city name on it?” to “who made this, and what is it made from?” I would put Miri Handicraft Centre on a town walk for that second question. It is a compact stop on Jalan Brooke, not an attraction that needs an entire afternoon or a shopping list before you arrive. [image: 1792129062524-craft-1.jpg] Google Map / Miri Handicraft Centre The exterior is worth a moment before going in. The centre's name, large roof and decorated frontage announce a public-facing place for crafts rather than an anonymous shop unit. But I would spend less time trying to get the perfect photograph outside and more time looking closely at the objects on the stalls. A woven bag is a useful starting point: look at the material, the edge finishing and the handles before deciding whether a pattern alone is enough reason to buy it. The centre brings work from northern Sarawak's communities into one urban setting. Local craftspeople run stalls here; basket and mat weaving draws on traditions associated with Iban, Penan, Melanau and Bidayuh communities, with materials including rattan, tree bark and sago leaves. Orang Ulu beadwork and Iban pua kumbu textiles add different techniques to the mix. That does not mean every bag on every rack has the same origin or material. I would ask about the specific piece, rather than treating all colourful souvenirs as interchangeable “Borneo craft”. [image: 1792129062794-craft-0.jpg] Google Map / Miri Handicraft Centre That is the change this stop makes to a city itinerary: crafts associated with different communities and material traditions become something you can examine at close range, instead of a generic souvenir category. If a seller is available to explain a piece, ask whether it was made locally, what fibre it uses and how it should be kept dry. Those are buying questions, not a guarantee that a demonstration will be happening when you arrive. Ask before photographing a stall or its maker, and do not handle delicate beadwork without permission. I also would not turn the visit into a promise of a cultural show. Performances are occasional, not something to build a fixed day around. The same goes for shopping expectations. You may find something you genuinely want, or discover that the available designs do not suit you. Browsing thoughtfully without buying is a perfectly reasonable outcome; this is not a museum ticket that requires a dramatic “must-see” verdict. [image: 1792129063067-craft-2.jpg] Google Map / Miri Handicraft Centre For someone interested in textiles, I would slow down when a pua kumbu is identified as such and ask about that particular cloth, rather than borrowing a story from another maker's work. For a practical gift, compare size and finishing on a bag or mat and think about luggage space. A locally themed item is not automatically handmade, and a handmade item is not automatically the right purchase for your home. Give the person selling it room to explain the difference. The centre is on Jalan Brooke in central Miri, around the Jalan Merbau junction. It works best as a short daytime pause between other town stops, rather than a separate long drive. A January 2026-updated visitor guide lists daytime opening, but individual stalls and performances can vary; I would go during the day and leave some flexibility rather than relying on an exact closing minute. No fixed shopping budget is needed, and I would confirm each price and accepted payment method with the seller before purchasing. Google Maps: Miri Handicraft Centre [image: 1792129063281-craft-4.jpg] Google Map / Miri Handicraft Centre Allow roughly half an hour to an hour if browsing crafts is something you enjoy. If you prefer wilderness walks or a large interpretive museum, this will feel small; for me, the value is the chance to give one object and its making a little attention before moving on. Leave with a piece you understand better, or simply a better question for the next stall.

If your Sibu morning already has breakfast and the central market in it, I would not add another indoor stop just to keep moving. I would leave room for Taman Jubli Bukit Aup: a municipal park where the pond, pavilions and low hills make a gentler change of pace. Think a local green break, not a remote rainforest expedition. [image: 1792128560678-tahan-aup-0.jpg] Google Map / Taman Jubli Bukit Aup — Mimi Lai The reason I like this choice is that the landscape tells a municipal story. The park's first phase was completed in March 1993, followed by a second phase in July 1997. This was a deliberate investment in somewhere Sibu residents could spend their free time, rather than a viewpoint built only for tourists. The relationship between water, landscaped slopes and gathering shelters makes more sense with that in mind: staying put is as legitimate an activity here as climbing. I would begin beside the pond and decide how much walking everyone actually wants. The pavilions and reflected roofs provide a useful visual anchor; you do not need to turn the outing into a timed circuit. A family with mixed energy levels can keep the visit modest, while anyone keen on stairs can consider a longer walk only along routes that are open and in sound condition. [image: 1792128561019-tahan-aup-2.jpg] Google Map / Taman Jubli Bukit Aup — Christian Maglian There is also a cultural layer beyond the landscaped park. Bukit Aup is associated with Naga Bari in local Iban belief, and the hill has significance for people making traditional offerings. I would approach that part of the place as a living cultural setting, not a prop for a dramatic photograph. If a ceremony is taking place, give participants space, do not touch offerings and ask before photographing people. The older park and its next chapter should not be confused. RM11 million for upgrading and redevelopment was announced in May 2026; an allocation is not proof that every new facility has been completed. A September 2026 walking guide still describes the stairs, pond and ageing facilities. That makes this a place for a flexible visit, not a promise of a newly rebuilt attraction. [image: 1792128561268-tahan-aup-3.jpg] Google Map / Taman Jubli Bukit Aup — Christian Maglian The suspension bridge is part of the park's familiar image, but I would not make crossing it the purpose of the trip. Check barriers, boards and railings on arrival; a closure means turn back, and a visibly deteriorated structure is not something to test for a photo. In wet weather I would shorten the outing to safe accessible paths or skip it. The same applies to the stairs: a small hill does not make slippery concrete harmless. These photographs illustrate the park, not a guarantee that every pictured route is open today. For planning, look for Taman Jubli Bukit Aup in Sibu, around 10 km from the town centre, with access around Jalan Kuari. I would arrange the return journey before leaving town, bring drinking water and shoes with grip, and aim for a cooler part of the day. Do not use the council office's weekday working hours as the park's opening hours. For a group barbecue, camping or booked space, check arrangements directly with Sibu Municipal Council on +60 84-333 411 rather than assuming ordinary park access includes a reservation. Google Maps: Taman Jubli Bukit Aup [image: 1792128561522-tahan-aup-5.jpg] Google Map / Taman Jubli Bukit Aup — Christian Maglian I would give this a relaxed hour in a Sibu itinerary, with permission to leave sooner if the weather or maintenance conditions are poor. It is a better fit for a quiet pause and a little local context than for anyone expecting a pristine adventure park or a strenuous jungle hike. Leave the afternoon free rather than forcing the park to provide a whole day's entertainment.

A RM550 million smart-city project will cover Greater Kuching, while a separate RM545 million Jendela rollout targets connectivity gaps elsewhere across Sarawak. The two allocations are not the same pot of money. The Kuching Smart City and Digital Connectivity project initially covers Kuching North, Kuching South, Padawan and Kota Samarahan council areas. Its planned systems include public Wi-Fi, a shared city platform, traffic-management tools and support for emergency response. Data and artificial intelligence are part of the design, alongside cybersecurity and data protection. An agreement for the Kuching project was signed at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex on October 15. That is the signing venue; the intended service area is Greater Kuching, not just the assembly precinct. For residents, the distinction is practical: the city programme concerns urban services as well as digital infrastructure. The first phase of Jendela Phase 2, announced separately, is intended to improve internet access at nearly 350 locations across the state, through six project clusters. Letters of acceptance have been handed to the appointed companies, with equipment expected to reach tower sites in the coming months. Neither announcement means new Wi-Fi or improved mobile coverage is already available at a particular address. Local installation details and service activation are the milestones to look for before changing an internet plan.

Kuching recorded an Air Pollutant Index of 88 at 5pm on October 14, while Lubok Antu was the highest reported Sarawak station at 125, in the unhealthy band. The Borneo Post, citing the Natural Resources and Environment Board, reported readings of 96 in Samarahan and 99 in Serian. Both remained in the moderate band, which runs from 51 to 100; unhealthy starts at 101. The figures show why a statewide haze description cannot substitute for a station reading. Sibu and Lawas also recorded 88, while Miri was at 80 and Bintulu at 81. All other locations with available readings were moderate in that snapshot. Betong had no latest reading available in the report: missing data is not a zero or a clean-air result. These are the October 14, 5pm readings, not a forecast or a live measurement for the rest of the evening. A later station update is needed to establish whether conditions have changed.

Rural schools in Sarawak are included in a national solar programme covering 283 schools across Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. The 283 is a combined total, not Sarawak's allocation. DayakDaily reported on October 14 that the works minister described a wider JKR programme using both grid-connected and off-grid photovoltaic systems. Its scope also includes 46 federal government buildings, four police border posts and an Orang Asli village. The minister estimated potential energy-cost savings of up to RM115 million a year across the wider initiative. That is an estimate for the programme, not a saving already measured at Sarawak schools. The report does not provide a state-by-state school list. A handover at Wisma Putra on October 14 concerned five projects at six government premises, with combined installed capacity of 779.86kWp and potential annual generation of 1,070MWh. Those figures belong to the handed-over projects; they should not be read as the capacity of all 283 rural schools or as new installations at a Kuching site.

Ba Kelalan's planned RM14.8 million Type 7 health clinic is at the tender stage, with completion projected for the fourth quarter of 2028. It is not yet a new facility residents can visit. The update came in an October 14 reply in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly by the deputy minister of public health, housing and local government, The Borneo Post reported. A separate RM4 million electricity-infrastructure upgrade at Long Semadoh Health Clinic in Lawas includes a solar power system. That project started on July 19, 2026 and is expected to finish in the third quarter of 2027. Together, the two projects account for RM18.8 million, but they are at different stages and have different delivery targets. Earlier repairs should not be confused with either project. Upgrades costing RM450,000 at Ba Kelalan and RM300,000 at Long Semadoh were completed in November and October 2024 respectively. Those completed works are not evidence that the new clinic or the current power upgrade has been delivered.

The RM74 million road upgrade from the Bau–Lundu junction to Bau Town is only one section of the network, not the whole Bau–Kuching dual-carriageway upgrade. Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh asked the Sarawak government to set out when subsequent phases would proceed during the October 14 state-budget debate, DayakDaily reported. He pointed to the route's daily role in getting people to Kuching for work, classes, healthcare and business. The distinction matters for commuters: progress on the town section does not establish a delivery date for the rest of the corridor. The report identifies the first phase as 3.65km and records a separate announcement in May 2025 approving more than RM500 million for Phase 2 of Jalan Bau Lama. Miro's latest request is for a clearer implementation timetable. It is not an announcement that the remaining phases have started, and the report gives no new opening date for the full route.

A joint operation caught seven crocodiles in the Baram River at Marudi on October 13, following residents' complaints about frequent sightings near their community. The Borneo Post reports that licensed crocodile hunters worked with Sarawak Forestry Corporation personnel. A team spokesperson said the sightings were a concern particularly for fishermen using the river. The team placed 33 baits on Monday afternoon, October 12, and found seven had been taken when it checked them on Tuesday. All seven captured crocodiles were male, the spokesperson said; their reported lengths ranged from 8.3 to 17.2 feet. This is a result from the Marudi stretch of the Baram River, not a Kuching river alert. The report does not identify the exact capture points or announce that the river is now free of crocodiles. Seven captures cannot establish how many remain along the waterway.

Bukit Semuja had received 1,706 Native Customary Rights land titles by September 30, an October 14 reply in Sarawak's assembly reported. The figure is a cumulative total, not a single handover held today. DayakDaily reported that 1,255 titles covering 741 hectares came under the second phase of the New Initiative NCR Land Measurement Programme. Another 451 titles, covering 21 hectares, were issued through the Traditional Village Measurement Programme. Of the first group, 312 titles involved two areas documented by the Dayak Bidayuh National Association, covering 528 hectares. Community documentation must still be verified and validated by the Land and Survey Department before gazettement and title issuance can be confirmed. The reply also recorded 9,653 hectares of perimeter surveys and 2,282 hectares of individual-lot surveys involving 3,069 lots in Bukit Semuja as of September 30. These are different stages of the process: a surveyed area or a recorded lot should not be read as an issued individual title. The department is to hold dialogue sessions with claimants to explain survey guidelines and responsibilities. The report gave no completion timetable for the remaining individual-lot surveys or titles.

Sarawak's assembly approved a further RM120,003,793 in ordinary expenditure on October 14, covering ministry and department services left unfunded or short of funds in earlier 2026 estimates. The Supplementary Supply (2026) Bill, 2026 passed without amendments after consideration by the Committee of Supply and a third reading, DayakDaily reported. This is additional provision for the current year, separate from the 2027 budget tabled on October 12. The expenditure details are set out in Command Paper No. 10 of 2026; the second supplementary estimate is in Command Paper No. 9. Those documents, rather than the headline total alone, identify the purposes of the extra funding. The assembly had already approved RM1.323 billion in extra ordinary expenditure and RM391 million in development expenditure in May. Today's RM120 million approval concerns ordinary expenditure: it is not a new household cash-aid announcement or proof that the full allocation has already been spent.

Muara Lassa Bridge in Mukah Division has won the Large Scale Projects category at the Road Engineering Excellence Awards 2026. The Road Engineering Association of Malaysia award was presented in Kuala Lumpur on October 13, DayakDaily reports. The category covers road engineering projects valued at more than RM100 million; that is an eligibility threshold, not a cash grant announced with the award. Four of the nine shortlisted projects were under JKR Sarawak: Muara Lassa Bridge, Marudi Bridge, Sebauh Bridge and the access road to the southern area of Kuching International Airport. For Kuching, the local connection is the airport access road's place among the finalists. Muara Lassa is the winning bridge in Mukah Division, while Kuala Lumpur was the award venue. The other three Sarawak projects were shortlisted, not reported as category winners.

Sarawak has 500 teaching vacancies despite an overall teacher fill rate of 98.84 per cent, the Education Ministry told Parliament on October 13. The ministry's reply, reported by Bernama through DayakDaily, puts the vacancies at 224 in secondary schools and 276 in primary schools. Secondary-school shortages include Design and Technology and Science specialisations; Mathematics, Music, and Guidance and Counselling have higher vacancy figures in primary schools. The statewide fill rate rose after new teachers and teacher-training graduates were placed on September 30. The reported rates are 98.61 per cent for secondary schools and 98.98 per cent for primary schools. A high aggregate rate does not mean every school or subject has a full complement. Separately, the ministry asked the Education Service Commission in September to appoint 317 reserve candidates for vacancies nationwide. That figure is not a promise of 317 new teachers for Sarawak. As of September 30, 3,537 of the 4,417 reserve candidates from the 2025 intake had received appointment offers, including 114 candidates from Sarawak. Those are candidates' origins, not a count of postings to Sarawak. Interviews for the 2026 open-market recruitment began in May and are expected to finish in November; the report does not allocate new appointments school by school.

Schools under the Serian, Sri Aman and Lubok Antu district education offices will switch to home-based learning on October 14, but three scheduled assessments and examinations will continue. The Sarawak Education Department's October 13 statement, reported by The Borneo Post, orders the temporary closure of all primary and secondary schools under the three offices because of haze. Teachers and support staff may work from home. The exceptions are the Special School Entry Assessment (PKSK), Malaysian Higher Religious Certificate examination (STAM) and the Primary 6 Dual Language Programme assessment (UP-DLPS 6). The closure notice is therefore not a cancellation notice for candidates sitting those assessments. Families in the affected districts should follow their school's specific instructions for home-based learning and examination arrangements. JPN Sarawak says further assessment instructions are on its official Facebook page. The general closure notice does not replace those candidate-specific instructions. The closure is specifically for October 14 in the named districts, not a blanket shutdown of all Sarawak schools. The federal education minister separately confirmed the three districts in a statement reported by Bernama through DayakDaily on October 13.

Sarawak has approved 143 hectares in Meradong for hybrid paddy cultivation through a 20-year collaboration with Onemas Agriculture Sdn Bhd. The land arrangement, involving the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), was reported on October 13 by DayakDaily, citing TVS. A sub-lease memorandum ceremony between LCDA Agri Business Sdn Bhd and Onemas Agriculture took place that day. The agreement is a step towards bringing the Meradong land into cultivation. A precise planting start date was not announced. The food industry minister said early hybrid-paddy trials showed yield potential of up to 11.08 tonnes per hectare, compared with about 1.5 tonnes under traditional planting methods. That is a trial-based projection, not a recorded commercial harvest from the newly approved land. Sarawak's stated rice self-sufficiency level is 21 per cent, against a target of at least 60 per cent by 2030. The Meradong land approval provides a specific site within that wider effort. Its contribution will depend on cultivation and actual harvests, not the acreage announcement alone.

Sarawak's UP-DLPS 6 assessment begins on October 14, with all marking moving online for the first time this year. Government primary-school pupils in Primary 6 will sit the English, Science and Mathematics assessment on October 14 and 15. The education ministry's statement, reported by DayakDaily on October 13, puts the expected results date at November 23. The change is to how answers are marked, not an announcement that pupils will take the assessment remotely. Families have two dates to keep separate: this week's assessment and the later release of results. The ministry says online marking should improve efficiency and transparency and allow more detailed analysis of pupils' strengths and areas for improvement. Those are the aims of the new system; its performance will become clearer when the first set of results is available.