A 36-year-old man has been remanded for three more days as police investigate the Sept 20 arson at a convenience store on Jalan Green, Kuching. A senior court registrar approved the extension to let investigators continue a probe under Section 436 of the Penal Code. The case remains at the investigation stage; remand is not a finding of guilt. A separate update concerns two other men linked to the Jalan Green case: a 23-year-old was released from remand on Monday, then arrested again in connection with a different arson investigation in Saratok. A 40-year-old suspect was released over the weekend. The incidents at stores in Kuching and Sri Aman on Sept 20 are being investigated as separate cases. The latest court action changes the status of one suspect, but does not establish that either case has been solved.

Sarawak expects to start planting paddy on about 8,000 hectares next year and is offering to match any additional federal funding for the crop. The state has already set aside RM1 billion for paddy development. The federal Agriculture and Food Security Minister said he would bring Sarawak’s request for another RM1 billion to the Cabinet; no new federal allocation has been approved yet. Sarawak has identified about 14,000 hectares for paddy. Of these, 4,000 hectares have been gazetted under Section 7, while a further 2,299 hectares of state land have been identified for the same purpose; together, about 7,000 hectares have been identified and gazetted for paddy. The acreage is a planning figure, not proof that all the land is ready to plant. Irrigation and drainage works will determine how quickly farmers can use it. The state pointed to Gedong, where a collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia reportedly raised paddy yields from about 1.2 tonnes per hectare to between six and eight tonnes. That is one local example, not a guarantee for every new site. For growers, the next signal to watch is a funded infrastructure schedule. The plan is also part of Sarawak’s effort to raise local rice output and strengthen Malaysia’s food supply.

Sarawak is developing a state-level framework for early childhood care and education, while 2,949 kindergartens and childcare centres currently serve 72,136 children. The proposed framework is intended to align standards across access, quality, inclusion, child development and educator professionalism. It is also expected to cover family involvement, safe learning environments, early detection and intervention, and children's transition to formal schooling. As of Aug 31, Sarawak had 2,719 kindergartens and 230 childcare centres, supported by 5,796 teachers and educators. The framework is still being developed; the reports did not give an implementation date or explain how the standards will be assessed. Parents and providers can watch for those details before treating the proposal as a new operating requirement.

The river jetty is the first reminder that Niah is a journey through a living landscape, not a quick cave photo stop. After the crossing, the raised plankwalk carries you through rainforest toward Traders Cave—the only route currently open to visitors. [image: 1790322250670-boardwalk_to_caves-resized.jpg] Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — Boardwalk to the Caves, CC BY-SA 2.0 (original, unmodified) Niah’s story reaches far beyond this short walk: its caves preserve tens of thousands of years of human history, and the complex entered UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2024. Traders Cave also connects that deep timeline to a more recent livelihood. Swiftlet nests gathered here became part of a trade valued in Chinese cuisine; the cave’s name keeps that working history in view. The larger chambers and Painted Cave are part of Niah’s heritage, but they are not part of this limited visit while reconstruction closures remain in force. [image: 1790322251200-jetty.jpg] Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — Sungai (River) Niah and Jetty, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized to 960px wide) I’d plan this as a focused rainforest-and-Traders-Cave outing, with time for the boat crossing and boardwalk rather than promising myself the full cave circuit. A shelter on the way is a useful pause, not a shortcut to the closed trails. There is also a present-day community thread: 20 park guides completed an 18-day training programme in September, including 11 people from nearby communities. That local participation matters at a place where heritage and livelihoods have long shared the same forest. [image: 1790322251326-shelter.jpg] Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — Shelter on the Boardwalk, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized to 960px wide) [image: 1790322252044-traders_cave_entrance-resized.jpg] Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — Entrance of Traders' Cave, CC BY-SA 2.0 (original, unmodified) If the Great Cave, Painted Cave or longer trails are the reason you are travelling, I’d postpone until those areas are officially reopened; this is not the complete Niah experience. For anyone happy with the limited route, check directly with Sarawak Forestry Corporation before setting out, since access can change. Would you make the trip for this quieter, shorter slice of Niah, or save it for the full circuit? Niah National Park is in Batu Niah, Miri Division. Open Niah National Park in Google Maps

Drivers using Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddin will face a changed temporary traffic arrangement from Sept 28, with the diversion scheduled to run until Jan 21, 2027, during construction. The Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) says the contractor will issue further updates if the affected dates, hours or areas change. The works contract runs from July 15, 2024 to Jan 21, 2027, so the new arrangement spans the coming months rather than a single weekend. Regular users should check LCDA’s latest notice before setting out and allow time for the altered route. For traffic enquiries or feedback, contact LCDA at 082-235944.

More than 1.25 million hectares of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land had been surveyed across Sarawak by Aug 31, a progress update at a Kuching land and survey event on Wednesday said. The next steps run from boundary checks through documentation and registration to issuing titles. The state says community engagement remains part of that process, even as technology is used to speed up the work. The figure measures surveyed land; it does not mean every lot has been registered or titled. The update gave no district-by-district breakdown or timetable for the remaining stages.

The first thing I would ask on the road into Lambir is not which waterfall, but how much forest can I still read before I reach it? On the Miri side of the Bintulu–Miri Highway, the park starts as a practical rainforest outing, yet its real plot is written in trunks, buttress roots, steep ground and water running over rock. [image: 1790045355459-dinding-resized.jpg] 来源：Wikimedia Commons / Mx. Granger (CC0 1.0) Lambir Hills became an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2025. That change matters because it recognises this Miri landscape as part of a regional conservation network, not just a place to cool off in a pool. The difficult slopes and escarpments help create several forest habitats, and the park has an unusually rich plant community, including a remarkable concentration of figs and endangered trees. In practical terms, the route rewards people who look up and down: a broad trunk, a tree buttress, a fern beside the trail and a sudden break in the canopy all belong to the story. [image: 1790045356239-pantu-resized.jpg] 来源：Wikimedia Commons / Mx. Granger (CC0 1.0) The number that changes how I would plan the visit is the long-term research plot: more than 1,100 tree species have been recorded in a 52-hectare area. That is why I would resist treating Lambir as a waterfall checklist. Dinding and Pantu are satisfying turning points, but the forest between them is the part that explains why the park exists and why Sarawak keeps investing it with higher conservation status. [image: 1790045357044-trail-resized.jpg] 来源：Wikimedia Commons / Mx. Granger (CC0 1.0) If I had one half-day, I would start early, choose a trail that matches the group’s legs, and keep time for the return rather than forcing a summit. The entrance sits on the Bintulu–Miri Highway in Miri; trail conditions, water levels and route-specific restrictions deserve a same-day check before setting out. Wear shoes that can handle wet stone and roots, carry water, and treat the streams as part of a protected forest rather than a disposable swimming stop. [image: 1790045358189-tree-resized.jpg] 来源：Wikimedia Commons / Mx. Granger (CC0 1.0) Lambir suits hikers who enjoy noticing small changes in terrain, bird calls and tree form, and families with older children who can manage a real forest trail. It may disappoint anyone expecting a short roadside attraction, guaranteed wildlife sightings or one single viewpoint. Pair it with a Miri town meal or another nearby nature stop only after checking the day’s driving time; the park itself deserves a slow morning, not a rushed photo detour. Lambir Hills is the kind of place where the waterfall is an ending, not the explanation. Would you spend the walk counting species, following the sound of water, or doing both?

Miri’s retention ponds need a regular cleaning programme after aquatic growth, rubbish and sediment were flagged as risks to water flow and flood mitigation. The Department of Irrigation and Drainage was asked to schedule more frequent maintenance after recent cleaning at a pond along Jalan Ilmu near Desa Senadin. Water hyacinths and other plants covering the pond have been cleared, but they can grow back quickly. Floating rubbish entering through nearby drains was also raised as a concern. A RM3 million allocation has been approved for drainage maintenance and upgrading in Senadin, including Desa Senadin, Tudan and Permyjaya. The suggestion that some ponds may need cleaning as often as every two months is not a confirmed timetable. The current update is a maintenance call, not a new flood warning. The next useful checkpoint for residents will be whether a recurring cleaning schedule is published before the next period of heavy rain.

A resurfacing job along Lorong Sungai Tapang 4 in Padawan has been flagged for follow-up after one property entrance was left unfinished. A local constituency statement said the road level outside the property had been raised by at least half a foot, while the section leading to the driveway was left with raw, untarred stones. The unfinished entrance has made it harder for the homeowner to get in and out. The Padawan Municipal Council and the contractor were urged to inspect the spot and complete the resurfacing up to the driveway. The report does not say when the rectification will be done or whether the council has responded. The complaint concerns one section of a wider road job, but it points to a practical test for neighbourhood upgrades: the work should leave affected entrances usable, not just the road surface.

Old Kuching may get heritage zones covering parts of Gambier Road, Main Bazaar and India Street under a proposed Sarawak law. The plan would protect historic buildings, monuments and other heritage sites as the city continues to develop. Landmarks being considered include the Old Court House, Round Tower, Square Tower, India Mosque, St Joseph’s Cathedral and St Thomas’ Cathedral. Privately owned old shophouses are also expected to be reviewed. The state says property owners will be engaged before the legislation is introduced. If buildings are formally gazetted, future rules could include maintenance and beautification requirements. The first stage is to identify buildings and sites, while conservation approaches in Penang and Melaka are being studied. Seeking UNESCO World Heritage recognition is a longer-term ambition. For now, this is a planning announcement, not a new protected-zone map or a confirmed timetable. Shop owners and residents should wait for the proposed list, consultation details and legislation before assuming that a property has been gazetted or that redevelopment rules have changed.

A Sunday night fire damaged about 35 per cent of a convenience store on Green Road, Kuching, but no one was injured. Batu Lintang and Padungan firefighters were sent after the call came in at 8.19pm. The blaze started at the front of the shop and spread towards the centre before crews brought it under control. Ventilation at the centre and rear helped limit the spread, Bomba said. The operation ended at 9.03pm. The cause of the fire and the value of the losses are still being investigated, so the damage figure should not be read as a final loss assessment.

Kuching South is preparing to extend designated senior parking beyond markets to shopping malls and other public areas. The move is part of MBKS’s effort to make everyday public spaces easier to use as the city’s population ages. Existing senior bays are already available at markets, but the council has not announced the first mall locations or a start date for the wider rollout. MBKS is also seeking approval for more full-size OKU parking bays. That proposal must go through the full council before it is submitted to the minister, so those spaces are not yet a confirmed rollout. For residents, the practical detail to watch is where the new senior bays will be marked and how access will be enforced once the scheme moves beyond markets.

Sarawak’s State Attorney-General’s Chambers has launched a drafting manual intended to make proposed State laws more complete and consistent before they reach the legal office. The manual gives public-service officers a common process for preparing legislation and amendments, including structural standards, procedural steps and the background documents that must accompany a submission. The move follows concerns that some earlier proposals arrived with little more than a one-page outline. For departments, the change is less about announcing a new law than tightening the route by which one is prepared. The chambers also pointed to digital technology, environmental regulation and the green economy as areas where legal officers will need stronger specialist knowledge as Sarawak’s policy work expands.

Twenty agricultural road projects across 20 villages in the Balai Ringin area have been grouped under a RM6 million connectivity allocation. The projects cover Zones B Jalan Simunjan and C Balai Ringin, with RM300,000 set aside for each village. The latest progress update says 16 projects are complete, two are nearing completion, one has started and one has yet to begin. The road work is intended to make it easier for farming communities to move produce and reach their plots. At Kampung Tapang Lebat, an upgraded 1.925km village road serving about 30 families was completed on June 9 at a cost of RM2.5 million. A separate community-hall store there is scheduled for next year, so the wider package should not be read as every listed project being finished.

Malaysia’s Health Ministry is pressing agencies involved in Petra Jaya Hospital to keep construction moving towards its planned completion. The deputy health minister made the call during a follow-up site visit on Sept 18. She was briefed by the Public Works Department on the project’s physical progress, completion roadmap and the healthcare facilities planned for the hospital. The latest update does not announce an opening date. For Petra Jaya and nearby communities, the immediate question is whether the coordination now translates into a firm completion timetable and a hospital ready to serve the area.

As Malaysia prepares to table Budget 2027 on Oct 9, Sarawakians are asking for help that reaches daily costs as well as longer-term earning power. The priorities raised in Kuching include better employment opportunities, targeted assistance, affordable housing, stronger education and skills development. Small-business support also featured, with calls for machinery, financing, training and help with digital marketing. Students from Sarawak studying in Peninsular Malaysia highlighted travel assistance, clearer fuel-subsidy information and stronger support for skills and AI literacy. Those concerns sit alongside calls for price controls and aid that reaches rural and suburban households. These are public expectations ahead of the federal budget, not announced allocations. The details to watch on Oct 9 are which measures receive funding, who qualifies and how the programmes will reach Sarawak’s smaller towns and rural communities.

The old Batang Layar Bridge in Betong is expected to reopen on Saturday after two weeks of repair work, but heavy vehicles will still need to use alternative routes. The bridge was closed after structural damage was found and repairs were carried out to protect road users. Sarawak Public Works Department director Cassidy Morris said the bridge is recommended for light vehicles because of its age. A final safety inspection by Betong Division JKR is due before the reopening. That means the Saturday date remains conditional on the inspection, rather than a blanket return to normal traffic. Drivers heading in and out of Betong should follow the latest site instructions. Heavy vehicles should continue planning for the alternative routes even if the bridge opens to cars and other light traffic.

A 200MWac solar facility planned for Tinjar, Sarawak, is targeted to begin commercial operations by the end of 2029 under a proposed RM570 million development. Reservoir Link Energy Bhd said it has signed a power purchase agreement with Syarikat Sesco Bhd to design, build, own, operate and maintain the photovoltaic facility. The agreement was disclosed in a filing reported on Friday. The project is not yet the same as electricity already being generated. The agreement still depends on corporate and government authorisations, required studies, licences, security arrangements, testing and commissioning requirements. If the conditions are met and the agreement is not extended or ended earlier, the PPA will run for 30 years from the facility’s commercial operation date. RLEB has set Dec 31, 2029 as the target date, but the filing leaves room for the timetable to change as approvals and construction progress are completed. For Sarawak’s energy picture, the key figures are the proposed 200MWac capacity and the RM570 million estimated development cost — not a claim that the plant is already operating.

Sarawak’s haze thickened on Friday morning, with 13 monitoring stations moving into the unhealthy range and Kuching recording an API reading of 192. The 8am reading was up from 174 at 4pm on Thursday. Kanowit rose sharply from 58 to 186, while Samarahan reached 184, Serian 180, Lundu 176 and Tebedu 166. Several central Sarawak stations also saw steep overnight increases: Sibu climbed to 158, Sarikei to 157, Sri Aman and Bintulu to 153, and Mukah and Lubok Antu to 104. Kapit was the only station to move into the moderate band among the locations highlighted in the morning update, at 93. Miri and ILP Miri remained moderate at 61 and 58, while Limbang and Bario were in the good range at 49 and 12. The API is a 24-hour running measure. Readings from 101 to 200 are classified as unhealthy, so conditions can change with the next update. People in affected areas should check the latest readings and cut down prolonged outdoor activity while the air remains poor.

Sarawak plans to develop a low-carbon hub and gateway at Tanjung Embang as part of its push towards a green, high-income economy, Premier Abang Johari said at the Malaysia Day celebration in Kuching on Sept 16. He also cited Bintulu’s inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s Transitioning Industrial Clusters and cooperation with the Asian Development Bank. A projection of RM100 billion in investment over the next decade was also mentioned. The hub, the financing and the investment figure are plans or estimates at this stage. No completed project, construction schedule or confirmed investment package was announced.