What's happening around you
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Haze: 596 hotspots detected in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Sabah
Malaysia's Department of Environment reports 596 hotspots in Kalimantan, Sumatra and one in Sabah, with moderate to thick transboundary haze observed across the region. Thirty-seven areas in Peninsular Malaysia recorded unhealthy API readings by 3pm, including Johan Setia, Kuala Lumpur and Nilai. Fires at peatland and a landfill in Sarawak are being monitored for their impact on local air quality.
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Unhealthy API readings in 37 peninsula areas as transboundary haze detected
Malaysia's Department of Environment reported 37 areas in Peninsular Malaysia with unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings as of 3pm today, with Johan Setia (184), Kuala Lumpur (175) and Nilai (172) among the highest. The conditions stem from persistent dry weather and transboundary haze from Kalimantan and Sumatra, while peat and landfill fires in Sarawak are being monitored.
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Catholic bishops mark Malaysia Day with call for respect after 'priest and nun joke'
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia used its Malaysia Day message to urge mutual respect and harmony, following a viral joke about priests and nuns by Sepang UMNO division chief Datuk Noorazli Said. CBCM president Datuk Dr Simon Poh said such jokes have no place in official gatherings and backed calls for an apology and legal action. The statement came after the national-level Malaysia Pastoral Convention in Sibu, which drew 1,000 delegates from Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
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Kuching archbishop urges Malaysians to reject divisive rhetoric on Malaysia Day
Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, called on Malaysians to reject political and religious rhetoric that divides society. He was responding to a viral video of Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said making an inappropriate joke about priests and nuns at the Umno general assembly. The statement followed the National Catholic Pastoral Convention held in Sibu, Sarawak, from Sept 9 to 13.
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Son of Sarawak SP medal recipient shares father's story
Elvis Bala, son of the late Ngalinuh Bala, recounts how his father received Malaysia's highest gallantry award in 1972 after a firefight with communist guerrillas at Jalan Ulu Oya in Sibu. The family in Kampung Lusut, Miri only understood the medal's meaning after Elvis joined the military.
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JAS steps up air quality monitoring as Sarikei landfill fire 87% doused
Malaysia's Environment Department is strengthening air quality monitoring and open burning prevention amid hot, dry weather. A fire at the Selalang landfill in Sarikei, Sarawak, covering 1.5 hectares, is 87% extinguished. JAS Sarawak is using drones to assess the fire's impact on the local environment.
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Sibu lorry driver retires from blood donation after 160 pints
A 65-year-old lorry driver in Sibu, Sarawak, has stopped donating blood after a doctor advised him to do so following a medical check-up in May. Chiew Kian Peng, who first donated at 21, reached 160 pints and was named top donor at the Malaysian Red Crescent Sibu branch's World Donor Day 2026 celebration for the third year running.
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Cause of fish deaths along Sarawak River still unknown, says Dr Safiee
Hundreds of fish have been found dead along the Sarawak River waterfront, particularly around Kampung Boyan and Kampung Gersik in Kuching. The Sarawak Rivers Board, together with the state Agriculture Department and NREB, is awaiting laboratory results from water and fish samples taken on 12 and 14 September. The cause of the deaths has not yet been determined.
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Man arrested for injuring girlfriend with parang and pallet wood in Kabong oil palm estate
A 50-year-old man was arrested in Saratok after allegedly injuring his girlfriend with pallet wood and brandishing a parang at an oil palm estate in Kampung Nyabor, Kabong, last Thursday. The 35-year-old victim suffered injuries to her finger, hand and body after rejecting the suspect's marriage proposal. The suspect tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine, and the case is being investigated under Sections 324 and 506 of the Penal Code.
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Sibu's Borneo Cultural Festival closes with record kampua toss and first fire show
The Borneo Cultural Festival 2026 in Sibu closed on Saturday at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang Phase 1, with SMC chairman Clarence Ting saying the event was about bringing people together through culture. Highlights included a kampua tossing event with 1,258 participants that set a Malaysia Book of Records mark, and the Budakapi Movement's interactive fire show staged for the first time in Sibu. Cultural groups from China, Indonesia, Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak and across Malaysia took part.
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SUPP Youth: One-third of parliamentary seats needed to protect Sarawak's MA63 rights
SUPP Youth chief Kevin Lau Kor Jie said Sabah and Sarawak need one-third of parliamentary seats to safeguard their constitutional rights under MA63, since constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority. He spoke at a Mooncake Festival celebration in Sibu, where he also urged Sarawakians to stay united in defending the state's rights.
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Windstorm damages roofs of three longhouses in Bawang Assan
A strong windstorm and heavy rain hit longhouses in Nanga Tutus, Bawang Assan, this morning, damaging roofs and facilities and affecting nine households. Building materials for roof repairs were provided to the families after Bawang Assan assemblyman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh visited the site to assess the damage.
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Sibu Municipal Council jumps 29 places to sixth nationally in 2026 rating
Sibu Municipal Council (MPS) climbed 29 places to rank sixth out of 42 municipal councils nationwide in the 2026 Local Authority Star Rating, retaining a five-star rating with a score of 91.95 per cent. Its chairman Clarence Ting said the achievement was a collective effort and MPS is the highest-ranked municipal council in Sarawak. The results were announced by KPKT in Penang.
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AADK Sibu teaches 70 SK Nanga Assan pupils about drug dangers
AADK Sibu held a drug awareness talk and exhibition at SK Nanga Assan, Sibu, on Friday. The programme at the school's computer lab involved over 70 teachers and pupils as an early prevention measure. Participants learned about the health, legal and social harms of drug abuse.
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Sibu temple gives RM500 monthly to siblings who lost father in April crash
In Sibu, the Eng Ann Teng Tua Pek Kong Temple Charity Trust is giving RM500 a month for a year to two siblings whose father died in a road accident in April. Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng witnessed the handover and said he had also sought help from Socso and the Sibu Welfare Department.
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Sibu hosts Borneo Cultural Festival 2026 International Night
The Borneo Cultural Festival 2026 International Night was held at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang in Sibu on Friday, featuring performers from Brunei, China and Jakarta alongside local groups. Sibu Municipal Council councillor Augustine Merikan said the event, now in its 23rd edition, serves as a platform for cultural exchange.
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PBB must engage young voters who moved away, says Dr Annuar
PBB vice-president Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said the party must strengthen cooperation beyond conventions and election campaigns to keep young voters who have moved away from their constituencies engaged. Speaking at a dinner gathering in Sibu hosting PBB members from Samariang and Sibu, he noted many young people from Sibu now live in Kuching. The Samariang delegation stopped in Sibu before heading to Miri for the PBB Northern Zone Special Convention.
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Jetty at Rh. Stanley Jelian near SK Tanjung Penasu to be upgraded
The ageing timber jetty at Rh. Stanley Jelian near SK Tanjung Penasu in Sibu was officially handed over to a contractor on Friday for upgrading works. The project, funded under a small-scale rural infrastructure allocation, follows concerns from longhouse residents about the jetty's deteriorating condition. SUPP Bawang Assan branch chairman Kevin Lau said the improved jetty will provide safer and more reliable access for the community.
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41 schools in Tanjong Manis to get smart TVs before year end
Tanjong Manis MP Dato Yusuf Abd Wahab handed over smart TVs to schools in his constituency at a ceremony at SMK Semop today. He said all 41 schools in the Tanjong Manis parliamentary area are expected to receive the sets before the end of the year. He also inspected the RM300,000 upgrade of SMK Semop's dining hall, now about 90 per cent complete.
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Kevin Lau visits two needy families in Sibu, pledges welfare aid
SUPP Bawang Assan branch chairman Kevin Lau visited two struggling families at Hua Lai Road in Sg Bidut, Sibu on Thursday. One household cares for a family member with autism and will be helped to apply for OKU registration; the other, three elderly siblings, will get help applying for living assistance.
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Wong Soon Koh tells SMK Kwong Hua students to verify social media content
Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh told students at SMK Kwong Hua in Sibu to question and verify what they see on social media. Speaking at a Malaysia Day programme on Friday, he said freedom must come with responsibility and urged respect for Sarawak's diversity.
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Bintangor lime growers get fertiliser aid and grants from government
Bintangor lime growers in Sarawak received fertiliser assistance from the government to help raise crop productivity and ease their financial burden. Meradong assemblyman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing presented the aid and also gave a RM1,500 grant to the Meradong District Agriculture Club plus RM3,000 for its activities during the Meradong Festival 2026.
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SUPP Bawang Assan to help two families in Sungai Bidut apply for welfare aid
The SUPP Bawang Assan branch visited two needy families in Sungai Bidut, Sibu, on Thursday and will help them apply for welfare support. One family cares for a person with autism and will be assisted with OKU registration, while the other involves three elderly siblings seeking living assistance. Branch chairman Kevin Lau said the visits help the team understand each family's circumstances.
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PBB must draw up programmes to reach 18-20 year old voters before Sarawak polls, says Annuar Rapaee
PBB vice-president Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said the party needs to design programmes aimed at youths aged 18 to 20 before the coming Sarawak state election. He said many young voters may still be confused because they will be voting for the first time, and this group could decide the outcome. He spoke at a dinner with PBB Samariang at Dewan Lakis in Sibu.