What's happening around you
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600 students from 64 institutions join Sarawak IC design challenge
More than 600 students from 64 institutions took part in the SMD IC Design Make-A-Thon in Sarawak this year. At a ceremony at CENTEXS in Santubong, the first chip designed by students through the SMD IC Design Competition 2025 was unveiled. The programme is part of the Sarawak Semiconductor Roadmap 2030 to build local talent for the state's semiconductor ecosystem.
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Abang Johari: Sarawak building rural roads to cut helicopter reliance
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state is taking over former logging roads and building new ones, including in Baram and Bintulu, so rural communities can reach clinics without depending on helicopters. He spoke after officiating a semiconductor talent event at CENTEXS in Santubong, Kuching, and said the road network should be largely complete by 2030 to 2032.
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Sarawak to push into semiconductor front-end, says Abang Johari
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state must move into the front-end of the semiconductor industry, developing its own chip designs and technology rather than focusing on back-end manufacturing. Speaking at the Sarawak Semiconductor Flagship Talent Development Ecosystem Ceremony at CENTEXS in Santubong, Kuching, he said the ambition includes space technology and AI applications, and will create demand for hundreds of engineers.
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CENTEXS-SMD semiconductor mastery programme to be expanded nationwide
The CENTEXS-SMD Semiconductor Mastery Programme will be expanded nationwide with federal government and national industry support, Premier Abang Johari said at a ceremony at CENTEXS in Santubong, Kuching. He cited SMD's recent agreement with China's Linyang Energy Group and a planned industrial lab with UNIMAS as signs Sarawak's semiconductor ecosystem is maturing.
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Abang Johari: Sabah, Sarawak must hold one-third of parliamentary seats
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Abang Openg said Sabah and Sarawak must hold one-third of total parliamentary seats if the number of Dewan Rakyat seats is increased. He said the ratio follows the Cobbold Commission and IGC reports and underpins claims under MA63, with boundary mapping left to the Election Commission. He spoke after officiating a semiconductor talent development ceremony at CENTEXS in Santubong, Kuching.
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45 graduates of CENTEXS-SMD semiconductor programme land jobs
In Kuching, 45 graduates of the CENTEXS-SMD Semiconductor Mastery Programme have secured jobs in the semiconductor industry, including at SMD Semiconductor, Melexis and X-FAB. Local students also produced their first chip through the SMD IC Design Competition 2025, which drew over 60 participants from 16 institutions.
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Three held in Kuching drug raids, RM1,146 in drugs seized
Police in Kuching arrested three people in two separate drug raids, seizing over 17g of suspected drugs worth RM1,146. A 25-year-old man was detained at Kampung Semariang Jaya on Sept 13, and a 41-year-old woman with six prior records and a 45-year-old man were arrested outside a hotel on Jalan Tawi Sli on Sept 14. All three have been remanded and are being investigated under Section 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
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Borderland Music Festival returns to Sarawak Cultural Village for fourth edition
The fourth edition of the Borderland Music Festival was held on Sept 11 and 12 at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching. Returning festivalgoers from Sabah said a stronger DJ lineup and livelier crowd drew them back, while first-timers called the trip worthwhile.
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Borderland Music Festival vendors report strong sales at Sarawak Cultural Village
Food vendors at the Borderland Music Festival in Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, enjoyed strong sales over the two-day event. Thai Midai and Chill House Western were among the stalls that drew steady crowds, with vendors saying the festival gave them valuable exposure to visitors from Sarawak and beyond.
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16,000 attend Borderland Music Festival in Kuching as KSHMR closes
About 16,000 people attended the two-day Borderland Music Festival at Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching. American DJ KSHMR closed the event with a set that wove in local music and a Malay-language monologue. Organisers also teased a 'TOK by Borderland' event in Kuching in March 2027.
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9,000 turn up for first night of Borderland Music Festival in Kuching
Around 9,000 music fans attended the opening night of the Borderland Music Festival 2026 at Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching on Friday. The two-day event, held Sept 11-12, features local and regional acts including Blasterjaxx, Ben Nicky and KSHMR.
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Keringkam Kenyalang unites Sarawak women of all ethnicities
The Keringkam Kenyalang programme at Dewan Wisma Wanita Kuching serves as a platform to empower Sarawak women economically across ethnic groups. It will continue to Miri, Bintulu and Lawas, focusing on skills sharing and economic networking.
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Two foreigners remanded for allegedly taking plants from Santubong National Park
Two foreign nationals have been remanded for three days over the alleged taking of plant specimens from Santubong National Park in Sarawak. The Sarawak Forestry Corporation said the pair were detained on September 3 after inspections found plastic bags filled with specimens. The case is being investigated under the National Parks & Nature Reserves Ordinance 1998.
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RM5.8m project to replace vandalised street lights on Petra Jaya-Rambungan route begins
A RM5.8-million project to replace repeatedly vandalised street lights along Lebuhraya Pehin Sri Haji Adenan Haji Satem in Sarawak has been handed over to a contractor. The project covers the Petra Jaya-Rambungan route, particularly the Matang section, and will install 794 LED lights, with completion expected by June 16, 2027. Officials highlighted vandalism as a persistent issue and called for public cooperation.
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Pantai Damai rep: Suitable land in Santubong, Telaga Air zones could be developed for padi
Pantai Damai assemblyman Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said suitable land in the Santubong and Telaga Air zones could potentially be developed for padi cultivation. He made the remarks after officiating an agricultural aid handover ceremony at Dewan Sinaran, Kampung Sungai Lumut, where 28 recipients received RM81,000 in assistance.
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Drones to help Pantai Damai farmers boost crop efficiency
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, said drone technology has received encouraging response from farmers in Pantai Damai. He spoke after officiating the AFF Pantai Damai branch agricultural input handover ceremony at Dewan Sinaran, Kampung Sungai Lumut. The technology, introduced through a demonstration in May, is seen as a way to help monitor crops and improve yields.
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RM81,000 agricultural aid for 28 recipients in Pantai Damai constituency
The Sarawak government has allocated RM81,000 through the Agricultural Facilitation Allocation Program (AFF) for 28 farmers and inland fishery operators in the Pantai Damai state constituency. The aid, including fertilizer, grass cutters, farming tools, and fish and shrimp feed, was handed over at Dewan Sinaran in Kampung Sungai Lumut.
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Late-night blaze leaves Giatmara Kuching building 80 pct damaged
A fire broke out late Monday night at the Giatmara Kuching building on Jalan Tan Sri Ong Kee Hui in Kuching, Sarawak, damaging about 80 percent of the structure. Firefighters from Padungan, Batu Lintang, and Tabuan Jaya stations brought the blaze under control by 12:08am; the cause and losses are under investigation.