News near Hotel 56 Kuching Sarawak
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SWCS to hold first Welfare Carnival at Boulevard Mall 2 on Oct 17-18
The Social Welfare Council of Sarawak will hold its inaugural 2026 Welfare Carnival on Oct 17 and 18 at Boulevard Mall 2 in Kuching, themed 'Stronger Minds, Safer Choices'. The event marks the council's 77th anniversary and focuses on mental health awareness, emotional resilience and healthy lifestyles, with substance abuse also addressed. Organisers have invited Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian to officiate and will present the Sarawak Southern Region Excellence and Service Awards.
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39 Sarawak artists turn plain boxes into 60 artworks at Kuching exhibition
The Headbox (Art and/or Mask) Exhibition at Wesberly Galleria on Rubber Road West in Kuching features over 60 works by 39 local artists who were each given a plain box to transform. Curator Hung Chang Wong arranged the pieces in a zigzag 'Green Caterpillar' layout to explore themes of identity, history and perception.
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KLFF and Luna Lights Wonderland in Kuching reopen as haze eases
The Kuching Lights & Floral Festival (KLFF) and Luna Lights Wonderland reopen to the public in Kuching today. Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) said the reopening follows an improvement in the haze in the city compared with two weeks ago. Visitors are advised to wear face masks, carry enough drinking water and check air quality readings before going.
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Single mothers' group wants regular community outreach in Sarawak
The Sarawak Single Mothers Association (Pitsa) has called for community programmes to be held more regularly so single mothers stay informed in the digital age. A Jiwa@Komuniti programme at Hawa Banquet Hall in Kuching yesterday included a talk on scams by police, organised with the state Information Department for Malaysia Day 2026.
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AIM25 makes history in Sarawak, finale at BCCK Kuching on Sept 26
The 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25) will be held in Sarawak for the first time, at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on 26 September, in conjunction with Malaysia Day. Winners of 16 main categories will share RM950,000 in funding from the Communications Ministry through MyCreative Ventures, with performances by artists including Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Indonesia's Fajar Noor.
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Kuching memorial marks 60 years since end of Konfrontasi
A ceremony was held at Batu Lintang Memorial Square in Kuching on Aug 27 to mark the 60th anniversary of the peace agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia that ended the Confrontation on Aug 11, 1966. It was attended by Malaysian armed forces personnel, Commonwealth servicemen from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the Gurkhas, and veterans of the conflict. The article recounts the history of the confrontation launched by Indonesia's Sukarno in 1963.
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Kuching FA beat Serian FA 2-0 in Sarawak Premier League
Kuching FA defeated Serian FA 2-0 in the Sarawak Premier League 2026 Southern Zone match at Padang Perumahan Jalan Astana, Kuching. Two late goals from Azuanie Jasman and Mohammad Shahfitri Salim secured three points for KFA.
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Dr Sim opens BIC 5 art festival at Aeroville Mall in Kuching
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian opened the fifth Borneo Illustration and Creative Festival (BIC 5) at Aeroville Mall in Kuching. He said creative platforms help Sarawakians tell Malaysia's story from a Sarawak perspective and contribute to state nation-building. The festival, themed 'Cerita Kita: Stories of Malaysia', features 275 artworks and runs until Sept 20.
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Dead fish wash up along Sarawak River near Kuching Waterfront
Large numbers of dead fish were found along the Sarawak River near the Kuching Waterfront and Kampung Gersik-Boyan on Saturday morning. The Sarawak Agriculture Department collected water and fish samples for laboratory analysis, with low oxygen levels among the possible causes being examined.
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Haze fails to dampen Borderland Music Festival 2026 in Kuching
The Borderland Music Festival 2026 in Kuching went ahead despite hazy skies, with attendees saying their excitement outweighed concerns over air quality. Several festival-goers, including Fizul, Khairul, Magdline Melai and Mary Remaya Nasat, said they took precautions while monitoring the haze. They described the event as a chance to enjoy live music and make memories with friends.
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Lo Khere Chiang sets up Neighborhood Watch for Batu 6 residents
Residents of Batu 6 in Kuching are being urged to join a Neighborhood Watch group with police, RELA and community leaders to improve security. Batu Kitang assemblyman Datuk Lo Khere Chiang said the group lets neighbours alert each other and authorities about suspicious activity without confronting intruders. The initiative was announced at a community dialogue at Choon Foh Kopitiam in Capital Garden.
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Hamzah: 17 new Sarawak DUN seats will not change GPS service commitment
Stakan assemblyman Datuk Hamzah Brahim said the proposed creation of 17 new Sarawak state seats, including Samarindah, will not affect Gabungan Parti Sarawak's commitment to serving Sarawakians. He spoke to reporters after officiating a community firefighter programme at Dewan Perpaduan Stakan in Taman Samarindah, Kota Samarahan, on Sept 12. The Election Commission began a public display of the proposed seats on Sept 1.
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Stakan assemblyman wants every JKKK to keep fire extinguishers
Stakan assemblyman Datuk Hamzah Brahim has proposed that every Village Development and Security Committee in his constituency be required to keep fire extinguishers at designated spots. Speaking after the Bomba community programme at Dewan Perpaduan Stakan in Taman Samarindah, he said JKKK annual allocations could be diverted from less urgent activities to buy the equipment. He noted there are about 18 JKKKs in the densely populated constituency.
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Kuching retail outlet fire put out after 11 hours
A fire at a retail chain near Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce in Kuching was fully extinguished at 2.54pm today after burning for about 11 hours. The blaze destroyed the first floor and severely damaged the second floor of the building. Four people were involved but reported safe, and the cause and losses are still under investigation.
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Kuching businesses gear up for Malaysia Day celebration
Businesses in Kuching are preparing for increased demand ahead of the national-level Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16. Hotels, beauty services and event operators are adjusting operations and rolling out promotions, with Hotel Grand Continental Kuching offering rooms from RM159 per night and a Malaysia-themed hi-tea buffet.
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Man arrested over cable theft on Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddin, tests positive for drugs
A 37-year-old man was arrested in Kampung Bintawa Ulu, Kuching, after he was suspected of stealing cable on Jalan Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Muhammad Salahuddin. The Kuching district police chief said the suspect has five prior criminal records and tested positive for drugs, and the case is being investigated under Section 431A of the Penal Code.
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Haze forces Kuching tourists to cut back outdoor plans
Haze over Kuching is disrupting tourists' itineraries, with poor visibility forcing visitors to drop outdoor activities such as jogging and sunset-watching at Santubong Beach. Visitors from Johor Bahru, Pahang and Italy described mixed experiences, with one reporting a sore throat. Most said they would still return to Kuching once the haze clears.
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Doctor recalls 24 hours awake, two-hour Ambu bag flight to Kuching
A doctor has shared how nine years ago she manually ventilated a critically ill baby with an Ambu bag for two hours on a helicopter flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching after being awake for more than 24 hours. She said the memory has taken on new meaning after a recent helicopter crash that killed fellow healthcare workers.
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Fire destroys first floor of retail chain near Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce in Kuching
A fire broke out early Saturday morning at a retail chain near Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce in Kuching, Sarawak. The first floor was completely destroyed and the second floor severely damaged, with no victims reported. Firefighters from Batu Lintang and Tabuan Jaya stations brought the blaze under control by about 5.18am.
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Dr Sim launches Nan Qiao Ji Gong memorial at Palmarium Park, Kuching
A memorial honouring the Nan Qiao Ji Gong - overseas Chinese volunteers, including over 100 from Sarawak, who drove trucks on the Burma Road during World War Two - was launched at Palmarium Park near the MBKS headquarters in Kuching on Friday night. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said Sarawak's 80 years of peace and stability were built on earlier generations' sacrifices and must not be taken for granted. China's Consul-General in Kuching, Xing Weiping, also spoke at the event.
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Sagah: Sarawak must turn resources into innovation
Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the state must convert its research, biodiversity and natural resources into new industries and commercial opportunities. Speaking at the closing of the Sarawak SHInE International Conference 2026 at Imperial Hotel in Kuching on Friday, he cited the Sarawak Bioeconomy Roadmap as a key step linking research to industry.
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Sarawak youths hand haze memo to Indonesian consulate in Kuching
Two Sarawakian youths submitted a memorandum to the Indonesian Consulate-General in Kuching on Friday, seeking information on transboundary haze from Kalimantan fires. The consulate said Indonesia has deployed 43,951 personnel and 55 aircraft to fight fires in six priority provinces, with 77,080 hectares extinguished as of Sept 10.
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Daughter returns to Kuching for Sarawak liberation anniversary, father's wartime diary remembered
Anne Read, 73, returned to Kuching for the 81st anniversary of Sarawak's liberation from Japanese occupation, attending a wreath-laying ceremony at the Sarawak World War II Liberation Monument in Pending. Her father, Hugh Humphrey, was a civilian internee at the Batu Lintang camp who secretly kept a diary during his internment. She visited the former camp site and laid a wreath, noting the trip coincided with the 25th anniversary of her father's death.
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Cloud seeding only short-term relief for Sarawak haze, says researcher
A researcher at Danau Girang Field Centre says cloud seeding can only give short-term relief from Sarawak's worsening haze and cannot fix the root causes of recurring fires. She points to peatland drainage, weak fire prevention and land management as the deeper problems, while Sarawak seeks more cloud seeding to refill dams ahead of hotter weather in October.