What's happening around you
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JAIS: Halal cert is more than a guarantee, it opens wider markets
The head of the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department's halal division, Ustaz Jamaludin Taim, said halal certification is not just a confirmation that a product is halal but a benchmark for quality and food safety that opens wider market opportunities. He spoke after handing over a halal certificate to iCafe Chinese Muslim Seafood in Kuching, and urged more Muslim entrepreneurs in Sarawak to get certified.
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Sarawak rolls out One Planting, Three Harvests model for pineapple growers
Sarawak is promoting a 'Sekali Tanam, Tiga Kali Tuai' model to help pineapple smallholders earn from fruit, suckers and plant waste. The concept was outlined at the opening of a three-day state pineapple industry course at Hotel 56 in Kuching, attended by about 200 participants.
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Uggah confident GPS can sweep all Dayak-majority seats in Sarawak polls
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said GPS is confident of winning all Dayak-majority seats in the coming state election, citing its five-year development record. He spoke after officiating at the Mambong Administrative Machinery Workshop at the Biperoh Association Multipurpose Hall in Kampung Gerung near Kuching. Uggah declined to say whether all Bidayuh incumbents would be retained as candidates.
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AIM25 makes history in Sarawak, exclusive on TVS
The 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25) will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), Sarawak on 26 September, the first time in its 25-year history it is staged outside Peninsular Malaysia. Two new categories, Best Borneo Song and Best Festive Song, have been added to the 32 main categories. TVS will broadcast the event live and exclusively, including the red carpet and post-event press conference.
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AIM25 held outside Peninsular Malaysia for first time, in Kuching on Sept 26
The 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25) will be held for the first time outside Peninsular Malaysia, at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Sarawak on 26 September 2026. The silver jubilee edition, co-organised by RIM and TVS, introduces two new categories - Best Borneo Song and Best Festive Song - and features performances by artists including Dato' Sri Siti Nurhaliza and Hafiz Suip.
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Anwar to announce interim measure on Sarawak claims on Sept 16 in Kuching
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will announce an interim measure on Sarawak's longstanding claims during Malaysia Day celebrations in Kuching on Sept 16. He said he will continue discussions with Premier Abang Johari over the next few days, and the federal government also agreed to raise Sabah's interim payment to RM1.5 billion.
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Malaysia Day 2026 celebration at BCCK Kuching on Sept 16
The Malaysia Day 2026 celebration will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching in Sarawak on Sept 16, the Communications Ministry said. The programme includes a multi-faith thanksgiving on Sept 14, a Muslim thanksgiving at the State Mosque on Sept 15, and a main event featuring a pulut kuning cutting and the signing of the Malaysia Proclamation Book by the Prime Minister, Sarawak Premier and Sabah Chief Minister.
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PM hands RM1,500 special aid to 111 families of Numbak fire victims
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim presented RM1,500 in special federal aid to each of the 111 households affected by the Numbak fire in Kota Kinabalu. The aid was delivered during his visit to the temporary relocation centre at Dewan Serbaguna Damai. The 30 August blaze destroyed 202 houses and killed three children.
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Sarawak seeks frequent cloud seeding as hotter October looms
Sarawak has asked the National Disaster Management Agency to carry out cloud seeding as soon and as often as conditions allow, to replenish water levels at its dams before hotter weather expected in October. Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas said the state had discussed the matter with Nadma after limited success from earlier operations, and that he had not yet received the latest readings for the Batang Ai, Bakun and Murum dams.
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Two Serian men fined RM7,500 for rioting and smashing rear windscreen of elderly man accused of stealing oil palm fruit
Two men in Serian, Sarawak, were each fined RM7,500 after pleading guilty to smashing the rear windscreen of a 72-year-old man's car and taking part in a riot over an accusation of stolen oil palm fresh fruit bunches. The offences happened near the junction of Kampung Resak, Serian on Aug 28, and 12 others were each fined RM3,500 for the same riot.
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Sarawak woman missing a month after leaving for Taiwan
A 41-year-old woman from Sarawak has been reported missing after her family lost contact with her following her departure for Taiwan in early August. The Padawan district police chief said the missing-person report for Azrimah Raimin was lodged at Batu Kawa police station on 9 September, and the public is asked to pass information to the police.
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Post-mortem on five helicopter crash victims in Ulu Baram completed
The post-mortem on five victims of a BO-105 helicopter crash near Long Lellang STOLport in Ulu Baram, Sarawak, has been completed at Miri Hospital's Forensic Department. All five died from severe burns. The bodies have not been released to families pending DNA test results.
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Man held over illegal lottery sales at Roban rest hut
A 46-year-old man was arrested at a rest hut by the Saratok riverbank in Roban, Sarawak, on suspicion of selling illegal lottery numbers. Police seized a slip of paper with lottery numbers, cash and a pen. The case is being investigated under Section 4A(a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.
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Abdullah Saidol: Communication turns Sarawak's diversity into strength
Sarawak Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department Datuk Abdullah Saidol said communication is what turns the state's mix of ethnic communities, languages and beliefs into strength. Speaking at the 10th International Conference on Communication and Media (i-COME'26) at Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching on Friday, he warned that fabricated narratives on race and religion can spark unrest and urged media to avoid clickbait. He also witnessed the exchange of a Letter of Intent between Ukas and UUM.
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Tanker driver injured, trapped in crash at Bulatan ILP Samarahan
A 36-year-old tanker driver injured his right leg after being trapped in a crash with a cargo lorry at the Bulatan ILP Samarahan Expressway junction in Kota Samarahan early this morning. Kota Samarahan fire and rescue personnel used a Rescue Tool Kit to free him before he was taken to IJN Kota Samarahan in an EMRS vehicle.
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Abdullah Saidol: digital literacy key to defending unity
Sarawak Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department Datuk Abdullah Saidol said digital competence and effective communication systems must be strengthened so Malaysia's diversity remains a strength. He said social media content touching on race and religion can stir public unease and hatred, so the government must regulate appropriately while the public is empowered with digital literacy. He spoke at the opening of the 10th International Conference on Media and Communication 2026 (i-COME'26) in Kuching, organised by Universiti Utara Malaysia.
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Teen tried to pass a stick but could not reach uncle feared drowned in Sungai Perak
A 38-year-old man is feared drowned after jumping into Sungai Perak to retrieve a drifting boat at Batu 18, Kampung Kuchai, Bota Kiri, Perak, yesterday evening. His 13-year-old nephew said he tried to hand him a stick but it did not reach before the man went under. A search-and-rescue operation involving 26 firemen, including divers and a K9 dog, began this morning.
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Serian API back to very unhealthy level at 202
Serian in Sarawak recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 202 at 11am on Sept 11, again entering the very unhealthy range. It was the highest in Sarawak, while 15 other monitoring stations recorded unhealthy readings.
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14 fined RM3,500 each over armed riot at Kampung Resak junction
Fourteen people were fined RM3,500 each, in default 12 months' jail, by the Serian Magistrate's Court for rioting while armed with stones at a road junction in Kampung Resak, Serian, on Aug 28. Two of them were fined an extra RM4,000 each for damaging a Proton Saga, whose rear windscreen was smashed and a passenger slightly hurt. The court heard the riot stemmed from accusations over the alleged theft of oil palm fruit.
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SAINS signs MoU with 8nabler to expand voice AI use
Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysian voice AI firm 8nabler in Kuching to widen voice AI use in ICT customer support services. 8nabler's Panacea platform handled 4,056 ICT support calls for civil servants without human assistance over two months. The two parties will run a scoping and testing phase to find use cases across SAINS-supported application systems.
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AIM 25 heads to Kuching for the first time, RM950,000 in prizes
The 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik will be held in Kuching, Sarawak, for the first time on 26 September, tied to Malaysia Day celebrations. The Borneo Convention Centre Kuching show will feature Siti Nurhaliza, Hael Husaini, Hujan and Indonesian singer Fajar Noor, with RM950,000 in funding for 16 main categories.
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Malaysia Day musical theatre spotlights nationalists' sacrifice
A musical theatre production titled 'Malaysia MADANI Kesejahteraan Dinikmati' will be staged for Malaysia Day on 16 September at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching. Director Cikgu Zakaria Hassan said the 18-minute show highlights the sacrifice of nationalists, unity and national development, involving about 70 people.
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Sarawak Energy reviews 24 viral electricity bill complaints
Sarawak Energy is reviewing 24 electricity bill complaints that went viral on social media and has contacted the affected customers. SESCO chief executive Yusri Safri said each case is assessed on its own circumstances and adjustments or waivers may be made where warranted. Special bill counters are open in Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu throughout September.
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Deputy minister: digital transformation must improve public services
Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong said at the Digital Government Exchange 2026 in Kuching that digital transformation must make public services more seamless, accessible, inclusive and responsive. He said 445,000 civil servants are targeted for training under Nationwide AI Network 2.0, covering generative AI, productivity and workflow automation. The event, organised by Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd, focuses on AI and data-driven governance.