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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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Uggah: Efficient administration key to delivering Sarawak policies
Sarawak Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas said the state government's ability to deliver policies and aid depends on efficient administrative machinery at every level. Speaking at the PRN Mambong Administrative Machinery Workshop at the Biperoh Association Hall in Padawan on Sept 11, he urged communities to make full use of government facilities and reaffirmed Sarawak's commitment to its rights under MA63.
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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 Trade Fair 2026 in Kuching draws China, Bangladesh exhibitors
The Sarawak Trade Fair 2026 will run from Oct 2 to 4 at the Ang Cheng Ho Sports and Community Hall in Batu Kawah, Kuching. Organised by the Sarawak Manufacturers' Association, the three-day fair will feature exhibitors from China and Bangladesh alongside companies from across Sarawak.
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SGH Kuching gives East Malaysia's first targeted prostate cancer therapy
Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching administered East Malaysia's first targeted radionuclide therapy for advanced prostate cancer on Aug 27, using Lu-177 PSMA-617. The hospital says the treatment saves patients in Sarawak and the wider region from flying to Peninsular Malaysia for advanced cancer care.
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Sarawak halal certificates now total 1,256, JAIS says
Sarawak has 1,256 halal certificate holders to date, with more than 20 certificates approved today, according to the state Islamic Religious Department's Halal Division. Its head, Ustaz Jamaludin Taim, said 71 per cent of applications are completed within the 30-day KPI, and blamed delays on cleanliness, kitchen practices and difficulty sourcing items such as gelatin and food colouring. He spoke after a certificate handover ceremony at iCafe Sarawak Chinese Muslim Seafood in Kuching.
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Sarawak Bioeconomy Roadmap launched in Kuching
Sarawak launched its Bioeconomy Roadmap at the close of the Sarawak SHInE International Conference 2026 at Imperial Hotel, Kuching. State Minister Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the roadmap, developed with SRDC and BioVerde Technologies, aims to strengthen industry-research links and speed up commercialisation. Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg announced it at the conference opening the day before.
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Kuching man jailed 11 months for assaulting wife by roadside
A 37-year-old man in Kuching was sentenced to 11 months in jail after pleading guilty to assaulting his wife, whom he suspected of infidelity. The attack happened by the roadside near Kampung Tabuan Melayu at about 6.30pm on Jan 31, and the victim suffered soft tissue injuries to her neck, chest and wrist.
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Man drowns after jumping into Sungai Perak to retrieve drifting boat
A 38-year-old man was found drowned after jumping into Sungai Perak at Batu 18, Kampung Kuchai, Bota Kiri near Parit, yesterday. His body was found floating about four kilometres from where he jumped at 2pm, after a search operation by 30 personnel from the Perak Fire and Rescue Department.
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iCafe Chinese Muslim Seafood in Kuching receives halal certification
The iCafe Chinese Muslim Seafood restaurant in Kuching, Sarawak, has obtained halal certification after about 20 years in operation and a year of improvements. Its owner, Muhammad Lukas Lim Abdullah, hopes the certification will boost customer confidence, especially among Muslims from Peninsular Malaysia and tourists.
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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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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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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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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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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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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.
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DAP Sarawak questions 99-seat DUN expansion without more parliamentary seats
DAP Sarawak has questioned the rationale for raising the number of Sarawak state seats from 82 to 99 without a matching increase in parliamentary representation. Its chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the party objects on three grounds, including unequal voter distribution and unfair ethnic representation, and spoke at a press conference at the party's Sarawak headquarters in Kuching.
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Abdullah Saidol: Malaysia formation facts must be told in proper perspective
Sarawak Deputy Minister Datuk Abdullah Saidol said facts about Malaysia's formation must be presented in proper perspective to avoid confusion, especially amid conflicting interpretations on social media. He spoke in Kuching after a preview of the Malaysia Day 2026 Exhibition at Plaza Merdeka, which runs from Sept 10 to 16 and displays key documents including the Cobbold Commission Report and the Malaysia Agreement 1963.