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Sarawak’s interim special grant will rise to RM1.5 billion a year from 2026, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced in Kuching on Sept 16. The payment is made under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. The higher figure is an interim arrangement while Putrajaya and Sarawak continue negotiating a longer-term formula. That distinction matters: the announcement sets a larger annual amount for the interim period, but it does not settle the final mechanism for calculating the grant. The next step is the continuing federal-state talks.

Bintulu Port has completed its move from federal to Sarawak administration, with the formal handover held in Kuching on Sept 16. The port’s state status took effect on Sept 1 under the transfer legislation. The handover marks the end of a three-year transition involving the port’s management and government responsibilities, rather than a shutdown of port operations. Transport Minister Anthony Loke handed the documents to Sarawak Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah in a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Premier Abang Johari. The agreed takeover value was RM1.8 billion. For businesses using the port, the immediate story is continuity under a new state administration. Future changes to investment, tariffs or operating arrangements will depend on later announcements.

A generator supplying power to a telecommunications tower was destroyed in a fire at Jalan Kuap, Samarahan, on Sept 16 afternoon. Bomba received the distress call at 2.27pm. Firefighters from the Siburan Fire and Rescue Station arrived at 2.58pm and brought the fire under control by 3.10pm using water from an open source. Nine firefighters and three police personnel were involved. No casualties were reported, and the operation ended at 3.30pm. The initial report confirms damage to the generator, but does not state whether telecommunications service was interrupted or what caused the fire. Residents who notice smoke or a new outage should contact the relevant emergency or service provider rather than approach the site.

The BUDI Diesel subsidy transfer facility has been widened with immediate effect, allowing a registered vehicle owner to transfer eligibility to any eligible Malaysian citizen who is the vehicle’s designated actual user. The change matters to private diesel pickup and four-wheel-drive owners in Sarawak who use family vehicles or vehicles bought through informal “sambung bayar” arrangements. Transfer of subsidy eligibility does not transfer ownership of the vehicle. A registered owner with more than one eligible diesel vehicle may transfer the monthly entitlement for those vehicles to a maximum of three actual users, subject to the scheme’s conditions and the number of eligible vehicles. Applications are made through the BUDI MADANI portal or at an Inland Revenue Board office. The deadline matters: applications submitted by the 27th of a month can be processed for use from the first day of the following month, subject to data checks. A transfer is generally allowed only once for each vehicle, and a recipient may receive a transfer from only one registered owner.

A one-off RM500 flight aid will be given to 7,095 eligible new students entering public universities, polytechnics and community colleges for the September and October intakes. The assistance is for domestic flights between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan. It is particularly relevant to Sarawak families sending students across the South China Sea for the start of term. The aid was announced in Kuching on Sept 16. The Transport Ministry is expected to release the implementation details, including how eligible students will receive it, so families should wait for the formal procedure before making assumptions about reimbursement or application deadlines.

Kuching’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose to 95 at 8am on Sept 17, moving close to the unhealthy range but remaining moderate. Serian recorded 92 and Tebedu 90 at the same reading. Samarahan and Lundu were both at 77, while Lubok Antu and Betong stood at 76. The readings were higher than the previous 8pm figures in most of these areas. Samalaju also moved from good to moderate at 58, while Kanowit and Mukah improved into the good range. API readings from 51 to 100 are classified as moderate, and 0 to 50 as good. Conditions can change through the day, so people planning prolonged outdoor activity should check the latest official reading rather than rely on this morning’s snapshot.

Sarawak is exploring wider arts and cultural programmes involving schools as part of a stronger partnership with the National Department for Culture and Arts. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between the state tourism and creative-industry ministry and JKKN officials. Existing cooperation includes the annual Gendang Festival, whose preliminary rounds cover northern, central, Samarahan and Kuching zones. A Mobile Stage Truck used for grassroots arts programmes was also handed over by JKKN Sarawak to the Sarawak Arts Council. The truck had served rural programmes from 2010 to last year. The update signals a direction for future school and community programmes, but it does not yet set out participating schools, dates or a new curriculum. Those details will determine how widely students can take part.

Pending Jetty Hawker Centre has seen some improvements, but further infrastructure work will depend on continued funding and planning. The Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor said toilets had been renovated, a monument installed and upgrading work around the jetty was under way after a site visit on Sept 16. MBKS will continue working with federal agencies on better facilities and development opportunities for the centre and its surrounding community. The council also said it would gather feedback from residents, hawkers and other stakeholders. No final cost or completion schedule was announced in the update. For traders, the immediate takeaway is that the centre remains an active community project rather than a finished redevelopment package.

More than 900,000 Sarawakians have benefited from Rahmah cash assistance, with 88,855 recipients recorded in the Kota Samarahan parliamentary constituency. The figures were announced in Kota Samarahan on Sept 16 as the government promoted the combined support of Rahmah Cash Aid and Rahmah Basic Aid. Eligible households in the most-needy group can receive up to RM4,600 a year through the two schemes, according to the minister cited in the announcement. The Rahmah Madani Sale programme is also being expanded through shops, supermarkets and mobile outlets. The stated target is at least three such programmes each month in every state constituency, giving rural communities more ways to access lower-priced daily necessities. The cash-aid figures are a record of beneficiaries, not a new application deadline. Households should rely on official government channels for eligibility and payment updates.

Five rural markets in the Mas Gading constituency will receive a combined RM1 million redevelopment allocation. The package covers a new Tembawang Sauh rural market, sales stalls at Kampung Grogo and upgrades to the Jagoi, Duyoh and Stenggang farmers’ markets in the Bau area. The implementing agency, UDA Holdings, will handle planning, delivery and monitoring. Before work starts, the project scope, land status and bill of quantities must still be reviewed. The announcement gives traders a clearer list of which sites are included, but it is not a completion date. The allocation forms part of Sarawak’s wider rural-market programme, which recorded 61 projects worth RM13 million from 2024 to Aug 31, 2026.

Miri Hospital is seeking another 4,000 blood donors to reach its 10,000-donor target for the year. The hospital had recorded about 6,000 donors by August, and is aiming to collect at least 1,000 donors a month through the end of 2026 to keep supplies steady. The appeal was made at a Malaysia Day blood-donation programme in Miri, where organisers said voluntary donation has been the city’s established model since 1979. Blood collected in Miri can also be supplied to hospitals in Marudi and Limbang when needed. For Sarawak residents, the practical point is straightforward: regular voluntary donors help keep the state’s northern blood supply available beyond a single campaign day. People considering donation should use the hospital or Malaysian Red Crescent’s current channels to check eligibility and the next session.

Sarawak is setting a new target of 50 million trees by 2030 after exceeding its previous five-year planting goal. The target comes under Malaysia Greening Programme 2.0. The state had planted more than 35 million trees between 2021 and 2025, according to the latest forestry update. The programme is being linked to a broader push to make forests support rural livelihoods as well as conservation. A southern-zone non-timber forest products expo held from July 31 to Aug 9 brought together 40 community-based entrepreneurs and generated RM501,677.70 in sales. That combination matters for Sarawak’s forest policy: the next phase is being presented not only as a planting exercise, but also as an attempt to create income from non-timber products, ecosystem services, biodiversity and ecotourism while keeping natural resources under sustainable management.

Sarawak is exploring Hong Kong partnerships to bring more investment and commercial opportunities into its semiconductor and deep-tech ambitions. The discussion took place in Kuching on Tuesday during a meeting involving Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg, SMD Semiconductor and venture-capital firm Gobi Partners. The areas under consideration include institutional and strategic investment, co-investment opportunities, and the commercialisation of emerging technology. The proposal links two different strengths: Hong Kong’s finance and innovation networks, and Sarawak’s developing semiconductor, digital-infrastructure and technology base. It is still at the exploration stage, with the next task being to identify specific projects where the partners can work together. For Sarawak, the significance is less about an immediate new factory than about building routes to capital, talent and technology partners as the state tries to move from semiconductor manufacturing support into locally developed products.

All Sarawak schools are due to return to normal classes on Sept 17 after the latest air-quality readings moved out of the unhealthy range. The Sarawak Education Department said Lubok Antu district schools, the last group affected by the haze-related suspension, would resume physical lessons on Thursday. The latest 8am readings cited by See Hua Daily News placed Kuching at 75, Serian at 70 and Kota Samarahan at 68 — all in the moderate range. Families in areas where smoke or fine particles still linger may keep a child at home if health concerns remain, but the absence must be reported to the school. Air quality can change during the day, so parents should continue checking official updates rather than treating the reopening as an end to all haze precautions.

Sarawak is upgrading former logging roads so remote communities can reach clinics by land instead of relying on helicopter services for routine healthcare access. The road push includes routes in Baram and Marudi, with about 142 kilometres of JKR R3-standard roads and a much wider network planned statewide. Reports from DayakDaily and The Borneo Post put the broader completion target between 2030 and 2032, depending on the project scope. The policy matters beyond travel time: a road is available day and night, while air services depend on aircraft, weather and operating conditions. The state has not said that helicopters will disappear immediately. The next useful measure will be which stretches are funded, opened and connected to clinics and longhouses in each remote district.

Sarawak will host the 2029 Islamic Solidarity Games, bringing a 57-country competition to a state still preparing for next year's SEA Games. The event is expected to be centred in Kuching, with Serian being considered for some competitions. Sarawak has received the hosting rights and an agreement has been signed, according to reports from DayakDaily and The Borneo Post. The final sports programme and detailed budget are not yet fixed. The early estimate reported by The Borneo Post puts the cost at about RM400 million to RM450 million, above the RM350 million allocation cited for the SEA Games. For Kuching, the practical test will be whether venue upgrades, transport and accommodation plans can handle athletes, officials, crews and supporters from across the OIC membership.

Malaysia Red Crescent volunteers and medical personnel brought food aid and health support to two families in Sungai Seruas, Bakong. The Miri District branch held the community-care visit on Saturday, Sept 12. Families received essential food baskets, while doctors and medical officers provided consultations, reviewed medical records and offered advice on existing health concerns. The visit also involved Miri City Council, PKB Miri and Klinik Kesihatan Bandaraya Miri. It was a targeted community-service effort rather than a general aid announcement, and the report did not state that the programme had opened a wider application scheme. The model combines immediate household assistance with a basic health check, giving volunteers a clearer view of what support the families may need next.

A proposal to make Siburan a district has been revived as the area’s population and economic activity grow. Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said the proposal was first raised more than a decade ago. He said the Siburan, Tapah and Beratok areas could develop into a satellite town serving Kuching and Serian if growth is planned in an integrated way. The proposal is not an approved district upgrade. Jerip said the three areas should continue receiving attention as a more organised growth area. He also said RM5 million had been allocated to renovate and upgrade Siburan Multipurpose Hall, including work to obtain its Occupancy Permit and add parking. For communities south of Kuching, the update points to a planning direction and a confirmed hall allocation, but not a new administrative boundary or implementation timetable.

Sarawak expects as many as 30,000 people may need palliative care by 2030, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said. Dr Sim said the state is expanding access to end-of-life care through the free Hospice and Palliative Care Centre, which is run by Kuching Life Care Society with Ministry of Health hospital services operating on its premises. The centre increased its capacity from eight beds to 16 after opening its service in April. He said palliative care is also planned as part of the Sarawak Cancer Centre, currently targeted to operate by 2032. The projection is an estimate, not a confirmed patient count, and the report did not announce a final statewide bed target. The immediate issue is capacity: the centre’s growth has outpaced workforce expansion, while families who cannot afford home hospice care still need accessible support near the end of life.

The RM9.89 million replacement project for SK Kampung Selanyau in Subis remains a sick project after missing its original completion date. The school site was handed over in May 2021 and was scheduled for completion in July 2022. Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said during a recent visit that the project is receiving attention and that all parties must complete their responsibilities. The replacement covers classrooms, an administration building, laboratories, teachers’ quarters and other facilities. The latest report does not announce a new completion date, so the project should not be described as near completion. For the school community, the key update is that the delayed project remains under attention while the promised facilities and equipment still await completion and handover.