Part of Jalan Tun Razak will be closed nightly from Sept 9 to Nov 8 for tree-cutting work linked to Kuching’s ART project. The closure will run from 9.30pm to 4.30am throughout the 61-day period. The affected stretch is part of the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) Phase 1 Red Line, which is being developed between Kuching Sentral and Pending. The work is tied to the future dedicated ART corridor, so the disruption will affect late-night journeys through this busy Kuching route. Sarawak Metro said traffic-management and safety signs will be placed along the route. Drivers using Jalan Tun Razak at night should allow extra time, follow the temporary arrangements and watch for further notices if the work schedule changes.

Kuching remained in the very unhealthy air-quality band on Sunday morning, even as readings improved in four other Sarawak areas. The API reading in Kuching was 235 at 8am, down from 276 at 8pm on Saturday. Sri Aman was also in the very unhealthy range at 216, while Lubok Antu, Lundu and Kanowit recorded 237, 215 and 215 respectively. Samarahan, Serian, Bintulu and Samalaju moved into the unhealthy band after their readings fell to between 184 and 200. No Sarawak station was above the hazardous threshold of 300 at the 8am update. The improvement is uneven. Smoke haze from Kalimantan was still drifting into parts of Sarawak on Sunday, and conditions may change with wind and rainfall. For Kuching residents, an API reading between 201 and 300 remains a signal to reduce prolonged outdoor activity and keep vulnerable family members away from smoky air.

MBKS probes dry hose, locked-away extinguishers after Stutong Market vehicle fire Kuching South City Council (MBKS) is investigating concerns over emergency firefighting equipment at Stutong Market after a vehicle was destroyed by fire on Thursday morning, with a dry fire hose and missing extinguishers hampering efforts to put out the blaze. Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said during his ShallWeeTalk live session on Saturday that the council had directed the relevant personnel to investigate and submit a report. He acknowledged that several fire extinguishers at the market had gone missing, calling it an internal security issue. Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, who was distributing N95 masks at the market when the fire broke out, posted on social media that the fire hose had no water supply and that extinguishers were locked inside an office and not readily accessible. He urged MBKS to inspect all firefighting equipment at markets under its jurisdiction. Wee said it would be premature to draw conclusions before the investigation is completed, adding that the cause of the fire itself must also be established. The fire started around 5am on Sept 3 and was eventually extinguished by firefighters. MBKS councillors have visited the affected hawker to check on their well-being and are assisting with police reports and other matters.

Serian remains under haze emergency for three more days as API drops, workplaces allowed to operate The Serian Division will stay under a state of emergency for the next three days despite an improvement in air quality, with businesses and government offices permitted to continue operations under health precautions. Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said it is monitoring the situation closely after Serian's Air Pollutant Index peaked at 521 on Sept 4. By 10am on Sept 5, the reading had dropped to 334, still within the hazardous band of 301-500. SDMC warned that API levels could fluctuate depending on wind direction and hotspot activity. A full assessment will be made after the three-day monitoring window before any recommendation is submitted to Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on whether to lift or extend the emergency. Industries, plantations, construction sites and quarries in the affected area may continue operating provided all necessary health safeguards are in place. The public has been advised to avoid outdoor activities where possible, and to wear N95 or at minimum 3-ply masks when going out. Particular care should be taken for children, senior citizens and vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, the Department of Environment reported that nine of Malaysia's 16 detected hotspots on Friday were in Sarawak, with the remaining five in Sabah and two in Terengganu. ASMC satellite data showed 139 hotspots in Kalimantan, with moderate to thick haze moving northeast towards Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei. Six Sarawak locations recorded very unhealthy API as of 1pm Sept 5: Serian (287), Kuching (267), Sri Aman (251), Samarahan (242), Samalaju (202) and Bintulu (201). Seven more registered unhealthy readings.

Sarawak housing law amendments remain under legal review, no tabling date set Proposed changes to Sarawak's key housing laws are still with the State Attorney-General's Chambers (SAG), with no firm timeline for their tabling in the State Legislative Assembly. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the proposed amendments to the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Ordinance 2013 (HDO 2013) and the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 2014 (HDR 2014) are currently undergoing legal review and refinement. Speaking at the SHEDA Property Expo 2026 in Kuching, Dr Sim was responding to SHEDA president Augustine Wong, who sought assurance that the amendments could be tabled before the current assembly term ends. The Deputy Premier said legislative processes can take time, pointing to another state ordinance that took about two years to complete. He reiterated the government's willingness to continue engaging with the industry on regulatory issues. Location: Kuching

Sarawak Forestry steps up patrols in fire-prone areas as haze and heat threaten wildlife Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has intensified monitoring in high-risk forest areas as the prolonged hot, dry and hazy weather increases the risk of forest fires and puts additional pressure on wildlife. SFC general manager Abang Arabi Abang Aimran said field patrols are being carried out particularly in peat forest areas and areas close to human activity, with hotspot detection technology used to identify early signs of fire. Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) that have previously been affected by fires are receiving extra attention. Among the sites being closely monitored are Bako National Park, Kuching Wetland National Park and Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kuching region, as well as Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary, Lambir National Park, Niah National Park and Mulu National Park in the Miri area. The corporation has also prepared emergency equipment and trained personnel, including veterinary officers, to respond to wildlife injuries or health problems caused by smoke exposure. SFC is coordinating with private veterinary centres and the Department of Veterinary Services. Location: Kuching, Miri

Sarawak to launch SAMUDAH platform to streamline business-to-government dealings The Sarawak government will soon introduce the SAMUDAH Management System, a coordinated digital platform designed to improve communication and issue-resolution between businesses and government departments. Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said the system will provide a structured mechanism for resolving business-related issues, with clearly recorded data to help policymakers identify and address system-level problems. His speech was read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian at the opening of the SHEDA Property Expo 2026 at voco Kuching. The initiative is part of a broader push under the 13th Malaysia Plan to streamline government delivery. It will complement the Integrated Results-Based Management (IRBM) system, which manages the performance of 13MP commitments including the construction of 20,000 affordable homes. Location: Kuching

Sarawak developers must now set aside 10% of project land for green spaces Developers in Sarawak will be required to dedicate at least 10 per cent of their project area to green spaces, Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg announced at the SHEDA Property Expo 2026 in Kuching. The requirement forms part of the state's push to embed sustainability into new developments. The same event also outlined that all new government buildings have been required to incorporate green features since 2025, while Building Information Modelling (BIM) will be used for government projects valued at RM10 million and above. The government is also targeting the use of Industrialised Building System (IBS) technology in 70 per cent of future government buildings and schools, and aims to source at least 50 per cent of construction products locally. Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, the state has also committed to building 20,000 affordable housing units. The Premier's speech was read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian. Location: Kuching Details: The policy applies to new developments across Sarawak and was announced on Sept 4, 2026 at voco Kuching.

A total of 647 schools in Sarawak will close for five days from Sept 7 to 11 as haze conditions worsen, with lessons moving online. The temporary closure covers 563 primary schools with 108,477 pupils and 84 secondary schools with 90,082 students. The affected education districts include Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Julau and Meradong. Home-based teaching and learning will continue during the closure. Schools have been told to follow education and health procedures, monitor local API readings through APIMS and observe guidance on outdoor activities. For families in Kuching and nearby districts, Monday’s arrangement is now clear for the listed schools: children should remain at home and follow instructions from their schools for online lessons. Any later change will come through the Sarawak Education Department.

A state of emergency has been declared in Serian district after its Air Pollutant Index crossed 500, the threshold classified as very hazardous. Serian’s API first passed 500 on Friday morning and reached 515 at 5pm, according to the latest reported reading. Kuching was at 306, while Samarahan and Sri Aman recorded 292 and 241 respectively. The declaration covers Serian district, about 60km southeast of Kuching. The Prime Minister’s Department said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the declaration after considering advice from the Prime Minister, Sarawak Premier and relevant agencies. Further measures will be taken to protect residents. The emergency status comes as smoke from fires in Indonesia continues to affect the region. School arrangements and other operating measures are being announced separately, so residents should follow the latest official notices rather than rely on an earlier API reading.

A fake government tender email sent to a Kuching construction office led to four transfers totalling RM161,400 before the recipient discovered that official names and a council stamp had been misused. Police said the 62-year-old contractor received the Aug 11 email at his Bintawa Industrial Estate office. It purported to seek Anker Solix F3800 portable power stations for the National Solid Waste Management Department’s Sri Aman branch, then directed him to a supposed supplier. He transferred money to two bank accounts between Aug 11 and 19. The victim checked directly with the department only after the payments. Police are investigating under Section 420 of the Penal Code; the reports did not say that anyone had been charged. For an online tender, obtain the purchasing agency’s contact details independently and verify the bank account before paying. Suspect phone numbers and accounts can be checked through PDRM’s Semak Mule service. Anyone who has just transferred money in an online scam should contact their bank and the National Scam Response Centre at 997 immediately.

A farmers’ market, smart poles and an inclusive playground have put three Kuching South City Council projects on the Top 29 finalist list for the 2026 JCI Malaysia Sustainable Development Awards. The Kuching Natural Farmers Market was shortlisted under SDG 8 for supporting local farmers and small producers. The MBKS Smart Pole Initiative sits under SDG 11 for park safety, environmental monitoring and management, while Ausome Park is under SDG 10 for play spaces that children of different abilities can use together. All three are existing community programmes. The announcement is a finalist placing, not a final award or a new rollout; the winners have yet to be announced.

Three traffic points near Simpang Tiga and Jalan Tun Jugah are scheduled to close from 8am to 5pm each day through Sunday, Sept 6. The daytime closures cover the slip road from Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho to Jalan Tun Jugah, part of the Simpang Tiga roundabout beside the EPF building, and the Jalan Jelutong junction into Jalan Tun Jugah. These are temporary arrangements for utilities relocation, not a permanent change to the road layout. Motorists moving between the city centre, Simpang Tiga and Jalan Tun Jugah should expect diversions at the work zones, follow signs on site and allow extra time. For a same-day check if site conditions change, Sarawak Metro lists its KUTS hotline as 1300 88 5887.

Serian’s API rose above 500 at 8am on Friday and reached 518 by 10am. Kuching was also in the hazardous range at 310 at 10am. At the IPD Serian monitoring station, the sequence was 495 at 7am, 502 at 8am, 510 at 9am and 518 at 10am. Elsewhere, Lundu (323), Tebedu (345) and Lubok Antu (398) were hazardous, while Samarahan (281) and Sri Aman (245) were very unhealthy. An API above 300 is classified as hazardous. Sarawak authorities had identified 500 as the threshold that could trigger an emergency declaration for the affected locality, but the reports carrying the 10am readings did not announce one. The 10am figures are a snapshot, not an all-day forecast. The Department of Environment updates MyEQMS hourly; check the latest station reading before heading outdoors and cut back on prolonged outdoor activity while the index remains hazardous.

The Kuching High Court has ended a nearly three-year drug case without calling the five accused to enter their defence. At the close of the prosecution’s case on Sept 3, the judge ruled that evidence from 15 witnesses had not established a prima facie case. All five were discharged and acquitted. The charge alleged that the group, acting with common intention, trafficked 42.2kg of methamphetamine at a hotel near Jalan Nanas at about 12.30pm on Oct 12, 2023. It was brought under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code. Because the court stopped the case at the prosecution stage, the five were never required to answer the allegation. The Sept 3 ruling is an acquittal, not a release after serving a sentence; no further step by the prosecution was stated.

The engineering question raised in Kuching reaches beyond one gadget: how can exams stay credible when AI can generate or display answers? For Sarawak's universities, schools and engineering students, that is the practical issue behind Thursday's fireside chat. Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said future engineers may need to develop technology capable of spotting AI-generated answers. He was referring to a report he had read about AI-enabled glasses that could provide answers, not to a proven incident in a Sarawak exam. The exchange took place during the 34th FEIAP General Assembly and World Engineering Congress at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching. Hosted by the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, the regional gathering runs from Sept 2 to 4. The session announced no new Sarawak examination rule, detector purchase, trial, budget or implementation date; any classroom or examination change would require a separate decision from the relevant education authorities.

Kuching's API was 285 at 2pm Thursday, putting the city in the Very Unhealthy band as haze continued to affect Sarawak. Residents planning a long stretch outdoors should check the newest reading rather than rely on the 2pm figure. Children, older people, pregnant women and people with heart or respiratory conditions face higher risk. Anyone who develops breathing difficulty should seek medical care. Lubok Antu posted the 2pm watch's most severe reading at 469, rated Very Hazardous. IPD Serian was at 370 and Lundu at 305, both Hazardous; Samarahan recorded 271 and Sri Aman 282, joining Kuching in the Very Unhealthy range. Miri's 100 was Moderate. The API is a 24-hour running average based on the dominant pollutant, not a single moment outdoors: 201 to 300 is Very Unhealthy, 301 to 400 Hazardous and 401 to 500 Very Hazardous.

A former Kuching bank relationship manager has been sentenced to seven years in prison and fined RM40 million after admitting 24 cheating and money-laundering charges. The Sessions Court heard that eight customers aged 60 to 75 lost more than RM1.58 million in a bond investment scheme that did not exist. He had offered higher returns while handling investments and remittances for the bank’s customers. Instead of placing the money in investments, he used customers’ signatures and biometric approvals to move funds into third-party accounts through DuitNow, interbank transfers and cashier’s orders without their knowledge or consent. He pleaded guilty to 16 cheating charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code and eight charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the anti-money-laundering law. The court ordered the prison terms to run concurrently; reports said he did not pay the RM40 million fine. A bank title is not proof that an investment is authorised. Customers should verify the product and recipient account through the bank’s official contact channels before approving any transfer or biometric confirmation.

Eight people are under a four-day remand after Kuching CID raided a Jalan Song apartment suspected of housing an online love-scam call centre. The raid was carried out at around 11pm on Sept 1. Police detained two local men, one local woman and five foreign men, all aged 21 to 26, and seized laptops, phones and other devices believed to have been used in the operation. Police said their preliminary checks pointed to an alleged call centre targeting people outside Malaysia, with the eight believed to have worked there full-time. Those claims remain part of an investigation under Sections 420 and 120B of the Penal Code. The Kuching Magistrates’ Court granted the four-day remand on Sept 2. None of the eight has been reported charged or convicted. Police have asked anyone with relevant information to contact a nearby station or the Kuching District Control Centre at 082-244444.

Stampin Resettlement Scheme’s flood project now has a contractor, but residents are still waiting for the construction timetable. DID Sarawak handed the Letter of Award to TMK Construction and Transport Sdn Bhd on Sept 2. The first package, valued at RM87,956,231.16, covers roadside drains and culverts along Jalan Stampin Baru and work on outlets leading to Sungai Stampin, Sungai Stutong and Sungai Kuap. This is the first firm step towards site work after years of planning. A DID update in July said the RM350 million scheme was announced in November 2022 and had yet to begin physical construction at that point. The wider plan will be delivered in stages, with reinforced-concrete drains, channels and detention ponds among the proposed works. Project estimates put the reach at 1,053 households, or 9,026 people. The award does not mean flood protection is already in place. DID has not published the start and completion dates or a traffic-management schedule, details that Jalan Stampin Baru residents will need once work begins.