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.

Nearly 69% of complaints logged through MYJalan since its 2023 launch involved roads handled by authorities outside the Works Ministry network. The platform recorded 68,334 complaints from Aug 1, 2023 to July 31, 2026. Of these, 46,886 were channelled through its No Wrong Door system to bodies such as local councils, district and land offices, the Irrigation and Drainage Department, and the Public Works Departments in Sabah and Sarawak. Another 21,448 complaints involved federal or state roads supervised by the ministry and its agencies. The ministry said 20,762 had been resolved and 686 remained under action. For Sarawak road users, MYJalan accepts photographs and GPS locations across 10 categories, from potholes and damaged markings to faulty traffic lights and landslides. The RM904.2 million maintenance allocation cited for 2026 covers Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan together; no Sarawak-only breakdown was given.

Police have arrested a 17-year-old over a video that appeared to show a motorcyclist performing a wheelie on Jalan Astana in Kuching. The footage, filmed in the direction of the Abang Kipali Roundabout, circulated on Facebook. Traffic police said they traced the motorcycle owner before the teenager came to the station on Aug 27 to assist with the investigation and was arrested. The case is being investigated under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for alleged reckless and dangerous driving. It remains at the investigation stage; police had not announced a charge or court outcome. Police warned that stunts on public roads can cause serious injury or death and may lead to legal action. Parents and guardians were also urged to pay attention to teenagers’ motorcycle use.

Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) has received the Alliance for Healthy Cities’ “Healthy City Expert” recognition at its global conference in Sydney. The recognition was presented during the alliance’s 11th Global Conference, held from Sept 1 to 3. DBKU linked it to its community-inclusion work, particularly Kejiranan Mesra and programmes that involve residents in neighbourhood development. DBKU’s own directory lists 54 Kejiranan Mesra areas for 2025–2026, showing the local network behind the submission. The city hall says the approach is intended to make Kuching North more inclusive, safe, sustainable and liveable. No new funding, facility or change to public services was announced with the recognition. Any expansion of the neighbourhood programmes or new targets will require a separate DBKU update.

From Sept 1, Sarawak Water customers can reach a 24-hour call centre at 1-300-88-2020, including on weekends and public holidays. The new line gives households and businesses one central number for customer assistance instead of limiting contact to normal office hours. Sarawak Water has not yet published a full list of the cases handled by the centre or a response-time target. When reporting a supply or premises issue, callers should give the exact location and keep an account or premises reference available if they have one. This helps the operator identify the case and route it without relying on a separate departmental number.

A late-night fire damaged about 80% of the Giatmara Kuching building at Taman Budaya, with no casualties reported. The Fire and Rescue Department said it received the call at 11.10pm on Aug 31. Firefighters from Padungan responded, with support from the Batu Lintang and Tabuan Jaya stations. The building measured about 50 by 50 feet. The blaze was brought under control at 12.08am and the operation ended at 1.41am. The cause and total losses remain under investigation. Anyone with classes or business at the centre should confirm the latest arrangement with Giatmara before going there, and keep away from the damaged area.

Voters in Tabuan Jaya, Stutong, Kenyalang and nearby neighbourhoods can now see how a proposed new state seat would redraw their area. The Election Commission map is displayed in the MBKS headquarters lobby from Sept 1 to 30 during normal office hours. Under the proposal, Tabuan Jaya, Tabuan Laru, Stutong, Tabuan Heights, Supreme and Kenyalang would form N16 Tabuan Jaya. P195 Bandar Kuching would then comprise N9 Padungan, N10 Pending, N11 Batu Lintang and N16 Tabuan Jaya, with 116,679 electors in total. Representations are not filed as casual individual objections. The notice allows submissions by the Sarawak government, an affected local authority, or a body of at least 100 registered electors from the constituencies concerned, within one month of publication. The boundaries are not final. Statewide, the review proposes 17 additional DUN seats, increasing the total from 82 to 99, while leaving Sarawak's number of parliamentary seats unchanged.

A Kuching South smart pole displayed an outdoor-activity message even while its API reading showed hazardous air, MBKS said on Tuesday. The council attributed the mismatch to a dashboard programming limit. The numerical reading remained accurate, but the advisory function had only been configured up to API 450. When the reading went higher, the system defaulted to the message used for the 0–50 healthy range. MBKS said it has told the system provider to rework the dashboard so the number, gauge and warning match official API bands, including exceptionally high readings. Until that update is confirmed across the system, residents should use the official API reading as the reference and avoid outdoor exercise once the air reaches hazardous levels.