The 2.24km tunnel at Bukit Pagon in Lawas is taking shape under the Sarawak–Sabah Link Road Phase 2 project. It is construction progress, not an announcement that a new driving route is open. The Borneo Post reported on Oct 24 that Sarawak JKR described the tunnel as a milestone in crossing the mountainous terrain. The wider SSLR2 scheme covers a 335.54km road network in northern Sarawak, connecting areas including Miri, Limbang, Lawas and Ba’Kelalan. For people travelling between Sarawak and Sabah, the important eventual change is an alternative route that does not pass through Brunei. Interior communities that have relied on logging roads are also expected to gain better access. Those are intended benefits of the completed network, not services motorists should assume are available now. SSLR2 was launched in September 2025, carries an estimated RM7.6 billion cost and is scheduled for completion in 2029, with Sarawak JKR as implementing agency. The RM7.6 billion figure is for the overall road project, not the 2.24km tunnel alone; the reported 2029 target likewise should not be read as a separate confirmed tunnel-opening date.

Lawas town’s RM29.5 million Type 3 health clinic is expected to begin operating in early 2027, while the separate RM8.21 million replacement clinic at Kuala Lawas has a January 2028 completion target. The two schedules describe different facilities. The Lawas clinic is expected to be handed over by Sarawak’s Public Works Department to the Health Ministry this December; a handover target is not the same as an opening date. Deputy Health Minister Hanifah Hajar Taib outlined the projects in a Dewan Rakyat reply on Oct 21, The Borneo Post reported. The planned additional services at the Lawas facility include radiology, dental care, rehabilitation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, alongside four staff quarters. Kuala Lawas is replacing existing clinic infrastructure. Construction began in July 2026, with an 18-month programme and expected completion in January 2028. Its stated facilities include an emergency room, three treatment rooms and four staff quarters. For families following healthcare access in the district, the immediate milestone is the planned December handover at Lawas, followed by the proposed start of services early next year. Neither that timetable nor Kuala Lawas’s later construction target should be read as confirmation that the new facilities are already open.

Police have arrested a suspect and recovered a homemade firearm after a 17-year-old was shot in both legs in Lawas. The arrest was made on Aug 25, after the teenager was injured at a water catchment area in Long Lidong. Police said the firearm, locally known as a ‘bakakuk’, was found at a hut near the suspect’s home, covered with a zinc sheet. The teenager had earlier been found injured after he failed to return from the forest. He was taken to Lawas Hospital and was reported to be in stable condition. Investigators said the teenager had gone hunting with a relative and was accidentally shot by a friend who mistook him for an animal. That is the account under investigation; the arrest is not a conviction, and police have not announced any court outcome. The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code and Section 37 of the Arms Act 1960. Police are still tracing witnesses and gathering information. Anyone with relevant knowledge should pass it to the police and avoid spreading speculation about the case.

Northern Sarawak’s connectivity plan is moving toward a direct Limbang–Lawas link, with the new route intended to reduce reliance on paths through Brunei. The agreement signed in Lawas on Aug 26 brings Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) and Syarikat SESCO Berhad (SESCO) together to use communications infrastructure already owned in Sarawak. It includes SESCO’s Virtual Fibre network, with the overall network alignment reported at about 1,926 kilometres. The gap is felt in everyday services. Businesses in Lawas have faced e-payment problems, while the Lawas district police headquarters has also experienced internet issues despite its role in disaster management. Better links would support education, healthcare, government services and emergency response across the two northern divisions. This is an infrastructure agreement, not a switch-on notice. The parties have not given a launch date, coverage map or speed target, so the next meaningful update will be where the route reaches and whether service interruptions ease.

A gas leak reported beside the Northern Coastal Highway at Kampung Dato, Lawas on July 23 prompted firefighters to establish a safety perimeter and stop nearby work. [image: 1784865900417-lawas-gas-leak.jpg] Photo: Fire and Rescue Department via DayakDaily The Lawas fire station received the call at 5pm. On arrival, the team placed barriers about 40 metres from the leak and instructed the contractor to stop activity in the immediate area. The Fire and Rescue Department said periodic monitoring would continue. This was a dated incident report, not a live road warning The original report did not identify the gas involved, the exact cause, the repair completion time or a full road closure. It also did not state that the whole Northern Coastal Highway was unsafe. Those details should not be guessed from the photograph. Anyone encountering a suspected leak should keep away from the marked zone, avoid flames, cigarettes and electrical switches nearby, and follow instructions from emergency personnel. Do not stop at the roadside to take photos. If there is a strong unusual smell, visible vapour or a hissing sound, move upwind if possible and call 999 from a safe distance. People reading this later should check current police, Bomba, Public Works Department or contractor notices before treating the July 23 safety perimeter as still active. Location: Kampung Dato, Lawas Reported: July 23 at 5pm Confirmed action: Work stopped locally; roughly 40-metre barrier established Sources: DayakDaily · Sarawak Public Works Department