AirBorneo is expected to add a direct Kuching-Jakarta route in October, according to an announcement made in Lundu on Sunday. The flight is expected to take about one hour and 20 minutes, creating a new link between Sarawak and Indonesia’s capital. The state has framed the route as part of its tourism and healthcare plans: visitors from Jakarta could reach Kuching directly, while patients may find the journey more convenient. Those are the government’s stated aims; the route’s actual passenger demand will become clearer after operations begin. The announcement did not specify a launch day, flight frequency, fares or when tickets would go on sale. Travellers should wait for AirBorneo’s booking details before making plans around the new service.

Sri Aman-born singer Mawat won the inaugural Best Borneo Song award at the 25th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM25) in Kuching on Saturday night. His song “Dayang Bintang” was chosen for the first award in a category created to recognise music from Borneo. The 24-year-old, whose full name is Gibrael Mawat Clement Saran, becomes the category’s first recipient. AIM25 was staged in Kuching for the first time this year, bringing the national recording awards to Sarawak and giving Borneo music a dedicated place in the programme.

A new water treatment plant in Sebuyau was 79% complete at the latest site update on Sept 23. The five-million-litre-a-day project, funded by the Sarawak government at a cost of nearly RM15 million, is intended to add treated-water capacity for Sebuyau and nearby communities in Samarahan Division. The area currently receives treated water from the 868-MLD Batu Kitang plant in Kuching, alongside the smaller 3.2-MLD Sungai Ular facility. The new plant will draw raw water from Sungai Ular and is expected to ease reliance on supply from Batu Kitang once it is operating. The Sept 23 update gave no opening date; the 79% figure is construction progress, not an operating status.

Scheduled flights between Betong Division’s Bebuling Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOLport) and Kuching are planned once the facility begins operating. The operating date has not been set because several matters are still being finalised, so this is not a start-date or ticket-sales announcement. A second flight trial took place on Sept 26 as part of readiness checks. A separate report said the test flight from Kuching took about 15 minutes, compared with roughly three hours by road to Betong. That trial time is not a published passenger timetable. The project is expected to improve access for Betong and Spaoh, but residents will need to wait for an operational date and confirmed service details.

Sarawak plans to establish a dedicated authority to manage and develop its lake areas, including reservoirs created by dam projects, as part of the state’s development plans for the next five years. The proposal was announced in Betong on Sept 26. The lakes named for development include Batang Ai, Murum, Baleh, Bakun and Bengoh. The stated aim is to improve facilities and develop selected sites as tourism destinations. No name for the new authority, budget, implementation timetable or individual lake projects was announced, so the plan remains at the announcement stage rather than a set of scheduled works.

Kanowit recorded Sarawak’s highest air-pollutant reading at 4pm on Sept 26: an API of 201, down from 213 at 10am but still in the “Very Unhealthy” band. It was the state’s only station in that category. Serian was at 137, classed as “Unhealthy”, while most other stations were moderate; Kuching stood at 91 and Samarahan at 84. The morning snapshot had Kanowit at 215 and Serian at 152, so both readings had eased by afternoon. The figures are tied to a specific time and can shift during the day. Residents, especially in Kanowit and Serian, should check the latest NREB API reading before planning prolonged outdoor activity.

A new cohort of 42 trainees is learning Bidayuh Biatah dance and music at Kampung Sungai Duuh, giving Siburan’s community-led heritage effort a wider age range to work with. Participants are between four and 53 and come from eight villages. The programme is now in its third cohort. Its first group began training in mid-2024 with 30 students, while 31 people graduated from the second cohort earlier this year. Lessons cover dance choreography and traditional instruments for performances at cultural and official events. The scale-up is modest but concrete: more villages and generations are being brought into the same practice, rather than leaving transmission to a small circle of performers. The association says the aim is to keep Biatah forms distinct while giving learners a way to carry them into public performances.

Sarawak’s Cabinet has approved a two-year service extension for 100 personnel with the Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKMS). Their current service period is due to end on Dec 31, and the extension was approved at the Cabinet meeting on Sept 24. The staff help JKMS handle welfare cases and disaster-relief operations, and support programmes such as the Kenyalang Gold Card. The department recorded 57,211 monthly welfare-assistance recipients across Sarawak, including children, older people, persons with disabilities and bedridden patients. The decision keeps an existing support team in place; the announcement did not set out a new benefit amount or change to eligibility.

Sarawak has recorded RM1.35 million in disaster assistance this year, covering 258 cases and 7,722 people affected by five types of disasters. The figures, presented at a Kuching aid handover on Sept 25, cover storms, fires, landslides, floods and drought. Fire victims accounted for the largest allocation: RM636,300 across 92 cases involving 422 people. Flood assistance totalled RM331,710 for 1,714 people in 14 cases. Officials said support is assessed from each household's profile and needs. It can include food, clothing, bedding, small-business assistance and building materials, rather than one uniform package. The announcement did not specify a new application window or a standard cash amount, so affected households should check with the Social Welfare Department about their own case.

Three outdoor activities planned for Sunday at Sarawakku Sayang in Betong have been cancelled as haze persists. The programme organisers cancelled aerobics, Betong Berekot and Ngohet Sikai after consulting the Betong Divisional Health Office, which cited unhealthy API readings. The three-day programme is being held at Betong Sports Complex from Sept 25 to 27. Organisers said the rest of the programme would continue as scheduled while conditions are monitored. Visitors planning to attend on Sunday should leave those three activities out of their plans and check for any further notices before travelling.

Renovation work at Betong’s Taha Ariffin Stadium is expected to finish in October, with turf, changing rooms and spectator seating among the areas being upgraded. Sarawak Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Development Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu said safety improvements and an audit are also part of the work, including safer entry and exit when the venue is full. He said the upgrades are being carried out in stages and must meet Fire and Rescue Department and police requirements. The October date is an expectation, not a confirmed opening date. This is the Betong stadium project, separate from the Sarawak Stadium upgrade in Kuching reported earlier this year.

A total of 142 schools in Serian and Lundu are closed today as haze readings remain in the very unhealthy range. The temporary closure took effect on Thursday, Sept 24: 108 schools in Serian and 34 in Lundu. At 10am, the Air Pollutant Index stood at 212 in Serian and 225 in Lundu. The Sarawak Education Department said the decision follows Education Ministry Circular No. 8 of 2016 on managing lessons during disasters. For schools near areas above API 200, principals and head teachers may consider home-based learning after weighing pupils’ health and safety. The notice gives no reopening date. Families should check with their own school for the day’s learning arrangements. If readings trend down, schools may begin preparing to reopen, but that is not a confirmed timetable.

Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad has contributed RM802.3 million in dividends to the State Financial Secretary Sarawak and Equisar Assets Sdn Bhd, according to a company appreciation-ceremony update. The figure was announced as the port operator highlighted its operating performance and its role in Sarawak’s trade network. Biport Bulkers was reported to handle about four million tonnes of cargo a year, or roughly a quarter of Sarawak’s total exports. The company also said it was expanding cargo-handling capacity and pursuing sustainability initiatives. A Regional Halal Hub launched last July was cited as one effort to diversify trade opportunities. The dividend figure is a reported contribution, not a promise of future returns. The next practical measure for Sarawak will be whether the operator’s planned capacity expansion translates into stronger services and wider trade activity by 2030.

A historic silk cotton tree at Kuching’s Padang Merdeka could receive formal heritage protection under a wider plan for Old Kuching. Sarawak’s tourism minister said he had asked the Sarawak Museum Department to study gazetting the Pokok Kapas, also known as the kapok tree. He described it as part of Kuching’s living heritage and said specific protection would help prevent heritage assets from being removed or damaged. The proposal sits within the Old Kuching Smart Heritage initiative, which is assessing areas including Gambier Street, Main Bazaar and India Street, along with landmarks such as the Old Courthouse and Round Tower. The review is also expected to consider privately owned heritage buildings, with engagement and possible compensation discussed before legislation. The tree has not been gazetted through this announcement. It is a proposal for assessment, while the wider conservation work is still being organised as Kuching continues to develop.

Repair and rehabilitation works are planned for damaged sections of two roads serving Bintulu Port and the Tanjung Kidurong industrial area. The roads identified by JKR Sarawak are the Jalan Bintulu/Tatau Junction (Mile 5)–Bintulu Port route and Jalan Tanjung Kidurong. Inspections found surface deterioration on several sections, with continuous heavy-vehicle movement cited as one contributing factor. The repair plan will take site conditions, safety requirements and traffic management into account. JKR also says the locations will be monitored during the works and motorists should follow signs and traffic-control instructions. No full closure timetable was announced in the update. For road users, the practical change is to stay alert for work zones around two routes that carry both public traffic and industrial logistics.

Six overtaking lanes have been proposed along the Bintulu-Bakun Road to make a heavily used freight corridor safer. The RM216 million proposal covers about 12km at six locations around KM16, KM39, KM49, KM75, KM106 and KM109 on Federal Route FT803. The Works Ministry says the package would also include related structure upgrades and street lighting. The route carries heavy vehicles serving plantations, logging and other economic activity, while also linking Bintulu and Sebauh with Sungai Asap, Belaga, Bakun and Murum. With no practical alternative route for those lorries, the proposed work is framed as an upgrade to accommodate existing traffic rather than a ban. The proposal has been submitted for consideration under Rolling Plan 2 of the 13th Malaysia Plan. Until a decision and work schedule are announced, motorists should continue to expect the current winding sections, limited visibility and heavy-vehicle movements.

The Kuala Baram dredging project in Miri has reached about 90% completion, ahead of its contract schedule. The Miri Port Authority reported the progress after a site inspection on Sept 21. The work is part of a wider effort to improve port capacity, operating efficiency and sustainability, strengthening the role of Sarawak’s ports in the northern state economy. The update confirms physical progress, but it does not announce a final completion date or a new opening arrangement. Port users should not read the 90% figure as an immediate change to every operation; the remaining works and follow-up arrangements still matter. For Miri, Kuala Baram is a practical piece of the region’s maritime and logistics network. The next clear checkpoint is completion of the project and how the upgraded channel supports day-to-day port activity.

Miri’s retention ponds need a regular cleaning programme after aquatic growth, rubbish and sediment were flagged as risks to water flow and flood mitigation. The Department of Irrigation and Drainage was asked to schedule more frequent maintenance after recent cleaning at a pond along Jalan Ilmu near Desa Senadin. Water hyacinths and other plants covering the pond have been cleared, but they can grow back quickly. Floating rubbish entering through nearby drains was also raised as a concern. A RM3 million allocation has been approved for drainage maintenance and upgrading in Senadin, including Desa Senadin, Tudan and Permyjaya. The suggestion that some ponds may need cleaning as often as every two months is not a confirmed timetable. The current update is a maintenance call, not a new flood warning. The next useful checkpoint for residents will be whether a recurring cleaning schedule is published before the next period of heavy rain.

The Medan Jaya–Jalan Tun Hussein Onn flyover in Bintulu is now targeted for completion in July 2027, with physical progress at 89.05%. The latest project update said the work had received three extensions because of construction-site issues, including utility relocation. A major access problem involving the Bintulu district police headquarters has since been resolved, while the contractor has committed to the July target. The 2.6-kilometre package covers upgrades to the surrounding roads, a four-lane two-way flyover and improvements at the Medan Jaya and Taman Tinggi junctions. The finished project is expected to improve peak-hour traffic flow, comfort and safety. July 2027 is a completion target, not an immediate opening promise. Drivers will still need to follow traffic management arrangements and wait for the remaining works and final handover to be completed.

The RM43 million Serikin Integrated Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security complex in Bau is 11% complete, six days ahead of schedule. Earthworks and site preparation are under way at the border facility, which is targeted for completion by the end of 2027. The complex is intended to strengthen border security and support more orderly movement between Sarawak and Indonesia. The project is being treated as an urgent national-security development rather than routine public works. Roads, electricity, water and telecommunications remain practical dependencies: a finished building could still face delays if its supporting utilities are not ready. A separate Telok Melano border control post inspected during the same working visit is still waiting for a Letter of Acceptance after final tender evaluation. Its estimated two-year construction period has not started. For southwest Sarawak, the distinction is clear: Serikin is in active construction, while Telok Melano remains before the formal award stage.