Chefs Robbie Richard Balcarek, Iana Akam and Annie Wee make Sarawak proud by grabbing the top three awards in India

KUCHING, Dec 19 2025: Chefs Robbie Richard Balcarek,  Iana Akam and Annie Wee have made Sarawak proud with their culinary skills by winning the top three positions in the non-flame cooking category at the recent Khadhya Khurak SuperChef competition in India.

 

Caption: (From left) Iana Akam, Robbie Richard Balcarek, Julian Lai and Annie Wee with their awards. Picture by Ukas

Robbie from Little Fairy Cafe won the Gold, Iana Akam from Fairy Tavern won the Silver and  Annie from Annie Kolo Mee, the Bronze awards.

Julian Lai received the King Chef Award for his lifelong contribution to the culinary industry, besides describing his confidence in the readiness of Sarawak’s chefs at the global level as very encouraging.

Speaking at a press conference today, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Wee Hong Seng said the victory of Robbie, Iana and Annie at the competition is proof the superiority of Sarawakian cuisine as well as the strength of the state's culinary community at the global level.

He said the success reflected the discipline, creativity and high commitment of Sarawakian chefs,

saying that the achievements are not just the individuals’ victory, but also they reflect the strength and depth of Sarawak’s culinary community.

“It proves that the success is not only based on the greatness of the dishes produced, but also reflects discipline, creativity and a high commitment to culinary excellence,” Wee said.

According to him, the success is even more meaningful when the prestigious competition was attended by an international jury and the three chefs chose to fully use local Borneo ingredients to highlight the identity of Sarawak’s cuisine at the world level.

He stressed that the success not only strengthens Sarawak’s position as a UNESCO Creativity City of Gastronomy, but also opens up space for a new approach to food diplomacy or gastrodiplomacy to build bilateral relations, boost gastronomic tourism and expand international cooperation through food.

He explained that Sarawak will continue to empower local culinary talent by sending more chefs to the international level, including to Macau, Madinah and Saudi Arabia, in addition to planning two more global events next year for strengthening the state's position as a world gastronomic hub.

Express bus operators not allowed to transport goods in passenger areas of coach buses, says LPKP chairman

KUCHING, Dec 19 2025: Express bus operators will not be allowed to transport goods in the passenger areas of coach buses, following complaints from the commuters, state Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (LPKP) chairman Michael Kong said.

MIchael Kong: State LPKP recognises the operational realities faced by express bus operators,  but safety and passenger welfare must always remain the top priority. 

He said this is one of the key policy directions discussed between the board and the state Ministry of Transport (MoT) yesterday.

“We have repeatedly received public complaints about goods being placed in passenger areas of coach buses,” Kong said in a statement.

“This practice poses serious safety risks, particularly during emergencies where evacuation may be required,” he said, adding that for this reason, the board’s new policy will dictate that express bus operators are only permitted to store passengers’ belongings and goods in designated cargo compartments, and not within the passenger cabin.

He state LPKP takes public safety very seriously, and it recognises the operational realities faced by express bus operators, but safety and passenger welfare must always remain the top priority.

He said the board will continue to work closely with the state MoT and industry players to strike a responsible balance between the sustainability of commercial vehicle operations and the safety, comfort, and well-being of the general public.

He said the state LPKP, together with MoT , held a coordination meeting with all express bus operators in Sarawak to discuss and align on new policies affecting the express bus industry.

He said the engagement is crucial to ensure that express bus routes are properly planned, standardised, and operate strictly through approved routes and designated stopping points.

“Equally important is the need for express buses to adhere to their approved schedules, saying that compliance with these schedules will help ensure a more reliable, orderly, and dependable public transport service for the people, while also improving passenger confidence in express bus services across Sarawak.

Fatimah exposes several SCHB panel clinics committing misconduct, providing unauthorised medical products

KUCHING, Dec 19 2025:The Sarawak government has taken firm actions against several panel clinics found to have committed misconduct under the Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) programme, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability and the welfare of senior citizens.

Fatimmah Abdullah: Such actions clearly constituted non-compliance with the Memorandum of Agreement and approved clinical guidelines governing the SCHB programme 

Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Fatimah Abdullah revealed that based on official complaints and monitoring by officers on the ground, the government had received reports involving a small number of SCHB panel clinics committing misconduct, including providing unauthorised medical products, allowing benefits to be used by ineligible individuals, and discrepancies between services rendered and items listed on receipts.

“Such actions clearly constituted non-compliance with the Memorandum of Agreement and approved clinical guidelines governing the SCHB programme,” she told reporters today.

She said three of the clinics are in Miri, Sarikei and Mukah were issued warning letters while another clinic in Kuching was temporarily suspended from attending to patients under the SCHB programme. 

As a firm response, she said the government, through the Sarawak Community Welfare Department, has conducted audits and internal investigations, imposed temporary suspensions on the clinics involved, investigated invoicing claims and barred the affected clinics from receiving SCHB patients during the investigation period.

She stressed that the government will not compromise on any breach of agreement terms, professional ethics or existing laws, adding that appropriate action will continue to be taken without prejudice.

At the same time, Fatimah assured that the welfare and continuity of treatment for senior citizens under the SCHB programme will continue to be safeguarded, while monitoring and enforcement mechanisms will be further strengthened to ensure the programme remains effective and credible.

She said the SCHB programme is open to senior citizens aged 60 and above with a household income below RM7,000, aimed at easing access to outpatient medical treatment in a cashless manner.

“As of today, a total of 212,234 senior citizens have been registered under  programme, which provides cashless outpatient treatment of up to RM500 per year and can be accessed at 286 registered panel facilities nationwide,” she said.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Mohammad Razi Sitam, National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) state director Abdul Hamediee Ibrahim, and state Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) chief ACP Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah.

 

Eleven Penans weighing an appeal against the Miri High Court's rejection of their Judicial Review application

MIRI, Dec 19 2025: The 11 Penan residents representing communities in Ulu Baram are weighing an appeal to the Court of Appeal after the Miri High Court dismissed their challenge to logging licences issued by the Sarawak Forest Director and approved by the Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development.

Caption: A group of Penans from Ulu Baram with their lawyer Roland Engan (seated, centre)

Keruan Organisation director Komeok Joe said the appeal is aimed at protecting the Penan community’s native customary land rights, safeguarding their forests, rivers, and sources of livelihood, and ensuring that future generations are able to continue living sustainably on their ancestral lands.

“The legal action taken by representatives of the Penan community is not intended to obstruct Development,” he said in a statement.

He said it is an effort to defend ancestral lands from destruction that has direct impacts on forests, rivers, sources of livelihood, and the food security of local communities.

Caption:  The Data Bila area has been severely ffected by extensive logging activities, underscoring the environmental consequences and the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard the local ecosystem and communities. 

He stressed that this position was echoed by Ipa Ulai, a resident of Ulu Baram and one of the applicants in the judicial review.

“For generations, we, the Penan have depended entirely on these forest areas for our survival.

“The approved logging activities have resulted in environmental degradation, river pollution, and the loss of traditional hunting and farming areas, all of which directly affect our lives,” he said.

Responding to allegations that the Penan community is being influenced or manipulated by external parties or non-governmental organisations, Komeok said the struggle is rooted in the community’s own awareness and lived experiences.

“Linking these claims to an external agenda is an attempt to divert attention from the real issue — the failure to recognise and protect the native customary land rights of Indigenous peoples.

“This appeal is initiated entirely by the Penan community themselves, based on their own experiences and their need to defend their customary land rights and ensure that future generations can continue to live on their ancestral lands,” he added.

Komeok further emphasised that claims suggesting unanimous support for logging among local communities cannot be generalised, adding that the presence of a small number of individuals

holding banners did not represent the collective voice of the Penan community in Ulu Baram, who continue to defend their ancestral territories from ongoing exploitation.

Meanwhile, SAVE Rivers managing  director Celine Lim said that development in Ulu Baram does not have to rely on the issuance of logging licences to private companies, particularly when the government already has agencies and structured development plans in place.

She noted that more sustainable and equitable development alternatives exist for local communities without sacrificing forests or the Penan people’s sources of livelihood.

“Ulu Baram can be developed without issuing logging licences to Borneoland Timber Resources Sdn Bhd or any other private-sector company.

“Development agencies such as the Highland Development Agency (HDA) were established by the Sarawak government, and the government has also announced that it will take over the repair and upgrading of logging roads, with commitments budgets.

“Therefore, Upper Baram communities do not need to depend on logging companies to build or repair roads,” she said.

On Dec 16, the High Court dismissed the application for Judicial Review filed by the 11 Penans against the director of Forests, Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development and Sarawak government.

In delivering the decision,  Judge Dean Wayne Daly said that the applicants had failed to prove locus standi that they were adversely affected in real and genuine interest by the issuance of the logging licence in Ulu Baram area.

The court further found that the applicants had failed to adduce evidence in support of their allegations that the issuance of the logging licence to Borneoland Timber Resources Sdn Bhd was illegal, procedurally improper or unreasonable.

Accordingly, the court’s decision confirms that the decision of the director of Forests, with the approval of the minister to issue the licence was made in accordance with the Forests Ordinance 2015, rational and in compliance with procedural requirements.