Large area of Kuala Tatau Serupai has been devastated by peatland fires

TATAU, March 27 2026: Firefighters entered their fifth day today battling to extinguish the peatland fires that have devastated large area at Kuala Tatau Serupai. 

 Caption: Firefighters are seen battling to contain the spread of peatland fires - Photo by Bomba

Tatau Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) station, in a statement, said it has received information from the Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB) via Google Earth zooming the total fire area of 300 acres.

“The extinguishing operation was suspended and will continue tomorrow, the fire was successfully contained to 100 acres, remaining 200 acres are still left to be extinguished,” senior operation commander Sim Mui Chai said.

The extinguishing operation invled the use of two transport pumps, one from the fire department and the other from the Woodman Plantation.

Both pumps used a 200-foot hose line from the other side of the ditch to implement the ‘fire break’ method to control the fire from spreading to the oil palm plantation area.

 The ‘mopping’ process was carried out along the ‘fire break’ area before the extinguishing operation continued inland.

The firefighters also used two more excavators to help carry out the ‘fire break’ along 5km stretch.

The peatland fires started on March 23 at Kuala Tatau Serupai, about 40km from Tatau town.

(UPDATED) Body of schoolboy, victim of crocodile attack, has been found, minus his right and left hands

BATU KAWA, March 27 2026: A 15-year old schoolboy was dragged underwater by a crocodile as  hapless family watched in horror on Sungai Sarawak, Kampung Segubang, Jalan Batu Kawa here this afternoon. 

 Caption: The victim's body was found by his family member - Photo by Bomba

Batu Lintang Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) station, in a statement, said at about 5.30pm, his body was found by a family member on the other side of Sungai Sarawak, near the village.

His body was found without his right and left hands.

 The victim was taken ashore for identification before being handed over to the police for further action.

 Earlier, it was reported that the victim and his two siblings were bathing in the river, while their mother was washing clothes when the crocodile attacked his leg .

 “The boy shouted of pain in his leg before being pulled by a crocodile,” the station said.

It said at the time of the incident, the victim's grandfather, who was also at the location, boarded a boat to rescue the victim from the crocodile,” the station said.

“However, at a distance of about 200 meters from the location where the victim was attacked, the victim disappeared from sight,” it added.

Batu Lintang station said it received a call from a member of the public about 2.40pm, informing that a crocodile attack has taken place.

The operations commander reported that upon arrival at the location, efforts were made to locate witnesses to the incident. 

It was reported that the last activity of the victim, a 15-year-old boy, was bathing in the river with his mother before he was believed to have been attacked by crocodile.

Expedite voting reforms to allow all Sarawakians, including 200,000 in Malaya, to vote in coming state election, DAP MP tells EC

KUCHING, March 27 2026: Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament Dr Kelvin Yii (picture) has called on the Election Commission (EC) to expedite the  necessary voting reforms to ensure that all Sarawakians, including those in Peninsular Malaysia,  vote in the coming state election.

“There are estimated over 200,000 registered Sarawakian voters residing in Peninsular Malaysia, consisting of students, workers, and families who are constitutionally entitled to vote, yet face prohibitive barriers,” Dr Yii said in a statement.

“For many, returning home is not a simple flight to Kuching or Sibu; it means additional boat rides, four-wheel-drive journeys into the interior, days of travel, and costs that can exceed a month’s salary,” he explained.

He said students must skip classes, workers must sacrifice leave or risk employment, stating that “when we require citizens to pay such a steep price to vote, we are, in effect, imposing a wealth and mobility test on their constitutional rights.”

He said Sarawakians in the peninsula should be allowed to vote through postal voting to eliminate those obstacles, adding that it would convert a disenfranchising ordeal into a simple act of casting a ballot from one’s place of residence.

“Moreover, with the implementation of automatic voter registration, the number of out station Sarawakian voters will only grow, “ Dr Yii said, pointing out that to choose to ignore reforms is to knowingly suppress turnout among a significant segment of the electorate.