Rights activist Peter John says "no" to granting Bumiputera status to third generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent

KUCHING, March 29 2026: State rights activist Peter John Jaban (picture) has expressed his strong objection to any move to grant Bumiputera status to the third generation of Sarawakians of Chinese descent.

“We accept the Chinese Sarawakians as part of our society as they belong to Sarawak,” he said when responding to Julau MP Larry Sng’s suggestion for the state government to grant the Bumiputera status to the third generation of Sarawakians of Chinese descent.

“Indigenous status, however, refers to one’s original roots, as legally recognised.

“Do we want a situation where a foreigner could one day become our Premier or Governor, as some have argued has happened in Sabah?” he asked.

He said non-indigenous Sarawakians are not eligible to claim Native Customary Rights (NCR) land, saying that these rights are deeply tied to culture, survival, and identity.

In his recent Tuak Talk podcast, Sng, who is also Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president, has suggested to the Sarawak government to consider granting the Bumiputera status to the third generation of Sarawakians of Chinese descent.

Earlier today, PBB information chief  Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah explained that any effort to redefine the term “Bumiputera” must comply with the the provisions of Federal Constitution and the State Constitution.

He said there is a need to look at what the two constitutions say on who qualifies to be called “Bumiputera” before any proposal is adopted to extend the Bumiputera status to the third generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent.

“Any change to redefine the status must go through the appropriate legislative process,” Karim, who is also the Minister of  Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, told reporters at his ministry’s Hari Raya open house at a hotel here.

He said he is not surprised with Sng’s recent suggestion saying that the Julau MP was playing politics.

Last year, Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen had also made similar suggesti

Early health screening is important to detect non-communicable diseases, Dr Sim reminds senior citizens

KUCHING, March 29 2026: Early health screening is very important in detecting non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol which are among the main health burdens in Sarawak.

Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian (picture) said without screening, many individuals are unaware of their true health status.

 “If we don’t do screening, we won’t know whether having high cholesterol, high sugar or high blood pressure requires early treatment,” he told the media after the groundbreaking ceremony of the BMC Pines Square Satellite Laboratory, today.

 According to him, conveniences such as satellite labs help improve access to health screenings as well as allow for early detection and more effective treatment.

 He said the move not only benefited the senior citizens, but was important to ensure that the working class remained healthy and productive.

 “The working class needs to stay healthy so that they can continue to contribute to the development of the country,” Dr Sim, who is also the Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said.

 In addition, he explained that the operation of satellite laboratories also optimizes the use of existing facilities with samples sent to the main laboratory for centralized processing.

 He also stressed the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors in strengthening the state health system including in efforts to achieve Sarawak’s health autonomy.

 “This cooperation is important because both parties play a role in implementing the health base in a comprehensive manner,” he said.

 He added that the Sarawak government is also taking proactive steps in addressing the shortage of medical workers including increasing the scholarship of local medical students to meet the needs of the future.

 

Bomba Mi-171 aircraft dumps 40,000 litres of water to put out wild fires in Penasu, Daro

DARO, March 29 2026: The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Mi-171 aircraft with 12 crew members, based at the Sarawak Regional Air Base, Miri, flew  to Penasu, Daro to help battle the raging bush fires.

Caption: The wild fires have devastated vast area in Penasu 

The aircraft carried out water bombing operation for 90 minutes, successfully releasing 20 dumps of water totaling 40,000L of water taken from the Hulu Seredang River.

The water bombing operation targeted the entire perimeter of the fire to control the spread.

According to Daro Bomba station, risk assessment through aerial monitoring found that the spread had been put under control following the presence of fire break drainage around the fire area.

It said that through the assessment, the aircraft commander decided to end the water bombing flight operation and hand over the extinguishing task entirely to Daro Bomba team which is still at the location to carry out 'ground attack and overhauling'.

The station also said the weather conditions a while ago were moderately strong winds and there was also rain around the area near the fire area.

The aircraft will return to Miri this evening after refueling at Sibu Airport.

The Kampung Penasu fire, which started on Friday night, expanded to over 10 hectares as of yesterday morning.

Daro Bomba has dispatched a team of firefighters to the scene to put out the fires.

Hot and windy weather conditions caused the fire to spread quickly.

US & Israel vs Iran war unlikely to affect attendance at the iconic RWMF this year, assures Karim

KUCHING, March 29 2026: The global uncertainties mainly caused by the US and Israel vs Iran war are not likely to have major adverse impact in the attendance at the iconic Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) this year, Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said today.

Tourism Minister Abdul Karim says every year, approximately 20,000 visitors come to Rainforest and more than half of them are from within the country.

He said the festival does not rely on international music lovers, but receive strong support from the local and regional visitors.

“The attendance of tourists from the Southeast Asian region such as Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Peninsular Malaysia is seen as able to support the organisation of the festival,” he told reporters at his ministry’s Hari Raya open house at a local hotel here.

“Every year, approximately 20,000 visitors come to Rainforest and more than half of them are from within the country,” he added.

He said RWMF not only provides entertainment, but also serves as an important platform in promoting Sarawak’s arts, culture and tourism industry to a wider level, in line with the importance of ensuring that community life continues to run, including through arts and entertainment elements.

Commenting on concerns over global conflicts that may affect tourist movements, he said the situation has not had a major impact on the number of visitors to Sarawak.

The 29th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2026 returns from 26–28 June 2026 with the theme “Regenerations: Roots & Rhythms.”

This year’s festival – set against the lush rainforest backdrop of the Sarawak Cultural Village – celebrates a powerful reconnection with cultural roots while embracing contemporary musical expression, bringing together global performers, local traditions, and vibrant rhythms in one immersive experience.

The RWMF is an annual three-day music festival celebrating the diversity of world music, featuring daytime music workshops, cultural and craft displays, food stalls, as well as main-stage evening concerts in an actual rainforest setting, under the dramatic backdrop of Mount Santubong.

Starting with only a few hundred people attending in 1998, the festival has grown to become an internationally recognised music festival with attendance in the tens of thousands, and feature well-known performers from around the world

Any attempt to redefine the term "Bumiputera" must comply with the Federal and State Constitutions, says Karim

KUCHING, March 29 2026: PBB information chief  Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah explained that any efforts to redefine the term “Bumiputera” must comply with the provisions of Federal Constitution and the State Constitution.

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah says any change to redefine the Bumiputera status must go through the appropriate legislative process

He said there is a need to look at what the two constitutions say on who qualifies to be called “Bumiputera” before any proposal is adopted to extend the Bumiputera status to the third generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent.

“Any change to redefine the status must go through the appropriate legislative process,” Karim, who is also the Minister of  Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, told reporters at his ministry’s Hari Raya open house at a hotel here. 

He said he believes that many in Sarawak are not aware that if the husband or wife is a Bumiputera from Sabah and Sarawak, their children can immediately buy land with indigenous status.

"That's good enough, there's no need to give them Bumiputera status. Sometimes I feel like proposals like this are just rhetoric, maybe because the state election is approaching," he said.

He said he is not surprised with Julau MP Larry Sng’s recent suggestion for the third generation Sarawakian of Chinese descent be granted the Bumiputera status, saying that Larry was playing politics.

In his Tuak Talk podcast, Larry, who is also Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president, suggested to the Sarawak government to consider granting the Bumiputera status to the third generation Sarawakians of Chinese descent.

Last year, Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen had also made similar suggestion.