(UPDATED) Premier Abang Johari arriving in Kota Kinabalu to attend MTPMA63 meeting with Anwar and Sabah chief minister

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 10 2026: Premier Abang Johari Openg arrived here this evening to attend a meeting of the Implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Action Council  (MTPMA63) tomorrow.

Caption: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (standing, centre) with Premier Abang Johari Openg (seen on Anwar's left) and Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor at the dinner hosted by the Sabah government in Kota Kinabalu

He is scheduled to attend the Sabah state government dinner with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sabah state leaders tonight.

The dinner also serves as a platform to strengthen relations and cooperation between the federal government and the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak in the implementation of agendas related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Tomorrow’s meeting, to be chaired by the prime minister, will be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).

The meeting is one of the main platforms to discuss and coordinate matters related to the implementation of MA63 between the Federal Government, Sarawak and Sabah, particularly matters involving the rights and interests of Sarawak and Sabah under the agreement.

The presence of the Sarawak leadership in the meeting reflects Sarawak's continued commitment to ensuring that matters related to MA63 continue to be given attention and resolved through negotiations with the Federal Government and Sab

Among those accompanying the premier were Deputy Premiers Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and  Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Minister of Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, State Secretary Abu Bakar Marzuki, State Attorney-General Safri Ali and senior government officials. 

 

About 850 Catholic community reps attending five-day first ever Malaysian pastoral conference since 1963

SIBU, Sept 10 2026: About 850 Catholic community representatives from nine dioceses in Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak are gathering here for a five-day Malaysia Pastoral Conference 2026 (MPC2026) starting from September 9.

Caption: Federal Minister Aaron Ago Dagang hitting the gong to officially open the Malaysia Pastoral Conference

Minister of National Unityi Aaron Ago Dagang said the conference made history as the first national Catholic gathering held on such a scale since the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

“This conference is not only an opportunity for the Catholic community to strengthen their faith and fellowship, but is also an important opportunity to reflect on how religious communities can continue to contribute towards a more harmonious, inclusive and united Malaysia,” he said at the opening of MPC2026 themed “Celebrate, Listen, Walk Together” today.

Aaron said the event also continues the legacy of Christian community service that began since the arrival of Christian missionaries in Borneo in 1881.

He said that, based on the 2020 Population and Housing Census, there are about 2.9 million Christians or 9.1 percent of the country's population, with Sarawak recording the highest number.

He said that the Catholic community had made important contributions to the country's development through the fields of education, health, social welfare, charity work and service to the needy community.

According to him, the contribution proved that religious values could be translated into responsibility and concern for the community regardless of background.

Also present were director of Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) Georgina Apphia Ngau; Bishop of Penang, Cardinal Sebastian Francis; president of the Malaysian Catholic Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Kuching Reverend Simon Poh Hoon Seng; and Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur and President of MPC2026 Reverend Julian Leow Beng Kim.

Digital transformation needs to be translated into delivery of public service, says Wilson Ugak

KUCHING, Sept 10 2026: The federal government's digital transformation needs to be translated into the delivery of public services that are smoother, more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people. 

Caption: Deputy Minister Wilson Ugak says that the use of technology and AI has the potential to reduce manual task time

Deputy Minister of Digital Wilson Ugak Kumbong said the goal requires a combination of innovation, technology and human collaboration, and not just relying on the use of technology.

"Technology is the driver, but real acceleration only occurs when innovation, technology and human collaboration move in perfect harmony." he said at the inaugural Digital Government Exchange 2026 (DGX26) today.

Ugak said the digital government transformation also needs to go beyond efforts to digitize existing processes by reevaluating service delivery methods to be more intuitive and effective for the people.

In this regard, he said the development of the government's digital ecosystem must also be supported by strong and secure infrastructure, including data centers, 5G networks and cloud capabilities, in addition to aspects of service security, data protection, digital identity, data exchange, transparency and accountability.

In strengthening the capabilities of the workforce, Ugak said that approximately 445,000 civil servants are targeted to receive training through the Nationwide AI Network 2.0, covering the use of generative AI, productivity, applications and workflow automation.

He said that the use of technology and AI has the potential to reduce manual task time, thus allowing civil servants to focus more on interactions with the people, resolving complex cases and delivering services.

He also emphasised the ‘Whole-of-Government’ approach which needs to be strengthened to enable the government to operate as an ecosystem through data sharing between agencies, thus reducing dependence on separate systems.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) chairman Dr George Chan Hong Nam said that changing public expectations of government services now demand delivery that is not only fast, but also smoother, more accessible, inclusive and responsive.

He said DGX26 was created as a platform to bring together public sector innovators, technology leaders, technology providers and civil servants to share experiences and explore new approaches in modernising government operations.

According to him, the rapid development of technology has made the sharing of knowledge and experience between digital leaders, the public sector and the younger generation increasingly important in shaping the ability to face future changes.

DGX26, which was organized for the first time by SAINS, brought the theme “Accelerating Public Services Through Innovation, Technology and Human Collaboration”, with a focus on AI and data-based governance, Whole-of-Government approaches, regional cooperation and rural connectivity and inclusive digital services.

Also present were the General Manager of Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), Dr Anderson Tiong Ing Heng, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Digital Fabian Bigar, and Chief Executive Officer of SAINS, Busiai Seman.

About 77,080 hectares of forest and land fires in Indonesia have been extinguished, says Consul General

KUCHING, Sept 10 2026: Indonesian Consul General in Kuching Dr Abdullah Zulkifli revealed that based on the latest forest and land fire management update reported by the  Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), approximately 77,080.79 hectares of land indicated as burned had been successfully extinguished, while 1,742.16 hectares remained under firefighting operations.

 Caption: The hotspots in Indonesia indicating hundreds of forest and land fires

He said the update was reported as of 12.20pm local time on September 10.

Abdullahs said the Indonesian government continues to monitor and respond to fire locations that remain active in the field.

“Based on monitoring by the Ministry of Forestry through the SiPongi system, 395 hotspots were detected nationwide as of September 9 2026 at 9:04 local time.

“This figure represents a slight decrease from 397 hotspots recorded on  September 8, 2026 at the same time.

“The Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) indicated that several regencies and municipalities, particularly in Kalimantan, continued to experience poor air quality.

 “As of September 10, East Kotawaringin Regency recorded an ISPU of 1,119 (PM10), followed by Kubu Raya Regency at 479 (PM10), Gunung Mas Regency at 407 (PM2.5), Katingan Regency at 381 (PM10), South Barito Regency at 334 (PM2.5), and Pontianak City at 310 (PM2.5).

‘These areas remained in the “Hazardous” category,” Abdullahs said, adding that air quality in other areas, including parts of Sumatra, varied from “Good” to “Very Unhealthy”.

“Visibility conditions may also change rapidly depending on fire activity, rainfall, and wind direction,” he explained.

He assured that his government is strengthening its efforts to address forest and land fires in several parts of the republic, particularly in West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Riau, and Jambi.

He said these efforts include intensified firefighting operations, field monitoring, and law enforcement measures against parties suspected of being responsible for forest and land fires.

“In implementing these operations, the Indonesian government has deployed joint personnel, along with various resources, to accelerate fire response efforts.

“Activities include direct firefighting, hotspot and field condition monitoring, as well as coordination among Manggala Agni of Ministry of Forestry,  Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI), Indonesian National Police (Polri), National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), local governments, Regional Disaster Management Agencies (BPBD), local communities, and other relevant stakeholders.

“These efforts include direct firefighting, fire containment, patrols, ground checks, mopping-up, cooling operations, and monitoring of areas at risk of re-ignition. In addition to ground operations, 55 aerial assets have been deployed to support forest and land fire management in the six priority provinces.

“Of these, 19 aircraft are being used for aerial patrols and to support weather modification operations, while 34 aircraft are being deployed for water-bombing operations.

“The Indonesian government is also taking law enforcement measures against parties proven to have carried out burning or caused forest and land fires.

“As of September 7, 2026, the Indonesian National Police reported that it had received 200 police reports related to forest and land fires, designated 138 individuals as suspects, and initiated legal proceedings involving eight corporations allegedly linked to forest and land fire incidents.

“Law enforcement proceedings are carried out based on the results of investigations and evidence in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

“The Indonesian government has also strengthened preventive measures through the issuance of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 11 of 2026 on strengthening the enforcement of the prohibition on land clearing through burning and control of forest and land fires.

“The instruction directs ministries/agencies, the TNI, Polri, and local governments to take coordinated measures to prevent hotspots and fires, while ensuring that there are no overlapping policies or permits that could legitimize land burning,” he said.

Dr Abdullah also stressed that concession and permit holders are also required to strengthen fire prevention measures, including maintaining their areas and buffer zones extending up to 5 km, as well as providing emergency response teams and heavy equipment, such as excavators.

He added the instruction continues to recognize certain exceptions based on local wisdom and traditional practices, but their implementation is subject to strict limitations.