Anwar, Abang Johari attending National Climate Change Council meeting

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 2026: Premier Abang Johari Openg today attended the Seventh Meeting of the National Climate Change Action Council (MTPIN) Number 1 of 2026, chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, at Parliament House.

Caption: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (left) and Premier Abang Johari Openg extending greetings before the start of the National Climate Action Council meeting at Parliament House

The meeting was the main platform to strengthen cooperation between the federal government, state governments and related agencies in accelerating the implementation of the country's climate change agenda.

Among the matters discussed were the effects of global warming on Malaysia, preparatory measures to reduce its impact on the national economy and efforts to strengthen the country's resilience in facing the challenges of climate change.

The meeting also examined new opportunities that can be exploited to increase the country's economic competitiveness in line with the transition towards low-carbon, sustainable and resilient development.

Also present were members of the National Climate Change Action Council (MTPIN), federal ministers, chief minister, state secretaries and representatives from relevant ministries and agencies.

Meanwhile, the premier yesterday attended a meeting with representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at the Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund (SSWF) Office.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both parties to strengthen strategic engagement and exchange views on matters of mutual interest, particularly in areas related to sustainable development, economic growth and regional cooperation.

The ADB delegation was led by Director General Zhang Nian Shan and included Regional Cooperation Director Alfredo Perdiguero, Advisor Said Zaidansyah, and Senior Country Specialist Gary Krishnan.

The Sarawak delegation comprised Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning and Development) Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, Deputy State Financial Secretary Hasmawati Sapawi, Director of the Economic Planning Unit Sarawak (EPU) Awang Mohammad Fadillah Awang Redzuan, Director of Sarawak Climate and Energy Diplomacy Unit (SACED) Angelia Liew San Chuin, and Head of the Urban and Regional Planning Division, EPU, Robita Lee Robinson.

The engagement underscores Sarawak's continued commitment to fostering strategic partnerships with international development institutions in advancing the state's long-term development agenda and sustainable economic aspirations.

Sagah: English proficiency essential requirement to produce workforce that can compete globally

KUCHING, July 8 2026: Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister  Roland Sagah Wee Inn stressed that English proficiency is no longer an advantage, but rather an essential requirement to produce a workforce that can compete globally.

Caption: Education Minister Roland Sagah Wee Inn says many graduates have failed to get jobs because they have poor command of the English Language

He said that apart from having technical skills, graduates also need to master English so that they can communicate confidently and compete internationally.

“As educators, including myself, we are responsible for equipping students not only with academic knowledge, but also language skills and confidence to succeed in an increasingly competitive and interconnected world,” he said when officiating English Education Symposium (SELES) 2026 here today.

"Weak English proficiency is still one of the main factors affecting the marketability of graduates, especially in multinational companies," he reminded.

He said that the results of a survey conducted several years ago found that many graduates failed to get jobs not because of a lack of academic qualifications, but because of poor English proficiency.

In fact, he said that some graduates in the field still face difficulties in speaking well, thus showing the need to strengthen the quality of English teaching and learning.

He said the Sarawak government continues to emphasize efforts to strengthen English proficiency through the implementation of the Dual Language Programme Sarawak (DLP Sarawak) and the Dual Language Programme Sarawak Assessment Test (UPDLPS) as among the strategic initiatives to improve language competence among students.

Also present was the Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Dr Annuar Rapaee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Btg Sejingkat Bridge expected to be completed by August this year

KUCHING, July 8 2026: Batang Sejingkat Bridge project has now reached 94 per cent physical progress, one percent ahead of schedule, and is expected to be completed ahead of the contract date of 22 October this year.

 

Caption: Batang Sejingkat Bridge is now 94 per cent completed

Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development Aidel Lariwoo said that with current developments, the project is expected to be completed in about two months.

"To date, the progress of the Batang Sejingkat Bridge project is at 94 per cent and is slightly ahead of schedule by one per cent.

"Overall, this bridge is expected to be completed in October this year, which is even earlier than the original schedule," he told reporters during a visit to the Batang Sejingkat Bridge project site here on Today.

According to him, the bridge is the first route under the development of the Sarawak Second Trunk Road package that connects Sejingkat, Kuching with the entire state's Second Trunk Road network.

He said that the performance of the entire implementation of the Second Trunk Road package was also very encouraging with some projects being ahead of schedule.

He said work on the bridge is now focused on the construction of the approach road on both sides of the bridge, particularly on the Sejingkat side, while work on the Tanjung Bako side is almost fully completed.

Aidel explained that the 1.2 kilometre long bridge was designed according to the R5 standard with a dual carriageway with two lanes each and will serve as the main route for users approaching from the coastal and interior areas of Sarawak to Kuching.

"When this bridge is completed later, there will be an increase in vehicles from the coastal and interior areas of Sarawak using this route to travel to Kuching," he said.

He also shared that the bridge is estimated to be able to accommodate about 15,000 vehicles a day after it is opened to the public later.

In a related development, he said the Batu Belat Bridge project that connects the Tanjung Embang area has been approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) through the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) with an allocation of almost RM300 million.

He added that the Sarawak Government is also planning several more road alignments to support the development of a new airport and deep sea port in Tanjung Embang in the future.

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Sarawak Secretary spells out importance of Data, AI and new technologies in delivering real impact to the people

KUCHING. July 8 2026: The development of data governance, artificial intelligence (AI), and new technologies in Sarawak are capable of delivering real impact to the people, subsequently reinforcing the state government's digital transformation agenda.

Caption: Sarawak Secretary Mohd Abu Bakar Marzuki says that the Sarawak government has taken concrete steps to establish the necessary physical and digital foundations, including the development of data centres

Sarawak Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki said the state is at a pivotal moment where these three elements are no longer merely complementary, but have instead become strategic assets to strengthen governance, elevate public service delivery, and position Sarawak as a digital economy leader.

“In relation to this, the Sarawak government has taken concrete steps to establish the necessary physical and digital foundations, including the development of data centres, connectivity hubs, cloud computing platforms, and high-performance computing capabilities, which encompass initiatives like the Kuching AI Data Campus.

“These investments clearly prove one thing—that Sarawak is not just talking about digital transformation, but is realizing it progressively, from individual infrastructure to a complete system,” he said at the launch eremony of the Sarawak Data Governance Framework (SDGF) 2026 here today.

According to him, the outcomes of Premier Abang Johari's recent official working visit to Bristol, United Kingdom, also illustrated how the semiconductor, aerospace, high-performance computing, and AI sectors depend on data that is trusted, secure, and well-governed.

He noted that these technologies have massive applications across Sarawak's various strategic sectors, including forestry, earth observation, disaster management, carbon tracking, maritime monitoring, and service delivery in rural areas.

Commenting on the role of civil servants, he emphasized that the Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) does not function merely as policy implementers, but also serves as policymakers, coordinators, and system designers that translate data into policy, information into decisions, and evidence into action.

Therefore, he added, every ministry and agency must ensure that government data remains consistent, secure, reliable, and responsibly shareable so that the SCS evolves into a data-guided, policy-driven, and future-ready institution.

He pointed out that without robust data governance, the government faces risks of fragmented systems, duplication of duties, inconsistent information, and weak inter-agency coordination.

“If the data used is weak, obsolete, or incomplete, then the generated outcomes will also be weak.

“That is why data governance is not just a technical requirement, but a public sector responsibility and a reflection of institutional discipline in ensuring data is managed with integrity, quality, and reliability,” he stressed further.

Among those present at the function were Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Digital Fabian Bigar, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Operations) Hii Chang Kee, Deputy Attorney-General John Wayne Chamberlin Sirau, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunications (MUTS) Jafri Lias, Director of the Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit (SCSDU) Grace Huong Siew Hung and Director General of the National Digital Department Suhaila Jaafar

Give AirBorneo more time to develop in stages before opening more flight routes, says tourism minister

MIRI. July 7 2026: Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzan said AirBorneo airline needs to be given more time to develop in stages before opening more flight routes.

Caption: Minister Abdul Karim  Rahman Hamzah (third from right) appeals to the travelling public to give time to AirBorneo as it was only launched in January this year

He said  AirBorneo is still in the early stages of operations and needs time to build capacity, including in terms of the number of aircraft and flight network.

“AirBorneo was only launched in January and there are not many aircraft yet. We cannot expect it to continue to be like Singapore Airlines or Malaysia Airlines. Be patient.

"AirBorneo will develop in stages as stated by  the premier (Abang Johari Openg). It is not appropriate to compare with international airlines such as Emirates or Singapore Airlines," he said when met by the media after opening the International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality in Miri on Tuesday.

He was responding on whether Air Borneo would open routes from other parts of Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur.

In a statement on its Facebook page, AirBorneo announced that the inaugural flight on the Kuching-Kuala Lumpur route is expected to begin on July 20, before being followed by the opening of the Kuching-Singapore route on July 27.

The statement also said AirBorneo is offering promotional fares as low as RM375 one-way for the Kuching-Kuala Lumpur route through the Sarawakku Sayang Fare campaign, thus providing more affordable air travel options for passengers.

 Karim also described the RM375 fare for the inaugural Kuching-Kuala Lumpur route as one of the cheapest airfares for the route.

He said that the development of an airline requires careful planning, especially in terms of obtaining or leasing aircraft, which is not an easy and time-consuming process.

According to him, AirBorneo will focus in stages, starting with strengthening the flight network within Sarawak before expanding routes to other destinations such as Brunei and Singapore.

“Give it two or three years. Now AirBorneo has just acquired jet aircraft and they have a business plan to expand in stages,” he said.

Elaborating further, he said the rate showed AirBorneo’s efforts to offer more competitive air travel options to consumers.

He said fare setting needs to take into account various factors including fuel costs, passenger demand and operational capabilities to ensure the airline can be operated sustainably.

He added that as an island state, Sarawak needs a strong air transport system and having its own airline can reduce its complete dependence on external parties.

He explained that AirBorneo’s success needs to be assessed after a certain period when the company has more aircraft and a wider flight network.