192 UEC holders currently benefiting from tuition fee under FTES

KUCHING, Oct 13 2026: Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Roland Sagah Wee Inn said a total of 192 Sarawakian Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) holders are currently benefiting from tuition fee coverage under the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES). 

Caption: Minister Roland Sagah Wee Inn says based on the current admission requirements provided by the participating universities, a pass in Bahasa Melayu is not stipulated as a compulsory entry requirement for UEC holders. 

He said 137 of them are at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, 21 at Curtin University Malaysia, 33 at University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) and one at i-CATS University College

He said UEC holders are eligible to be considered for the FTES subject to fulfilling the applicable academic and programme-specific entry requirements of the participating State-owned universities.  

"The requirements vary according to the university and programme. 

"Generally, the requirements for a bachelor’s degree programmes for a UEC holder is 5 grade Bs, with additional prerequisite subjects for certain programmes such as Mathematics, Additional Mathematics and Physical Science. 

"Based on the current admission requirements provided by the participating universities, a pass in Bahasa Melayu is not stipulated as a compulsory entry requirement for UEC holders. 

"However, applicants must fulfil all other applicable admission requirements, including English language requirements and programme-specific prerequisites, where applicable,"  Sagah said when replying to questions raised by Batu Lintang State Legislative Member See Chee How during question and answer session in the State Legislative Assembly.

He said UEC students enrolled under FTES will have the same access to internship and industrial placement opportunities as other students from participating universities, regardless of their UEC status.

See wanted to know how many Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) students are currently benefiting from the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), and what percentage do they represent at each university participating in the FTES

He also wanted to know what were eligibility criteria for UEC holders to qualify for FTES and is a pass in Bahasa Melayu compulsory for UEC holders to be eligible for FTES.

State government has agreed in principle to allocate SALCRA with 5,000 hectares to develop new sources of income

KUCHING, Oct 13 2026: The state government has agreed in principle to allocate 5,000 hectares to Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) to develop new income sources, ensuring the organisation's long-term financial sustainability.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg (right) attending the 50th anniversary of Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA)

Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, who is also SALCRA Chairman, Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, said the approval is an important step in supporting the transformation agenda of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

"Our direction is clear. SALCRA must become stronger, more efficient and increasingly self-reliant financially.

"SALCRA cannot continue to depend on traditional sources of income. We need to diversify revenue sources, increase profits and explore new businesses based on our existing expertise," he said at the SALCRA Golden Jubilee Dinner in conjunction with its 50th anniversary celebration last night.

The event was also attended by Premier Abang Johari Openg.

Dr Rundi explained that the SALCRA Transformation Plan 2026–2030, drawn up following the SALCRA Corporate Study in 2024, is also aligned with the Sarawak SOE Transformation Roadmap 2026–2030.

He said potential areas to be explored include green and renewable energy, bio and organic fertiliser production, food security-related activities and downstream oil palm industries.

In addition, SALCRA's expertise in managing Native Customary Rights (NCR) land, plantations and mills could be commercialised through consultancy, management and technical services.

Dr Rundi said that over its five decades, SALCRA has developed about 55,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, benefiting more than 22,000 families from over 400 villages and longhouses in Sarawak.

Since 1985, SALCRA has also distributed nearly RM1.2 billion in net proceeds or dividends to participants of its land development schemes.

He said the achievements prove SALCRA's role not only in developing agricultural land, but also in improving the socioeconomic status of rural communities through employment opportunities, income and infrastructure development.

Deputy Premiers Douglas Uggah Embas and Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, state ministers and deputy ministers among those present.

State Secretary says the 2027 Budget gives emphasis to institutional empowerment, competency development of the civil servants

KUCHING, Oct 12 2026: The Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) has expressed its appreciation to Premier Abang Johari Openg for the tabling of the 2027 State Budget which emphasis institutional empowerment, competency development, and the welfare of the civil servants.

Caption: State Secretary Mohd Abu Bakar Marzuki says a key initiative welcomed by the civil service is the allocation of RM25 million to the Leadership Institute Sarawak Civil Service (LISCS) to bolster leadership and competency development among civil servants

State Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, on behalf of the entire SCS workforce, wished to acknowledge the Sarawak government's unwavering commitment to strengthening the capabilities and professionalism of civil servants in order to enhance the quality of service delivery to the people.

"We deeply appreciate the Sarawak government's efforts and dedication to strengthening the capabilities, professionalism, and welfare of civil servants, particularly through the Ninth Strategic Thrust: 'Institutionalising High-Performance Government and Fiscal Resilience'," he said in a media statement when reacting to the tabling of the 2027 budget by the premier.

He added that a key initiative welcomed by the service is the allocation of RM25 million to the Leadership Institute Sarawak Civil Service (LISCS) to bolster leadership and competency development among civil servants

He noted that RM2.38 million has been allocated for a study on developing the Sarawak Civil Service Transformation and Innovation Ecosystem.

"Both initiatives represent strategic steps towards strengthening the SCS as a high-performing and innovative institution capable of meeting administrative demands and the increasingly complex needs of the people," he explained.

Regarding welfare and infrastructure, he also welcomed the allocation of RM347 million for the construction and upgrading of government offices and civil servant housing facilities across Sarawak.

He stated that this initiative would provide a more conducive working environment, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of service delivery in both urban and rural areas. Meanwhile, he explained that the RM24 million allocation for the implementation of 65 digital projects for Sarawak Government services is expected to accelerate the public sector's digital transformation, aligning with the target of digitizing 80 percent of government services by 2027 and 100 percent by 2030.

“This effort will not only expand public access to digital government services but also strengthen system integration and secure information sharing among agencies, enabling services to be delivered more efficiently, conveniently, and seamlessly,” he stated.

He also welcomed the expanded access to international-standard professional qualifications through the Sarawak Centre of Performance Excellence (SCOPE), including those from the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA) and the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) programme.

According to him, these opportunities will enhance the expertise of civil servants in financial management, auditing, and governance, thereby strengthening the integrity and accountability of public resource management.

Mohamad Abu Bakar described these initiatives as a manifestation of the Sarawak government's confidence in the Sarawak Civil Service's (PANS) ability to shoulder greater responsibilities in driving the state's development agenda.

“We deeply appreciate this recognition and trust; it certainly serves as a morale booster for the entire Sarawak Civil Service workforce to continue improving the quality of service delivery to the people,” he said.

In this regard, he urged all PANS personnel to strengthen their commitment, enhance their competencies, and cultivate a culture of integrity, innovation, and excellence in carrying out their duties.

“The trust placed in us by the Sarawak government leadership requires us to ensure that every allocation is utilized optimally and that every planned policy, program, and initiative is executed with high discipline, so that the results can be truly felt by the people across Sarawak,” he emphasized.

 He also reaffirmed PANS's commitment to ensuring that all plans under the 2027 budget are effectively implemented for the sake of the state's development and the well-being of the people. 

Rural school SMK Long Bedian emerges champion at Petrosains TechAII national level competition

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 2026: Sekolah Mengengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Long Bedian, located at Telang Usan district in Baram, has emerged champion at the Petrosains Tech4All 2026 national level competition with its innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered waste sorting system.

Caption: SMK Long Bedian team that emerged champion at Petrosains TechAII national level competition

The school clinched the top prize with its project, Smart Object Recycling Technology (S.O.R.T.), designed to help its school cleaner sort waste more efficiently while promoting environmental sustainability among students.

The system combines AI and Arduino coding, using a camera to identify different types of waste, including cans, plastic and paper, before automatically opening the appropriate bin.

Team member Agustus Antonio Galvin, 12, said the project was inspired by the team’s desire to help their school cleaner, known as Aunty Siti.

“We created S.O.R.T. because we wanted to help Aunty Siti, our school cleaner, sort waste more easily and save time,” he said.

Meanwhile, teacher Hanson Teo Kim Guan, 28, expressed pride in the students' achievement, saying they had successfully applied their knowledge to develop a practical solution to a real-world problem.

“This is our first time participating in Petrosains Tech4All, so seeing our students make it into the Top 10 and eventually emerge as champions is truly meaningful for us,” he said.

The team took home RM3,500 in cash, certificates and exclusive Petrosains merchandise.


The first runner-up from SK Punan, Johor and second runner-up from SK Telanok, Pahang received RM2,500 and RM2,000 respectively, along with certificates and exclusive Petrosains’ merchandise.

Meanwhile, the teams that placed fourth from SK Runchang, Pahang and fifth from SK Padang, Sabah each received RM1,000, certificates and exclusive Petrosains’ merchandise in recognition of their outstanding efforts.

Held at Petrosains, The Discovery Centre, here on Monday, the national competition brought together 40 students and 20 teachers representing 10 schools from Orang Asli and Peribumi communities in Johor, Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak.

Now in its third consecutive year, Petrosains Tech4All has evolved from a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach initiative into a sustainable platform that empowers Orang Asli and Peribumi students, teachers and communities through robotics, coding, computational thinking and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

Through a combination of educator development, hands-on learning and innovation-based challenges, the programme, organised by Petrosains in collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Daily School Management Division with support from OPITO and Hibiscus Petroleum, continues to bridge educational gaps while nurturing future-ready talent across Malaysia.

2027 State Budget not totally an election budget; many of the initiatives have been implemented

By Simon Isaiah

I will not call the 2027 State Budget totally an election budget. On the surface, it appears to be so designed to guarantee victory in the state election expected to be held later this year. However, after looking through the budget, many of the initiatives in the budget, in fact, have been implemented.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg tabling the 2027 State Budget

Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak (SKAS) aid scheme, Senior Citizens Health Scheme, Gold Gold Kenyalang and a number of aid and welfare schemes are in fact have been implemented,

And so are the 25% discount on electricity bill, water bill and assistance to the students have already been implemented.

These are the initiatives which are dear and near to the ordinary people's hearts.

As pointed out by Premier Abang Johari Openg, at the heart of 2027 Budget is a simple principle: people must remain at the centre of development. Economic growth is important. Fiscal strength is vital. Investment is necessary. Infrastructure is critical. But all these are means to an end. The end is human well-being.

The budget is about a family that can afford a decent life, a young person who can find meaningful employment, a rural community with the same dignity of access to essential services as an urban community, an elderly person who can live with security, and a child who receives a good education regardless of where he or she is born. That is what development means. 

The 2027 budget, as expected, will therefore, continue to support households facing these life challenges while addressing the structural pressures that keep families vulnerable. But we must also recognise an important principle.

The best social protection is not simply a transfer of money. The best social protection is an economy that creates opportunity: a job with a good wage, a business that can grow, a skill that is valued by industry, a farm produce that can reach the market, and a young person who can build a career in Sarawak.

The budget will, therefore, combine social protection with economic empowerment. The state government will help people today while creating pathways for them to become more economically secure tomorrow

However, the budget's nine main thrusts aim to accelerate Sarawak’s economic transformation by advancing higher‑value industries and diversifying beyond traditional sectors. 

They unlock new growth areas in digital technology, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing, while fostering private investment through innovation and strategic partnerships.

At the same time, these measures expand employment opportunities, strengthen human capital, as well as building a competitive and agile workforce. Together, these measures will help secure Sarawak’s long-term prosperity that are sustainable, inclusive, and future‑proof.

The 2027 Budget will, therefore, continue to support households facing these life challenges while addressing the structural pressures that keep families vulnerable. But we must also recognise an important principle. 

The best social protection is not simply a transfer of money. The best social protection is an economy that creates opportunity: a job with a good wage, a business that can grow, a skill that is valued by industry, a
farm produce that can reach the market, and a young person who can build a career in Sarawak.

The budget will, therefore, combine social protection with economic empowerment. The state government will help people today while creating pathways for them to become more economically secure tomorrow

Above all, it is a budget that speaks directly to the rakyat, ensuring growth that uplifts every household while preparing for a sustainable and secure tomorrow. 

The budget aims to ensure that every Sarawakian has access to quality jobs, sustainable incomes, and opportunities to uplift their families.

According to the premier, the 2027 Budget is a budget of confidence, hope and optimism. Confidence in the ingenuity and resilience of the people. Confidence in the institutions. Confidence in Sarawak's economic potential.