Sarawak Delta Geopark expected to be approved as Global Geopark Site by UNESCO on April 23

KUCHING, April 17 2026: Sarawak is now one step closer to achieving international recognition when the Sarawak Delta  Geopark (SDGp) is expected to be officially approved as a Global Geopark Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on April 23.

Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Len Talif Salleh (picture) said that his party had received initial verbal feedback regarding the acceptance of the certification after obtaining the approval of the geopark evaluation committee.

He said that the official decision was expected to be finalized through the UNESCO Executive Board meeting in Paris on April 23.

“The meeting will discuss and approve the Sarawak Delta Geopark as one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks before the recognition certificate is handed over to the Malaysian permanent representative in Paris,” he told reporters at the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) Aidilfitri reception  at Wisma Sumber Alam today..

Len said that with the recognition, Sarawak will become the fourth geopark in Malaysia to be recognized by UNESCO.

He said he is optimistic that the high-profile status will be fully utilized to promote Kuching and Sarawak as a whole as a unique world-class tourism destination.

He explained that the development of the geopark places emphasis on the concept of sustainable development which includes geological elements, biodiversity and local community involvement, in addition to opening up economic opportunities in the fields of gastronomy, food and culture.

The geopark covers 3,112 sq. km across Kuching, Bau, Padawan and Siburan, featuring 28 rock geosites, 12 biological geosites and 14 cultural geosites, along with eleven national parks and reserves. It showcases various landscapes like coastlines, mangroves and river deltas, home to diverse plants and animal species, including endemic ones like proboscis monkey and Bornean orangutan.

This area is renowned for its caves and beautiful beaches enriched by the traditions and history of local indigenous communities.

The national parks within the geopark offer unique ecosystems and geological formations while serving as conservation areas for Sarawak's rich biodiversity and cultural heritage.

The Sarawak Delta was certified as the sixth national geopark at the National Geopark Committee meeting on June 20 2022.

On November 21, 2019, the Sarawak government approved the vast area for SDGp.

Why neglect SMEs in the distribution of special financial assistance? Sarawak DAP chief asks the state government

KUCHING, April 17 2026: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen (picture)has accused the state government of neglecting the business community in the distribution of the special financial assistance announced by Premier Abang Johari Openg yesterday. 

He said welcomes the discount for rental of hawkers and traders operating in markets and stalls owned by local authorities and the 50 per cent rental discount to the tenants of properties owned by the state government-linked companies.

However,  he said 99.9 per cent of the small-medium enterprises (SMEs) do no benefit from any rental discount.

“The government must recognise the importance of business sector to our state’s economy and general well-being of the employees.  

“In light of the sudden sharp increase in the costs of logistics and supplies, the state should provide financial assistance to the SMEs in our state,” Chong said.

He noted that recently, the federal Minister for Entrepreneur and Co-operatives Development Steven Sim has announced the low-cost business financing amounting to RM15 billion, an increase of RM5 billion from the initial RM10 billion.

He added the federal government has also allocated RM15 billion in 2026 to fund the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahma.h (SARA).

“ In addition, the federal government has also increased the petrol and diesel subsidy from RM700 million per month to the escalated figure of RM4,000 million per month (an increase of approximately RM3 billion per month).

“Despite the tens of billions allocated by the federal government, it is still insufficient to help many local SMEs to tide over this difficult time.

“ With the more-than-RM10 billion annual revenue of the Sarawak government (likely to be more as oil prices has shot up), we expect more to be done than what was announced yesterday,” Chong, who is also Stampin Member of Parliament, said.  

Why charge full assessment rate on shoplot unit at Merdeka Mall that has been closed since 2019? Chieng Jen asks Miri City Council

KUCHING, April 17 2026: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen today asked Miri City Council (MCC) the rationale of charging a full assessment rate of a unit of shoplot located at Merdeka Mall that has been closed since 2019.

Caption: Unit's owner Peter Wong (right) handing over a letter of demand from Miri City Council to Sarawak DAP chairman 

He said two days ago the unit’s owner Peter Wong came to see him seeking help to request MCC to reduce the rate.

“In late 2025, Wong had written to the MCC asking for a 50 per cent discount off the assessment rate of his unit for year 2024 and 2025.  

“The reason in support of his application was that Mall has been totally closed and unoccupied since 2019.

“Instead of engaging with Wong to discuss the proposed discount on the assessment rate, MCC engaged a legal firm to issue letter of demand against him demanding for a full payment of the assessment rate,” Chong said in a statement.

He stressed such a hand-handedness in which a local authority responds to people’s appeal is most undesirable.  

“Putting aside the ugly and high-handed manner in which the MCC has acted, in fact and in law, due to the closure and non-occupancy of the Mall, the MCC has a legal obligation to substantially reduce the Assessment Rate chargeable on the Mall and all the units within.

“It is a well-known fact in Miri that the Mall was closed since 2019.  Wong’s unit, being located in the Mall could not be rent out and had since 2019 been left unoccupied.

“For Wong’s unit, the ARV valued by the MCC before the closure of the Mall was RM7,370 and a rate of 23.5% was charged thereon making the assessment rate chargeable thereon to be RM1,732 per annum.

“Given that the whole of the Mall has been closed and unoccupied since 2019, the ARV of Wong’s unit which is the “estimated gross annual rent” that the above Property “might reasonably be expected to let” is thus zero since 2019.  

Chong stressed that under the Local Authorities Ordinance, 1996, assessment rates are levied for the purposes of providing scavenging, sewerage desludging, street lighting and road maintenance services serving the property concerned.  

“As the whole of the Merdeka Mall  has been closed and unoccupied since 2019, there was thus no such services provided and serving the Mall.

“Without the provision of these services to Wong’s unit and the whole of Mall, MCC has no justification to collect the assessment rates,” Chong said.

(UPDATED) Driver burnt to death in a head-on collision involving a sports car and a lorry

MIRI, April 17 2026: A 40-yeat old driver  was burnt to death in a head-on collision involving a sports car and a lorry  at Jalan Miri by-pass here this morning. 

Caption: Firemen extracting the charred remains of the driver of sports utility vehicle.

Lopeng Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) station, in a statement, said initial investigation revealed that the Subaru BRZ burst into flame immediately after the accident.

“The  car was completely burnt while the lorry’s front was also badly burnt,” Lopeng station.

It said it received a call about 9.30am from a passer-by, informing of the accident.

It added that the identity of the victim has yet to be known.

The charred remains of the driver were handed over to the police for further action. 

Total areas of 1.7 million hectares were planted with oil palm in Sarawak, says Statistics Dept in its agriculture census 2024 report

KUCHING, April 16 2026: A total areas of 1.7 million hectares in Sarawak were planted with oil palm, according to the Statistics Department in its agriculture census 2024 report.

The department said this was followed by rubber with 68,200  hectares, fruits with 27,400 hectares.

“These three  activities contribute a  total of 98.1 per cent of the total planted area, while other crops account for  33.6 thousand hectares,” the department said.

The agriculture census also recorded that the total sales value for the crop  subsector in Sarawak amounted to RM20.68 billion, the forestry and logging subsector (RM1.52 billion), followed by the livestock subsector (RM1.05 billion).

“While the  captured fisheries subsector and aquaculture subsector recorded sales value at  RM597.23 million and RM141.7 million respectively,” the department said.  

It said the total income of the agriculture sector for Sarawak in 2023 amounted to  RM29.18 billion, with the crop subsector emerged as the largest contributor at  RM23.58 billion (80.8%), followed by forestry and logging subsector RM2.88 billion  (9.9%), livestock subsector RM1.96 billion (6.7%), captured fisheries subsector  RM605.55 million (2.1%) and aquaculture subsector RM151.57 million (0.5%).

The three) administrative districts recorded highest total income were Sibu (RM2.58  billion), Mukah (RM2.30 billion) and Bintulu (RM2.21 billion).  

Establishments agricultural holdings contributed RM22.49 billion, equivalent to 77.1  per cent of agriculture sector’s income, while individual holdings recorded RM6.70 billion (22.9%).

These findings are derived from the census, conducted from  July 7, 2024 to  October 31, 2024 through extensive and strategic collaboration  between DOSM and 1,390 agriculture-related agencies at the federal, state and district  levels.

Sarawak recorded 147,411 agricultural holdings, of which 145,377 were individual,  representing 98.6 per cent while the remaining 2,034 agricultural holdings were  establishments.

Employment in the agriculture sector for Sarawak recorded 358,803 persons in 2023.  The top three administrative districts contributing to employment were Miri (22,087  persons), Subis (19,348 persons) and Sibu (17,936 persons), collectively accounting  for 17.0 per cent of the total employment. The oil palm activity was the main contributor  to employment, representing 62.0 per cent of the total agricultural employment in  Sarawak.

The average annual wages and salaries in the agriculture sector was amounted to RM19,122 with five administrative districts recording levels above the state average,  namely Kabong (RM25,040), Matu (RM25,016), Mukah (RM24,341), Marudi  (RM23,543) and Subis (RM23,498)

The key ministries and agencies involved include the Ministry of Agriculture and  Food Security (KPKM), the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities (KPK), the Ministry  of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), the Sarawak Ministry  of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD) and the Sabah  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (MAFFI).