Sarawak Museum documenting the over 100-year old traditional "belanga" of the Melanau community

MUKAH, Aug 27 2026: The traditional "belanga" treasures of the Melanau community, estimated to be over 100 years old in Kampung Tellian Ulu, are now being documented as part of efforts to ensure that the material heritage continues to be recorded and preserved for future generations.

Caption: The sago making process which is closely related to the traditional life of the Melanau community

Curator of the Sarawak Museum Department Aldrin John Hew said the documentation effort was carried out through a special reconnaissance visit to the village today to examine the collection of traditional pottery that has historical and cultural value to the Melanau community.

According to him, the initial survey found that the collection has high historical, aesthetic and cultural value based on its age and heritage characteristics.

He said the documentation process is important to create records that can support research and preservation efforts, as well as being a source of information on the heritage of the Melanau community to future generations.

The initiative is part of the Sarawak Museum Department's ongoing efforts to document the material treasures of various ethnic communities in Sarawak so that their historical and cultural values continue to be preserved.

During the same visit, the delegation also inspected the sago making process which is closely related to the traditional life of the local community, in addition to obtaining the cooperation of the villagers in the reconnaissance and documentation process.

The delegation was also assisted by sago makers Simon Dubin and Rasiti Pisu, as well as the boat owner Nipah Junang  who arranged for the group to be transported to the sago making location.

 Also present were Sarawak Museum Department Research Officer Mutaqin Nashrie Morscseinie and Iqmal Nazran Abdullah and representative of the Mukah District Office Tracy Penggang .

 

 

429 nerima surat pala seksyen 18 Kanun Tanah Sarawak

 SARATOK, 27 Ogos 2026: : Bisi 429 iku sida ke beempu tanah Hak Adat Bumiputera (NCR) di Krian nerima Surat Pala Tanah nengah Seksyen 18 Kanun Tanah Sarawak ke mungkur 520 lot individu enggau 679.6 hektar tauka 1,679.34 ekar pemesai.

Tu nyengkaum tanah di Sungai Krian enggau Sungai Kabo diberi 289 surat pala tanah ngagai 264 penerima ke mungkur 330.48 hektar pemesai.

Nangkan nya, ba Entebu-Selambong diberi 179 surat pala tanah ngagai 121 penerima enggau 311.79 hektar pemesai lalu di Kampung Sepuk, Krian diberi 52 surat pala tanah ngagai 44 penerima enggau 37.34 hektar pemesai.

Sapit Menteri Pengatur Menteri, Tanah enggau Rampa Menua Len Talif Salleh madah, Perintah Sarawak semampai chakah mutar isu tanah NCR.

Ku iya, tanah ke digazet nengah Seksyen 6 Kanun Tanah Sarawak ukai dikena ngambi tanah rayat tang nyadi chara dikena nentu, ngerikod sereta nyaga tanah NCR sebedau diberi pala tanah nengah Seksyen 18.

Iya nerangka pekara nya maya nyuaka Surat Pala Tanah Seksyen 18 ditu, Hari Empat.

Kelimpah ari nya, iya minta sida ke beempu tanah meri kerejasama ngagai Opis Tanah enggau Survei (JTS) nyengkaum besetujuka tanah sida disukat, ngerintis entara sereta datai enggau orang beempu tanah sepiak maya pengawa nyukat diatur.

Bela datai ba pengawa nya, Kaban Kunsil Nengeri (ADUN) Kalaka Mohamad Duri, ADUN Krian Friday Belik, Sapit Residen Sitak Betong Mohammad Nizam Wang enggau Pegawai Opis Pelilih Saratok Muhammad Dino Amid.- EDISI UKAS

Baru: Lawas Hospital needs 1,014 staff to operate at full strength, but only 300 positions are filled

LAWAS, Aug 27 2026: The soon-to-be-opened Lawas Hospital needs more medical professionals to operate at full strength, Ba’Kelalan State Legislative Member Baru Bian has said.

Caption: Ba'Kelalan State Legislative Member Baru Bian (wearing blue shirt) talking to Lawas Hospital director Dr Douglas Chu Kin Soon during the visit 

He said the hospital can support up to 1,014 staff, but only around 300 positions are currently filled.

“Of these 300 personnel, only 20 are locals,” he said in a statement.

He urged qualified Sarawakians—especially those from Lawas—to return and serve here, adding that this is a rare opportunity to work in a brand-new hospital with state-of-the-art facilities, in an environment built for both comfort and purpose.

“Your skills will not only transform lives but also help shape the future of healthcare in northern Sarawak,” the former Works Minister said.

He visited the new hospital, alongside its director Dr Douglas Chu Kin Soon, ahead of its official opening on  September 7 2026.

“For years, the people of Lawas have waited for this moment,” he said, adding that the project, was supposed to begin its construction in 2011 and to be completed by 2016, but it had not even started by the time he became Works Minister in 2018.

“One of my top priorities was to push for retendering—which was completed in 2019—and today, I’m proud to see this long-delayed vision finally realised, despite the many challenges along the way,” he noted.

 Classified as a ‘Hospital Berpakar Minor’, this is a modern, well-designed facility and, as Dr Douglas shared, one of the most advanced in Sarawak.

The bed capacity has doubled to 76 standard beds, with 4 additional beds in the High Dependency Unit—meeting the growing needs of Lawas and surrounding communities.

Most importantly, residents will no longer need to travel to Limbang, Miri or Kuching for essential care.

Baru said he was deeply impressed by the thoughtful design: new patient beds, a fully equipped lab and pharmacy, a well-appointed kitchen, a secure records room, and a dialysis area expanded to more than double its previous capacity.

He added accident and emergency department is spacious and includes a dental unit, particularly touching was the dedicated study room in the Paediatric Unit, where children with long-term illnesses can continue their education—even sit for exams.

These details show a deep understanding of patients’ real-life needs.

 

Lokasi bukan penghalang pelajar luar bandar raih kecemerlangan, kata Opar YB

LUNDU 27 Ogos 2026: Lokasi dan latar belakang bukan penghalang untuk mencapai kecemerlangan akademik, terbukti apabila 50 pelajar Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Lundu berjaya mencatat pencapaian membanggakan dalam Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) dan Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) 2025.

 

Caption: Opar YB Billy Sujang berkata kejayaan akademik yang dicapai bukanlah titik akhir

Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Opar Billy Sujang berkata, kejayaan 33 pelajar cemerlang SPM dan 17 pelajar cemerlang STPM itu membuktikan bahawa kesungguhan, disiplin dan ketekunan mampu membawa pelajar dari kawasan luar bandar mencapai kejayaan setanding pelajar di kawasan lain.

“Setiap cabaran perlu dijadikan sumber kekuatan dan motivasi kerana anak-anak dari kawasan luar bandar juga mempunyai keupayaan untuk berdiri sama tinggi dan mencapai kejayaan besar sekiranya terus berusaha,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada Majlis Penyerahan Insentif Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG) kepada Pelajar Cemerlang SPM dan STPM 2025 di SMK Lundu, di sini pada Rabu.

Menurut Billy, pencapaian tersebut merupakan hasil usaha, disiplin, ketekunan dan pengorbanan para pelajar, selain sokongan berterusan guru, ibu bapa dan keluarga.

Beliau berkata, kejayaan akademik yang dicapai bukanlah titik akhir, sebaliknya menjadi permulaan kepada perjalanan lebih mencabar apabila pelajar melangkah ke kolej, universiti, institusi kemahiran atau bidang kerjaya pilihan masing-masing.

Sehubungan itu, beliau menyeru pelajar supaya tidak hanya memberi tumpuan kepada pencapaian akademik, malah memperkukuh kemahiran komunikasi, teknikal, kepimpinan dan kreativiti bagi meningkatkan daya saing dalam menghadapi dunia pekerjaan.

Dalam pada itu, Billy mengingatkan golongan muda supaya berani menyesuaikan diri dengan perkembangan teknologi, termasuk kecerdasan buatan (AI), dengan memanfaatkannya secara bijak sebagai alat untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dan kemahiran.

Beliau turut berkongsi pengalaman perjalanan hidupnya yang penuh cabaran sebagai dorongan kepada pelajar agar tidak menjadikan kekurangan atau kesusahan sebagai alasan untuk berhenti mengejar cita-cita.

Katanya, generasi muda perlu melihat setiap cabaran sebagai peluang untuk membina kekuatan diri dan terus bergerak ke hadapan dalam mencapai impian masing-masing.

Pada majlis tersebut, seramai 50 pelajar cemerlang SMK Lundu menerima insentif PIBG sebagai penghargaan terhadap pencapaian akademik mereka dalam SPM dan STPM 2025.-EDISI UKAS