Abang Johari chairs a meeting with GPS MPs and Senators in federal capital

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 2026 – After officiating the 8th Series of the Sarawakku Sayang (SKS) Programme Tour in Mukah Division in the morning, Premier Abang Johari Openg flew to federal capital last night to continue his official agenda.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg and GPS MPs and Senators posing before the camera before the start of the meeting

He chaired a meeting with Members of Parliament and Senators from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) as part of his official itinerary in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting discussed Sarawak's development progress, implementation of strategic projects, and matters concerning Sarawak's rights and interests at the federal level.

Discussions also covered current developments requiring attention and cooperation between the Sarawak government and its parliamentary representatives.

The meeting served as a platform to coordinate GPS's stance in advancing Sarawak's agenda at the national level.

The GPS MPs and Senators also shared their views on development issues and matters affecting the interests of the people of Sarawak.

This reflects GPS's commitment to strengthening cooperation between the Sarawak government and its parliamentary representatives, particularly in ensuring that the state's development agenda and the interests of the people of Sarawak continue to receive attention at the federal level.

Review names of individualls who have been blacklistted or barred from Sarawak, National PKR vice president tells state government

KUCHING, Oct 4 2026: National PKR vice president Roland Engan has called on the Sarawak government to review the names of individuals who have been blacklisted or barred from entering Sarawak, including re-evaluating the basis, duration, and necessity of such restrictions.

Caption: National PKR vice president Roland Engan asks  if an individual has been blacklisted for a long time, are the grounds for that restriction still relevant?

He clarified that he is not calling for Sarawak's immigration powers to be set aside, but merely suggesting that these powers be exercised in the spirit of periodic review, fairness, and the public interest.

"If an individual has been blacklisted for a long time, are the grounds for that restriction still relevant?" Roland asked when commenting on the ban imposed on Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president Meenakshi Raman from entering Sarawak on Sept 29.

"If circumstances have changed, why is the restriction not being reviewed?" he asked in a statement posted on his Facebook.

Roland said if there are valid security or legal reasons, the public deserves to be assured that every decision is made based on legitimate and proportionate grounds.

"In the case of SAM president, I am of the view that the Sarawak government should reconsider the restriction and allow her to enter Sarawak to carry out work that is lawful and in the public interest," he said.

Roland asked what threat Meenakshi could pose to Sarawak.

He said SAM is a civil society organisation that has long been engaged in work related to the environment, indigenous peoples, agriculture, and community rights. 

"SAM itself has stated that its office in Marudi supports indigenous communities in community-based forest management and agroecology projects.

"In fact, it maintains an office in Marudi, Baram, and conducts programmes involving agroecology training, seedling production, sustainable agriculture, and support for community initiatives," Roland explained.

He has personally observed that SAM Marudi has helped raise community awareness regarding human rights and community rights; consumer rights; the rights and interests of indigenous peoples; sustainable agriculture and agroecology; and sustainable land management and usage.

He said SAM Marudi also has helped in environmental conservation; and the community's capacity to participate in defending their interests.

"In my view, such work should not be viewed merely as a burden or a threat to the Sarawak government," he added.

Coming Sarawak state election will be my last, insists premier

MUKAH, Oct 4 2026: Premier Abang  Johari  Openg reiterated that his decision to make coming state election his last is not due to external pressure, but rather his age.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg says that his decision to step down as State Legislative Member and  PBB president is due to his age

He said that he has already clarified this matter while attending the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Special Convention in Miri recently.

He said ageing is a natural process that must be accepted, and state leadership needs to be carried on by a team that has been trained.

“We grow older by the day. If it were possible to reverse the process, it wouldn't be an issue, but it cannot be reversed. So, we must accept it as something natural.

“To lead the state, we must have a team.  Adenan Satem, Douglas Uggah, and the rest of us were trained under Taib Mahmud's leadership as PBB president and chief minister.

"We develop the state as a team, and we must continue to have a team,” he said when met by the media after officiating the 'Sarawakku Sayang' Programme for the Mukah Division yesterday. 

Responding to a question about whether he might consider continuing to lead beyond 2030, Abang Johari reiterated that his decision was based on age.

“No. It depends on age. Do you know how old I am? By 2030, I will be 80 years old.” "Well, at that age, if one is still going strong..." he explained.

Meanwhile,  PBB Women Wing chief Fatimah Abdullah, who is also the Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, appealed the premier to reconsider the decision.

She insisted that Abang Johari’s leadership remains essential for advancing the state's development agenda, particularly in strengthening the economy, community wellbeing, and education.

Abang Johari has been chief minister since 2017 and as premier from 2022 to the present.

He was State Legislative Member for Satok from 1977 to 2021 and from 2021 as SLM for Gedong. 

Kuching LNG Terminal targeting end of 2029 to supply floating LNG, says premier

MUKAH, Oct 3 2026: Kuching Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal is targeting to supply floating LNG by the end of 2029, Premier Abang Johari Openg told reporters today.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg says that Sarawak has the potential to develop small-scale LNG plants by utilising gas resources as raw materials to produce higher-value products.

He said the project was being developed by Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) in collaboration with a maritime energy infrastructure company from Norway which has over 50 years of experience in floating LNG management.

"We have signed this with the Norwegian side and according to the Petros programme, we will start supplying floating LNG in 2029 in Kuching.

"This is part of the low-carbon complex that we are building in Tanjung Embang," he said after launching Mukah Division Sarawakku Sayang (SKS) Programme 2026.

According to him, the development is another important step in strengthening Sarawak's gas industry, especially to increase the added value of gas resources through downstream activities.

Sarawak, he said, also has the potential to develop small-scale LNG plants by utilising gas resources as raw materials to produce higher-value products.

"If we have 'feedstock', we use 'feedstock'. From there we can process this gas and do downstream,” he said.

In a related development, Abang Johari said that Petros plays an important role in enabling Sarawak to understand the entire gas industry chain more closely, thus ensuring that the state’s interests are taken into account in the development of the sector.

At the same time, he stressed that cooperation between Petros and Petronas is important to enable both parties to jointly develop the oil and gas industry.

“Many people say I want to kill Petronas, Petros will interfere with Petronas. What we have we share with Petronas.

“If it were just Petronas, maybe the focus would be different and we would not be taken into account,” he said.

On October 1, Petros announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Höegh Evi, a maritime energy infrastructure company based in Norway, to develop the Kuching LNG Terminal as part of the Kuching Low-Carbon Hub (KLCH).

Activist Siti Kassim has joined PBM, confirms Larry Sng

KUCHING, Oct 3 2026: Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Larry Sng has confirmed that activist cum lawyer Siti Kassim has joined the party.

Caption: Activist cum lawyer Siti Kassim has joined PBM

"Yes, confirmed," replied Sng, who is also Julau Member of Parliament, when asked about a post on X by former Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim.

He said he will formally make the announcement on October 6.

Sng said he will also announce the post for Siti in PBM.

"Others are also joining," he said, adding that it is best to announce at the press conference.

In his X post, Zaid said he is delighted that Siti Kassim has joined  PBM, saying she is a tenacious fighter for human rights, particularly for her vocal advocacy for the rights of Orang Asli

"We need more lawyers willing to get their hands dirty and walk the streets. It’s not enough to pontificate about the ills of society in the comfort of their chambers. 

"Remember what Hannah Arendt said in The Human Condition: every small cause or action sets up a chain reaction. Resulting in larger causes," he said.

Hannah Arendt (born Johanna Arendt; 14 October 1906 – 4 December 1975) was a German and American historian and philosopher. She was one of the most influential political theorists of the twentieth century. Her works cover a broad range of topics, but she is best known for those dealing with the nature of wealth, power, fame, and evil, as well as politics, direct democracy, authority, tradition, and totalitarianism.