Homemaker scammed after responding to advertisement promoting food posted on Facebook

KUCHING, May 4 2026: A homemaker has said that she has been scammed of an undisclosed amount of money in her bank account after she came across an advertisement on Facebook promoting home-cooked food. 

Caption: The homemaker seeking assistance from Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen's special assistant Michael Kong 

Upon expressing interest, Madam Chan contacted the alleged vendor via WhatsApp call.

During the call, the individual insisted on sending her a menu, but she  declined as she already had a specific dish in mind.

“When the caller persisted, she ended the call out of frustration,” Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant Michael Kong said in a statement today, after the woman came to seek his assistance to get back her money from the bank.

Kong said within minutes, Madam Chan noticed that her phone began behaving abnormally, adding shortly after, her son informed her that multiple contacts had received messages from her number requesting money.

“Alarmed, she immediately contacted her bank and discovered three unauthorised transactions from her savings account and one from her credit card account,” he said.

Despite lodging a dispute with the bank, Kong said her claim was rejected on the basis that her User ID and password were used to access her account, and that her device “may have been compromised due to malware”.

“This explanation is deeply unsatisfactory. She has categorically stated that she did not download any applications or click into any links.

“The only interaction she had was a WhatsApp call with the alleged scammer,” Kong said, adding that this raises serious concerns about the evolving tactics of scammers, who may now be capable of exploiting vulnerabilities through seemingly harmless interactions such as calls or social media engagement.

“This case highlights a new wave of scams, where fraudsters are becoming increasingly technologically sophisticated, potentially gaining access to devices without the victim knowingly downloading anything.

“We are currently assisting Madam Chan in lodging an appeal with the Financial Markets Ombudsman Services to challenge the bank’s decision and to seek a fair resolution.

“At the same time, I urge members of the public to exercise extreme caution when encountering advertisements on platforms such as Facebook.

“Even seemingly legitimate offers (such as food sales or services) may be entry points for scammers,” he added.

Kong said scammers are constantly evolving, and traditional assumptions about how scams work are no longer sufficient.

“What may appear to be a simple phone call could now be part of a larger phishing or device-compromise scheme.

“Financial institutions must also step up in addressing these cases with greater accountability, especially where there is clear evidence that victims played no part in the compromise of their own security,” he said.

Shocked veteran journalist, who was thought to have died, is very much alive

KUCHING, May 4 2026:  A veteran journalist, who was thought to have passed away, is, in fact, very much alive and kicking.

The news of his supposed death was posted in the media group chat, prompting many reporters and photographers to express their shock and extend their condolences to his family.

He, himself, was shocked to receive dozens of calls and messages asking about his “death” after a condolence poster with his picture went viral in several WhatsApp groups this morning.

Even more shocking, when the poster went viral, he had actually just finished handling the Gold Card registration before stopping to enjoy a cup of coffee at a nearby shop.

“I was shocked when the phone didn’t stop ringing. Many media friends, old acquaintances, and relatives asked if the news was true.

“ Some continued to offer their condolences,” he said while chuckling, still shocked by the incident.

He said that at first he thought something had happened to a friend, but after seeing the poster featuring his face with a death message, he could only be stunned.

“Imagine being drinking coffee, suddenly people asking why I died. I am still alive, healthy and enjoying my morning coffee,” he said.

The false information is believed to have spread due to a mistake by an individual who used his picture on someone else’s death poster before it was shared without checking.

The incident not only caused confusion but also caused panic among family and close friends who kept contacting him for confirmation.

He hoped that the public would be more careful before spreading any news, especially involving death, because it had an emotional impact on the family and the individuals involved.

“Don’t easily believe and just ‘forward’. First make sure the authenticity of a news. Today I am the one who ‘died and came back to life’, tomorrow it might be someone else,” he said jokingly.

Abang Johari: Artificial Intelligence, hydrogen and semiconductors main cores of Sarawak's future direction in building new economy

MANCHESTER, May 4 2026: Artificial intelligence (AI), hydrogen and semiconductors are among the main cores of Sarawak's future direction in building a new economy that is more sustainable, competitive and in line with global technological changes.

Premier Abang Johari Openg: We don’t want to remain in the old economy. We need to move towards a new economy such as green energy, AI and new technology. 

Premier Abang Johari Openg said that the direction was formulated after the state faced major challenges including changes in the national political landscape as well as the Covid-19 crisis which affected the economy.

He said the situation prompted the Sarawak leadership to formulate the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 as the basis for the state's long-term development.

"After Covid-19, our economy was affected. So we must rise again and determine a new direction. We are gathering leaders, the corporate sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to discuss what needs to be done," he said.

He said this during the Sarawak Agenda Town Hall session 'Sarawak Towards The Future' in conjunction with Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak 2026, UK Edition on Sunday local time here.

The session was moderated by the Chief Political Secretary to the Premier Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman.

Commenting on the direction of the economy, Abang Johari stressed that Sarawak no longer intends to depend on the old economy, but instead explore a new economy based on technology and sustainable resources.

“We don’t want to remain in the old economy. We need to move towards a new economy such as green energy, AI and new technology,” he explained.

In the context of energy, he explained that Sarawak has chosen hydrogen as one of the future energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

“I have chosen hydrogen as a new fuel to power our economy. Currently, the cost is still high, but like other technologies, the cost will decrease as usage increases,” he said.

He also added that Sarawak has advantages in energy resources including hydro, solar, biomass and gas that can be utilised sustainably.

In the field of semiconductors, the Sarawak Premier stressed the importance of chip development as the foundation for future technology.

“Today, almost all systems depend on chips. The future will be driven by semiconductors and artificial intelligence,” he said.

Commenting on the development of global technology, he said the younger generation must be prepared to face rapid changes in the field of AI and automation.

“Your generation will face a different world as AI is developing very quickly. In the future, you will work with technology and even robots,” he said.

In this regard, he stressed that talent development is a government priority to ensure that Sarawakians are able to master strategic fields.

“We need to develop talent and knowledge. That is why we are emphasising education, including free higher education in certain fields,” he explained.

At the same time, he said that Sarawak’s economy must be strengthened to align with the fields of study of the younger generation to encourage them to return to serve the state.

“If our economy is on par with the knowledge learned, they will return. If not, they will continue to stay abroad,” he said.

The Sarawak premier also stressed that the state’s financial strength enables Sarawak to implement various development projects including rural infrastructure, education and health.

“We need to be financially strong. When we have revenue, only then can we develop the state and help the people,” he said.

He added that the development of infrastructure such as bridges and roads has had a major impact on the lives of rural residents, including increasing market access and income.

“We build bridges not just for convenience, but to improve the people’s economy. When there is access to the market, their income will increase,” he explained.

Commenting on the direction of the economy, Abang Johari stressed that Sarawak no longer intends to depend on the old economy, but instead explore a new economy based on technology and sustainable resources.

“We don’t want to remain in the old economy. We need to move towards a new economy such as green energy, AI and new technology,” he explained.

In the context of energy, he explained that Sarawak has chosen hydrogen as one of the future energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

“I have chosen hydrogen as a new fuel to power our economy. Currently, the cost is still high, but like other technologies, the cost will decrease as usage increases,” he said.

He also added that Sarawak has advantages in energy resources including hydro, solar, biomass and gas that can be utilised sustainably.

In the field of semiconductors, the Sarawak Premier stressed the importance of chip development as the foundation for future technology.

“Today, almost all systems depend on chips. The future will be driven by semiconductors and artificial intelligence,” he said.

Commenting on the development of global technology, he said the younger generation must be prepared to face rapid changes in the field of AI and automation.

“Your generation will face a different world as AI is developing very quickly. In the future, you will work with technology and even robots,” he said.

In this regard, he stressed that talent development is a government priority to ensure that Sarawakians are able to master strategic fields.

“We need to develop talent and knowledge. That is why we are emphasising education, including free higher education in certain fields,” he explained.

At the same time, he said that Sarawak’s economy must be strengthened to align with the fields of study of the younger generation to encourage them to return to serve the state.

“If our economy is on par with the knowledge learned, they will return. If not, they will continue to stay abroad,” he said.

The Sarawak premier also stressed that the state’s financial strength enables Sarawak to implement various development projects including rural infrastructure, education and health.

“We need to be financially strong. When we have revenue, only then can we develop the state and help the people,” he said.

He added that the development of infrastructure such as bridges and roads has had a major impact on the lives of rural residents, including increasing market access and income.

“We build bridges not just for convenience, but to improve the people’s economy. When there is access to the market, their income will increase,” he explained.

Commenting on the future, he stressed that Sarawak must continue to move in line with global economic changes so as not to be left behind.

“We cannot remain static. We must move in line with the changing world and seek new opportunities for the future,” he said.