Premier Abang Johari wants community leaders to improve their leadership standards

SIBU, July 10 2026:  The leadership standards of community leaders need to be improved to be able to meet the needs of the new era that has witnessed rapid changes in technology, green economy and the global development landscape.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg says that  among the changes that the community leaders need understand include low-carbon economic development, carbon trading and digitalisation of government services.

Premier Abang Johari Openg said that they need to go beyond the traditional role of information transmitters, instead becoming leaders who understand government policies, master digital technology and are able to guide the people in facing current changes.

According to him, failure to understand new policies will create a gap in understanding between the government and the people, thus affecting the implementation of the state's development agenda.
"That is why the standards of community leaders, I apologize, need to be improved. Otherwise, there will be no correct understanding between the people and our policies and our policies are made to the needs of the new era," he said at a dinner with the community leaders night.

The premier added that among the changes that they need understand include low-carbon economic development, carbon trading, digitalisation of government services, use of technology in administration and development centered on environmental sustainability.

According to him, community leaders need to understand the approach so that it is in line with government policies that are adapted to the demands of the new era, especially in the aspects of digitalisation and use of technology.

"This is what we call 'bottom-up', from the bottom up, not from the top down.

"This is the policy of our government under my leadership from the beginning until today. That is why in this Sibu area we want community leaders to understand the policy that we are implementing today, which is that we are in line with the needs of the new era," he said.

He also reminded that the future of Sarawak depends on the ability of its own people to govern and develop the state without being too dependent on other parties.

"Sarawak must depend on the strength of Sarawak itself. Only Sarawakians can manage Sarawak," he stressed.

Sibu to be restructured towards a low-carbon smart city

SIBU, July 10 20026:  Sibu will undergo a comprehensive development restructuring through a new master plan that will transform the city into a low-carbon smart city, thus strengthening its position as a sustainable development hub in the central zone of Sarawak.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg says that restructuring effort will involve large scale investment and be implemented in stages

Premier Abang Johari Openg said that Sibu's development needs to be guided by a more strategic master plan since the development model based on the logging industry no longer meets the needs of the current economy.

According to him, the restructuring effort will involve large-scale investments and be implemented in stages according to the financial capacity of the Sarawak government.

"If Sibu was previously developed based on the logging industry, today we need to develop it in a new way. That is why we want to restructure Sibu," he said when speaking at a dinner with the community leaders tonight.

He explained further that the restructuring aims to transform Sibu into a low carbon smart city that balances economic development, environmental conservation and the use of digital technology in service delivery.

"This is Sibu that we must develop and restructure to become a low carbon smart city in the heart of Sarawak," he said.

He added that the development agenda will be driven through the roles of the Mid Rajang Development Agency (MiRRDA) and Rajang Delta Development Agency (RDDA), in addition to emphasizing forest conservation as a carbon sink, exploring carbon trading opportunities and empowering digital technology.

"Sibu has a strategic position in the heart of Sarawak and has the potential to become a low carbon smart city that can support the state's sustainable development agenda in the future," he said.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof, Deputies Premier Douglas Uggah Embas,  Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Dr Sim Kui Hian, Speaker Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Sarawak State Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, federal ministers and ministers.

 

Agrofest nyungkak agropemakai, Sebauh ulih nyadi hab tibang nangchem

SEBAUH, 10 Julai 2026: Agrofest Sebauh 2026 majak nyungkak agenda pemansang sektor agropemakai Sarawak ari ngena teknologi, bekunsi penemu enggau pengerembai makit, kelimpah ngerandang peluang ngagai Sebauh nyadi tibang nangchem di nengeri tu.

Caption: Menteri Dr Stephen Rundie Utum bejaku lebuh iya bejadika Agrofest Sebauh

Menteri Industri Pemakai, Komoditi enggau Pemansang Kandang Menua Dr Stephen Rundi Utom madah, Agrofest nyadi pelasar strategik ngempung orang bumai enggau Opis Betanam Betupi sereta agensi bekaul ngulihka embing teknikal, servis sanding penemu enggau teknologi pemadu baru dikena nambahka produktiviti sereta penatai pemisi.

“Agrofest ukai semina bejual lalu ukai mega ngelaku produk aja. Tu mih awak mensia mayuh ngulihka malin ari Opis Betanam Betupi bekaul nama ke patut dikereja enggau baka ni ngemansangka tanah endur sida betanam betupi,” ku iya.

Iya nyebut jaku nya lebuh bejadika Agrofest Sebauh 2026 di Pekan Sebauh, kena Hari Lima.

Iya mega madah, pemansang sektor agropemakai begunaka kerejasama entara perintah enggau komuniti nentuka tanah ulih dikena manah, kelimpah nambah semekih asil lokal ari bekenaka teknologi enggau pengawa betanam betupi moden.

Seraya Direktor Betanam Betupi Dominic Chunggat madah ke Opis Betanam Betupi bejalaika tungkap ngemansangka Sebuah nyadi tibang nangchem berindik ari pemayuh peminta ba utai tanam nya ke majak nambah, nyengkaum ari makit Brunei Darussalam.

Ku iya, pekara nya ngerandang peluang ngagai mayuh agi orang bumai ngereja pengawa nanam berega lalu negapka rentayan bekal agropemakai nengeri.

“Kitai bejalaika tungkap ngangkatka Sebuah nyadi tibang nangchem. Peminta nangchem ari Sebauh mega chukup manah, nyengkaum ari Brunei Darussalam. Tu ngayanka berita manah ngagai kitai ngaul mayuh agi orang bumai ba industri tu,” ku iya.

Iya mega meransang orang dagang ngulihka setipikit Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices (MyGAP) nentuka asil betanam betupi tetangkupka standard pemakai likun, kelimpah nambah pengandal penguna enggau produk ulih besemekih ba makit.

Berebak enggau nya, orang bumai diperansang meri perati ngagai utai tanam ke bisi mayuh peminta ngambi ulih meri asil ke meruan agi sereta nyukung agenda jamin bekal pemakai Sarawak.

Sama datai, Sapit Menteri Industri Pemakai, Komoditi enggau Pemansang Kandang Menua Martin Ben, Sekretari Mendam Opis Menteri Industri Pemakai, Komoditi enggau Pemansang Kandang Menua Sarawak (M-FICORD) Sirai Daha, Residen Sitak Bintulu Datu Nyurak Keti, Pegawai Pelilih Sebauh Thaddeus Ling Bartholomew Allu enggau Pegawai Betanam Betupi Sitak Bintulu Jackson Nanta Barnabas Baie. -EDISI UKAS

Three-month old baby suffers broken arm under the care of an unlicensed centre

KUCHING, July 9 2026: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant Michael Kong has expressed his shock that a child day-care centre, which was ordered to cease operation last year, has continued to its daily business.

Caption: The young couple seeking advice from Michael Kong, Sarawak DAP chairman's special assistant

He said he came to know of this matter after a young couple’s three-month-old baby suffered a broken arm at a day care centre.

“It is an incident that no parent should ever have to endure, and my thoughts are with the family as they continue to care for their child during this difficult time,” he said in a statement after the couple came to see him today.

Kong said he understands that the individual who was caring for the baby at the time of the incident has since been charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act.

“As the matter is now before the courts, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the criminal proceedings.

“However, what is particularly worrying is the information disclosed by the Welfare Department that care centre had been instructed to cease operations since last year for failing to comply with licensing requirements, including those relating to the teacher-to-child ratio and the specifications of the premises.

“Despite this, it is alleged to have continued operating,” Kong said.

“If this is true, it raises serious concerns about compliance with regulations that exist to safeguard the welfare and safety of young children,” he said.

He said the licensing requirements imposed on child care centres are put in place to ensure that children are cared for in a safe environment, that there are sufficient qualified caregivers to supervise them, and that the premises meet the necessary safety standards.

He said these requirements are fundamental to protecting children, particularly infants who are unable to communicate or protect themselves.

“I, therefore, urge all child care operators to ensure that they comply fully with the law and maintain the standards required under the licensing framework,”he said, adding that safety and well-being of children must always take precedence over all other considerations.

He said he will be assisting the parents in liaising with the Welfare Department to ensure that the necessary follow-up action is taken and that the operator complies with all legal and licensing requirements.

He said it is important that any child care centre operating in our community is properly licensed and meets the standards prescribed by law.

“I also encourage parents to verify that a day care centre is duly registered and licensed before enrolling their children,” he said, adding that while no parent expects such an incident to occur, taking this simple step can provide greater assurance that the childcare centre has met the minimum standards required by the authorities.

Eight road projects, costing RM3.21 billion, being carried out by the state JKR

SEBUYAU. July 9 2026: A total of eight road project packages with an overall cost of RM3.21 billion are being actively carried out under the Sarawak Second Trunk Road (SSTR) and Coastal Second Trunk Road (CSTR) projects.

 

Caption: Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas says once the entire road network is completed, the travel distance from Kuching to Sibu will change in two ways

Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas said the state Public Works Department (JKR) is actively carrying out a network of roads in the Samarahan, Betong and Sri Aman Divisions to improve connectivity in the respective areas.

"Once this entire road network is completed, the travel distance from Kuching to Sibu will change in two ways — firstly, there will no longer be any ferry crossing, as that will be a thing of the past, and secondly, the distance will be shortened to just 252 kilometres, compared to 396 kilometres via the Pan Borneo Highway, a reduction of 144 kilometres," he said.

He was speaking at the official opening of Batang Lupar 1 Bridge by Premier Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Openg today.

Uggah said they comprise Package A1-A, from the Samarahan Bridge to Sadong Jaya, worth RM529.8 million and expected to be completed in December 2027; Package A1-B, involving the construction of an elevated highway to the Sadong Jaya Bridge, worth RM779.9 million and expected to be completed in September 2030; and Package A2, from Sadong Jaya to Sebuyau, worth RM542.8 million and expected to be completed by the end of 2030.

He said other projects being carried out include Package B1, from Sebuyau to the Lingga Bridge, worth RM494.6 million, and Packages P1 and P2, involving road upgrading works from the Lingga Bridge to Bakong and Entulang (Sri Aman), worth RM140.8 million.

He said other projects include Package B4, from the Batang Lupar 2 Bridge to the Pan Borneo Highway junction in Betong, worth RM292 million and expected to be completed in September 2026, as well as Package A5, from the Saribas 2 Bridge to the Pan Borneo Highway junction in Roban, worth RM431.8 million and expected to be completed in March 2027.

Among those present were Dr Sim Kui Hian, Speaker Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, who is also Sebuyau Assemblyman Julaihi Narawi, Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Food Industries, Commodities and Regional Development Minister Dr Stephen Rundie Utom and Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Minister Fatimah Abdullah.