Two double-storey houses and two vehicles were destroyed in a fire at Taman Indah Landeh, Siburan, yesterday evening. Firefighters from multiple stations responded to the incident and managed to control the blaze, preventing it from spreading to adjacent houses. Two other houses suffered minor water damage, and a nearby car sustained slight fire damage. All residents evacuated safely, and the cause of the fire and total losses are under investigation.
The body of a 54-year-old barge crew member, Jamie Adong, was recovered near Nanga Pedai, Kanowit, after he fell into the Rajang River on Tuesday. Villagers found the body about 5km downstream from the incident site. The SAR operation, involving various agencies and locals, was called off following the discovery. Police confirmed the identity and preliminary investigations suggest no foul play.
Typhoon Ragasa slammed into Guangdong, China, with 145 km/h winds after leaving a trail of destruction in Taiwan, including at least 14 deaths due to a burst barrier lake. The typhoon caused widespread damage in Guangdong, with flying debris and ripped advertisements. Hong Kong experienced its strongest storm this year as Ragasa passed. Over 7,600 people were evacuated in Taiwan, and nearly 2.2 million in Guangdong. Businesses and schools were closed across southern China.
Former US President Donald Trump claimed "triple sabotage" at the UN after an escalator malfunction, a broken teleprompter, and sound system issues during his speech. The UN attributed the incidents to accidents and partially blamed White House staff. Trump demanded an investigation via Truth Social, calling the events "very sinister" and a "real disgrace." He criticized the UN for its alleged ineffectiveness and spent much of his speech condemning the organization for funding illegal migration and failing to support his peace initiatives.
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari is seeking international collaborations to boost the state's high-tech industry, particularly in semiconductors. He visited the Microelectronics UK exhibition and launched keteq.GaN and keteq.ai power converters. Johari highlighted the strategic importance of UK semiconductor labs and partnerships with companies like X-FAB and Melexis, aiming to establish a foundry in Sarawak. He emphasized the rebranded AirBorneo cargo services to support logistics for a potential US$3 billion market, focusing on chip design for the automotive and green energy sectors.
Sarawak assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh advocates for Sarawak to regain its health autonomy due to the federal government's failure to provide adequate healthcare, especially in rural areas. He cites overcrowded hospitals, understaffed clinics, and inadequate facilities as evidence of this failure. Wong criticizes the centralized system for neglecting Sarawak's unique geography and bureaucratic hurdles delaying medical equipment and supplies. He believes that reclaiming health autonomy, as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963, would enable Sarawak to build a more efficient and responsive healthcare system.
Sarawak Deputy Minister Datuk Michael Tiang urged public vigilance against online scams after his service centre aided a scam victim in filing a police report. The victim, facing language barriers, received assistance from Tiang's team. Tiang emphasized the importance of sharing such experiences to raise awareness. He highlighted common scam tactics like enticing offers for completing online tasks, suspicious links, and investment schemes on gambling platforms, urging caution against too-good-to-be-true offers.
The University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) will host ARCHIFEST 2025 from October 3rd to 5th, themed 'Shaping Spaces, Shaping Minds'. This festival combines architecture, education, and entertainment with activities like a talk by PAM president Adrianta Aziz, workshops, a Kids Zone, and the Microwave Artisan Market. A collaboration with Watchmovienot Sibu will also feature the 5th WMN Film Festival. The event aims to engage the community and showcase the impact of creativity and design.
Sibu MP Oscar Ling awarded bursaries to 150 first-year university students to encourage higher education pursuits. He highlighted the Ministry of Education's reforms supporting high achievers, noting that all 69 students nationwide with perfect 4.0 STPM CGPAs received their top university course choices, including one student from Sibu. Ling also mentioned that 11 students from Sibu achieved 4.0 CGPAs, with most securing their preferred university placements. He urged students to exercise their voting rights and announced the upcoming Mooncake Festival organized by his service centre.
