KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected to hit five states until 3pm today, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).

It said that the areas involved are Perlis, Penang, and Kedah (Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Yan, Pendang and Kuala Muda).

“Similar weather conditions are also expected in Sarawak, involving Sibu (Sibu and Selangau) and Mukah (Tanjung Manis and Daro),” MetMalaysia said in a statement.

It added that in Sabah, the affected areas include the interior (Sipitang, Tenom, Beaufort, Keningau and Tambunan) and the west coast (Papar and Penampang). — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected to hit seven states until 5pm today, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).

In a weather warning issued at 3.15 pm, MetMalaysia said the affected areas in Perak are Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama, Hulu Perak, and Kuala Kangsar.

In Selangor, the warning covers Hulu Langat and Sepang, while in Negeri Sembilan it involves Jelebu, Seremban, Port Dickson, Kuala Pilah and Rembau.

On the east coast, the adverse weather is forecast to affect the Kelantan districts of Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Jeli, Tanah Merah, Bachok, Machang and Pasir Puteh, as well as Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu in Terengganu.

Meanwhile, in Sarawak, the warning covers Kuching (Bau and Kuching), Serian, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Kapit (Song and Bukit Mabong), Bintulu (Bintulu and Sebauh), and Miri (Subis, Beluru and Marudi), while in Sabah, it covers Tawau (Lahad Datu). — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a thunderstorm warning covering several states, with heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds expected until late this afternoon.

In a Facebook post at 2pm today, MetMalaysia said the weather system is expected to affect Perlis; Kedah (Langkawi, Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena and Padang Terap); Perak (Kuala Kangsar and Kinta); Kelantan (Jeli and Kuala Krai); Terengganu (Marang, Dungun and Kemaman); and Pahang (Cameron Highlands, Jerantut, Bentong and Kuantan).

It also said similar conditions are expected in Sarawak, covering Sibu (Selangau), Bintulu, Miri (Subis, Beluru, Miri and Marudi) and Limbang, as well as Sabah, including the Interior (Kuala Penyu, Beaufort and Tambunan), West Coast, Sandakan (Kinabatangan, Beluran and Sandakan) and Kudat.

The Federal Territory of Labuan is also expected to be affected.

MetMalaysia said the alert remains in place until 5pm today.

It added that thunderstorms warnings are issued when there are signs of intense rainfall exceeding 20 mm per hour which are expected to persist for more than an hour, and are short-term alerts valid for up to six hours for each issuance.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a thunderstorm warning for several districts across Pahang, Johor, and Sarawak, cautioning residents to expect heavy rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms through 3 pm today.

The warning, issued at 1:05 pm, covers the following areas:

• Pahang: Rompin
• Johor: Batu Pahat, Kluang, Pontian, Kulai, and Kota Tinggi
• Sarawak: Sri Aman; Betong (Pusa, Saratok, and Kabong); Sarikei; Mukah (Tanjung Manis, Daro, Matu, and Dalat); and Miri

MetMalaysia triggers a thunderstorm warning when rainfall intensity is forecast to exceed 20 millimetres per hour, either imminently or for a sustained period of more than one hour.

Such warnings are short-term advisories with a maximum validity of six hours from issuance.

Residents and travellers in the affected areas are advised to remain indoors where possible, avoid low-lying and flood-prone zones, and stay clear of open areas, tall trees, and bodies of water during active lightning activity.

The warning remains in effect until 3:00 pm. Members of the public may monitor updated weather advisories via the MetMalaysia official website at www.met.gov.my or through the myCuaca mobile application.

BINTULU, June 11 — The Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) has handed over two new school projects here worth more than RM100 million to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to meet the growing demand for educational facilities in rapidly developing areas in Bintulu. 

In a statement, Sarawak JKR said the projects handed over were Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Samalaju, valued at RM57.62 million and Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Orang Kaya Mohammad Bintulu, worth RM42.74 million. 

“SMK Samalaju, built by Empayar Setia Sdn Bhd, is equipped with 36 classrooms, 24 units of teachers’ quarters, two hostel blocks, as well as various supporting facilities to meet current educational needs. 

“The construction of this school is expected to serve as a catalyst for the development of the Samalaju community, which is rapidly growing as a key economic and industrial hub in Sarawak,” it said. 

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Samalaju. — Bernama pic

Meanwhile, SK Orang Kaya Mohammad Bintulu, built by EPR (Kuching) Sdn Bhd, was developed on a new site with modern and more comprehensive facilities to enhance comfort and quality of learning. 

“The school, established in 1912, is now operating in a new building that offers a more conducive learning environment for the community,” it said. 

According to the statement, the successful completion of both projects reflects the close collaboration between the MOE, Sarawak JKR as the implementing agency, contractors, consultants and relevant technical agencies, despite challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction material costs. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds are expected to hit five states until 7pm today.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) in a statement said that the situation is expected to occur in Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Kampar, Hilir Perak and Batang Padang in Perak; Cameron Highlands in Pahang; and Johor (Kluang, Mersing, Pontian, Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru).

The same warning was also issued in Sarawak, involving Kuching (Lundu), Sarikei, Sibu (Kanowit and Selangau), Mukah (Tanjung Manis and Daro), Bintulu (Tatau), Miri (Beluru, Miri and Marudi) and Limbang (Limbang).

In Sabah, it involves the Interior (Keningau and Tambunan) as well as the West Coast and Kudat (Kota Marudu and Kudat). — Bernama 

KUCHING, June 1 — A man was seriously injured in a road accident involving a sedan in front of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sematan yesterday afternoon.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Operations Centre said the injured man was the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident.

“The incident was reported at 1.22pm. The male driver was not trapped but sustained serious injuries, while a female passenger also suffered injuries.

“Both victims had been extricated by members of the public before firefighters arrived at the scene,” it said in a statement.

The statement added that the Bomba operations team placed the injured driver on a stretcher before handing him over to Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel for further treatment.

The female passenger also received medical attention following the incident. — The Borneo Post

PUTRAJAYA, June 16 — Malaysia’s domestic tourism sector continued its upward trajectory in 2025, with total domestic visitor expenditure rising 13.6 per cent to RM121.3 billion from RM106.7 billion in 2024, according to the Domestic Tourism Survey 2025 released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) today.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was driven by higher spending among both tourists and excursionists, which grew 14.6 per cent and 12.2 per cent, respectively.

Tourists remained the largest contributors to domestic tourism spending, accounting for 59.5 per cent of total visitor expenditure.

The stronger spending trend coincided with an increase in domestic travel activity, with the number of domestic visitors rising 11.5 per cent to 290.1 million in 2025 compared with 260.1 million in the previous year.

The average length of stay also edged up to 2.56 nights from 2.49 nights in the preceding year.

“The increase reflects a stronger propensity among travellers to participate in domestic tourism activities and spend longer periods at destinations within the country,” Mohd Uzir said in a statement.

He attributed the sector’s strong performance to heightened travel demand during major festive and holiday periods, including Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Christmas and school holidays.

State-level tourism campaigns held under various Tahun Melawat Negeri initiatives also helped stimulate interstate travel and tourism spending.

In addition, cultural and tourism events such as the Kaamatan Festival in Sabah and Gawai Dayak celebrations in Sarawak contributed to increased visitor movements and tourism-related economic activities.

Large-scale concerts, festivals, exhibitions and sporting tournaments further encouraged domestic travel, while Malaysia’s hosting of several ASEAN meetings and related programmes boosted business and event-related travel nationwide.

In terms of travel patterns, land transport remained the preferred mode of travel, accounting for 97.5 per cent of domestic trips in 2025.

For accommodation, staying with relatives and friends continued to be the most popular choice, representing 56.2 per cent of tourists.

However, the use of paid accommodation increased to 43.8 per cent in 2025 from 39.6 per cent a year earlier, with hotels remaining the leading option at 23.1 per cent.

At the state level, Selangor remained the country’s most visited destination with 36.4 million visitors, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 35.1 million visitors and Perak with 23.6 million.

Mohd Uzir said the growth in visitor arrivals, spending and length of stay showed that domestic tourism continued to play an important role in supporting economic growth and local development. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — AirBorneo has confirmed ongoing flight disruptions across Sabah and Sarawak, with delays and cancellations expected to continue over the coming days due to concurrent aircraft maintenance and technical rectification works.

In a statement, the airline said the disruptions began on June 5 and have affected a number of its services in the region.

It said the situation was caused by a combination of unscheduled technical rectification on several aircraft, scheduled maintenance already underway, and operational and crew duty requirements.

“In every case, our decisions have been guided by a single priority: the safety of our passengers and crew,” the airline said.

AirBorneo said aircraft requiring technical attention had been withdrawn from service as a precaution until engineers were fully satisfied they were fit to fly.

It added that with several aircraft undergoing maintenance and technical checks at the same time, its operating fleet had been temporarily constrained.

“As a result, passengers should anticipate the possibility of further schedule changes, cancellations and delays over the coming days while our aircraft are progressively returned to service,” it said.

The airline urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport, adding that its teams were working around the clock to minimise disruption and re-accommodate affected travellers on the earliest available flights.

Affected passengers are being contacted directly and may also reach AirBorneo’s Customer Care team at +60-8253 7555 (international) or 1-300-22-1388 (local), or via its website for assistance and updates.

“We thank our passengers for their patience and understanding and remain committed to delivering safe and reliable connectivity across the region,” it said.

KUCHING, June 1 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to attend this year’s Sarawak state-level Gawai Day celebrations to be held here on June 21, said Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He added that the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar will be the guest of honour at the event, which is also expected to be attended by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof.

“We will hold the Niti Daun (parade) in Kuching on June 20, while on June 21 the highlight of the state-level Gawai Day celebration will be a gala dinner attended by distinguished guests,” he said.

He told reporters this at the 2026 Gawai Dayak Day Open House at the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) Complex here today.

According to him, Gawai Dayak continues to serve as an important platform for showcasing the culture, traditions and heritage of the Dayak community to people of all races.

“The tradition of ‘ngabang’ (visiting one another), which is practised by the people of Sarawak, symbolises unity, as every celebration is observed together regardless of race or religion,” he said.

At the same time, Uggah described the response to the Gawai Dayak Open House held today as encouraging, with attendance believed to have exceeded the initial target of 2,000 visitors. — Bernama

KUCHING, June 13 — Internet coverage across Sarawak has increased significantly to 94.5 per cent from 54.3 per cent in 2022 following a RM2.3 billion investment in telecommunications infrastructure under the Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural and Nation (Saluran) initiative.

Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi said the achievement marked a major milestone in Sarawak’s digital transformation efforts and reflected the success of close collaboration among various stakeholders.

“These achievements would not have been possible without strong collaboration among government agencies, regulators, telecommunication service providers, infrastructure partners, technology companies and industry stakeholders,” he said when speaking at the Sacofa Client Networking Hi-Tea 2026 held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, according to a report by the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas).

Julaihi, who is also Sacofa Sdn Bhd chairman, said digital connectivity had been identified as a key enabler under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030.

He highlighted the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Transformation (Smart Project as one of the key components of the Saluran initiative, involving the construction of 618 telecommunications towers, including 17 relay towers, in rural and remote areas throughout Sarawak.

The project complements the Federal Government’s National Digital Network (Jendela) programme, under which 636 telecommunications towers have been completed under Phase 1.

Another 337 sites have been identified for Phase 2 implementation beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, he said.

According to him, Saluran also encompasses service-based initiatives such as the Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN), which currently provides fixed wireless broadband and fibre connectivity to nearly 50,000 households.

In addition, WiFi Saluran has been deployed at about 250 rural locations to provide interim satellite internet access while permanent telecommunications infrastructure is being established.

He said Sacofa would continue to strengthen its role as the backbone of Sarawak’s digital infrastructure ecosystem, supported by approximately 12,000km of fibre-optic infrastructure and the management of 1,680 telecommunications towers statewide.

“Sarawak, through Sacofa, will continue to expand fibre optic infrastructure, enhance internet speed and improve connectivity coverage, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” he said.

Looking ahead, Julaihi said Sarawak is broadening its technological ambitions beyond telecommunications, including plans to develop aerospace and satellite-related capabilities through the establishment of a dedicated space agency and the Sarawak Aerospace Advisory Council.

Among those present were Sacofa board members, telecommunications industry players, strategic partners, clients and other stakeholders. — The Borneo Post