, Lundu, Samarahan, Asajaya, Simunjan, Serian and Tebedu." Those from the southern region coming to

KUCHING: Sarawak is prohibiting dining in at eateries and reducing business hours in the southern zone for one week following a spike in Covid-19 cases on Friday( Aug 20). These are among tighter standard operating procedures( SOP) to be imposed in eight districts in the southern zone, the state disaster management committee said." Business operating hours will be shortened from 5am to 8pm, while individuals are not allowed to be out in public places after 10pm without a reasonable excuse," the

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg( pic) will consider contesting in the Gedong constituency in the coming state election instead of his current Satok seat. This comes after Gedong incumbent Datuk Naroden Majais said he was willing to give way to Abang Johari in order to speed up the development in the area." I will consider( the offer).... I can say thank you to Naroden.... He said that he will make way if possible for me to come here, so I will consider it and look

SIBU: Sarawak recorded four deaths, six new clusters and 963 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday( Aug 15). All four deaths were reported at Sarawak General Hospital which involved two men, aged 80 and 83, and two women, aged 71 and 72. The six new clusters, all in Kuching, contributed to a total of 135 new cases. State Disaster Management Committee in a statement said 53% or 510 new cases were reported in Kuching." These cases were detected via the active case detection exercises which were carried out

SIBU: Sarawak detected seven new clusters and recorded 581 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday( Aug 8). These new clusters contributed a total of 113 new cases.... Of the seven, four were in Kuching with one each in Sibu, Lundu and Tatau. The state disaster management committee said in a statement the majority of the new cases, 263, were reported in Kuching. Districts with cases in the double digits were Serian( 84), Sri Aman( 42), Samarahan( 33), Bau( 30), Bintulu( 22), Sibu( 21), Selangau( 16), Tata

KUCHING: Wearing personal protective equipment( PPE) for a whole day is not the most comfortable thing but health inspector Mohamad Amir Ashraf considers the sacrifice worthwhile. The 23-year-old was among the many health officers on duty at polling centres during the 12th Sarawak election, where they help implement Covid-19 preventive measures." I can tell you that it feels super uncomfortable in full PPE." But it is a job I must do and my responsibility is to help prevent a Covid-19 outbreak."

GEDONG: It is a four-way fight in Gedong, where Gabungan Parti Sarawak( GPS) chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is contesting for the first time after moving from his old seat of Satok. The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu( PBB) president has been the Satok assemblyman since 1981 and will need to fend off three opposition parties in Gedong. Pakatan Harapan's representative is Kamal Bujang of Parti Amanah Negara, a retired teacher who last served as a headmaster for a primary school in nearby

SIBU: Sarawak is extending phase one of the National Recovery Plan, as it continues to record a high number of Covid-19 cases daily." Considering that the number of Covid-19 cases is still high, the committee had met and agreed to extend phase one and to maintain the existing SOP," said the state disaster management committee in a statement on Sunday( June 27). However, it has yet to reveal the duration of the extension. Meanwhile, the state recorded three deaths and 513 new cases. Sibu has the

GEDONG: Parti Sarawak Bersatu's Mohamad Sofian Fariz Sharbini is unfazed at the prospect of going up against Gabungan Parti Sarawak( GPS) chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg in the fight for the Gedong seat. The 36-year-old local businessman said the prospect of becoming a giant-killer if he defies the odds to defeat Sarawak's sixth chief minister in an election is compelling." If I can become a giant killer, that would be historical.... We do not fear man, we must only fear God," he said."

KUCHING: There has been a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases with the Delta variant detected in the state, says the Institute of Health and Community Medicine( IHCM) of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. IHCM director Prof Dr David Perera said an overall detection rate of over 73% had been recorded recently, a sharp increase from the 50% reported on Aug 3.He said for the Kuching division alone, the Delta variant detection rate was about 90%.“ This variant also continues to be detected in Bau, Lundu, Kot