KUCHING, June 5 — A 28-year-old man who stole two Australian Wagyu beef cuts and two salmon trout from a supermarket here was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment and fined RM1,500, in default one month’s jail.

Mohammad Hanim Suita pleaded guilty before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan to a charge under Section 380 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine upon conviction.

The offence was committed at a supermarket in a shopping centre along Jalan Canna here at about 12.30am on June 1.

Based on the facts of the case, a complainant at the shopping centre noticed a suspicious-looking man, later identified as the accused, leaving the premises.

The complainant, together with a security guard, subsequently apprehended the man on suspicion of stealing items from the supermarket.

Upon inspection, they found several food items believed to have been stolen in the basket of the man’s motorcycle. The accused was then handed over to the police for further action.

In mitigation, the accused pleaded for a fine-only sentence, saying he had stolen the food items to be resold to get medication for his sexually transmitted infection (STI).

However, deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Afiq Safly Nor Kazly urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence commensurate with the offence.

The accused was unrepresented. — The Borneo Post

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

KUCHING, June 10 — Matang Vocational College has brought pride to Sarawak and Malaysia after its robotics team secured a runner-up finish at an international robotics competition held in Taiwan recently.

The team won the Finalist Alliance Award in the League of Mecha-Clash (LOM) category at the STVE x MARC Open Championship 2026, held at the National Taiwan Science Education Centre in Taipei from May 30 to 31.

The championship attracted top robotics teams from various countries, providing a platform for participants to demonsrate their expertise in robot design, programming, engineering and strategic problem-solving.

KVM impressed judges and spectators throughout the competition, advancing to the final round before clinching second place in the alliance-based category.

The League of Mecha-Clash challenges teams to design and operate robots capable of completing tasks through both autonomous operations and manual control in a highly competitive environment.

Success in the category depends not only on the technical capabilities of the robots but also on teamwork, communication and effective collaboration among alliance partners.

KVM said the achievement reflects the dedication, hard work and perseverance of its students and mentors throughout the preparation and competition period.

The accomplishment also highlights the ability of Malaysian Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students to compete successfully on the international stage while showcasing advanced skills in robotics and emerging technologies.

Organised by the Master AI Robot Cup (MARC), the STVE x MARC Open Championship promotes the application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), artificial intelligence (AI), programming and engineering through real-world competition.

The college also expressed appreciation to all parties who supported the team’s participation in the championship.

It hopes the international recognition will inspire more students to pursue excellence in TVET education, particularly in robotics, automation and emerging technologies. — The Borneo Post 

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 6 — The Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) provides an alternative platform for the public to lodge complaints related to police misconduct, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said.

He said that previously, most complaints involving police misconduct were handled by the Royal Malaysia Police’s (PDRM) Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS).

“The IPCC is another channel available to the public. Previously, JIPS was the only avenue, and some people may have felt uncomfortable because they perceived it as the police investigating the police. However, the situation is now different.

“The IPCC operates under the Home Ministry and has its own officers to conduct investigations into complaints received,” he told reporters after attending the launch of the book Integrity: Man of Integrity, Honour and Principle here today.

The IPCC is an independent oversight body established under the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022 (Act 839) and has been operational since July 1, 2023. It aims to enhance integrity within the police force, investigate misconduct involving PDRM personnel and recommend disciplinary action.

The commission handles complaints involving misconduct such as corruption and torture, while also recommending improvements to strengthen public confidence in the police force. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — AirAsia has submitted enhanced procedures governing the use of medical child restraint devices on its flights after a family travelling with a daughter who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy was denied boarding from Singapore to Kuching last month.

The low-cost carrier said it had proposed the revised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to the authorities for approval following a review of the May 26 incident, which drew widespread attention on social media.

In a statement today, AirAsia X (AirAsia Group) chief safety and quality officer Captain Saravanan Subramaniam said the changes were aimed at improving support for passengers with special needs.

“This incident has given us the opportunity to improve our existing processes so that we can provide better support to passengers with special needs.

“We are committed to ensuring that our policies are continuously refined to meet the needs of our diverse passenger groups,” he said.

Saravanan said passenger safety remained the airline’s priority and that the decision made at the time was in line with existing safety policies and operating procedures.

“We apologise to the family for the inconvenience caused.

“While the decision made at the time was in accordance with the prevailing safety requirements and operating procedures, it was never intended to prevent any passenger from travelling,” he added.

The case gained public attention after the mother of a girl with quadriplegic cerebral palsy said her family had been prevented from boarding despite her daughter having used the same chair on previous flights without issue.

AirAsia said it appreciated the feedback shared by the family and remained committed to making air travel more inclusive for all passengers.

The airline said it had submitted the enhanced SOPs covering the use of approved Child Restraint Devices (CRDs) for medical purposes on board its aircraft and is awaiting regulatory approval.