MIRI, May 22 — A 22-year-old woman died in an accident near Kampung Angus, Jalan Persisiran Pantai Bekenu here after the car she was driving went out of control and plunged into a ditch.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) operations control centre said a call on the single-vehicle crash was received at 1.21am.

A team of firefighters from Batu Niah fire station was deployed to the location about 35km away.

Operation commander senior fire officer I Mohd Khaider Musa reported that when the team arrived at the scene around an hour later, they found the hatchback in a ditch and the female driver trapped inside.

“The victim was brought out from the vehicle using a stretcher and moved to a safe area. At the time, the victim as unconscious.

“It was later that medical personnel from the Ministry of Health confirmed that she had passed away,” Bomba said in a statement.

After handing over the body to medical personnel and ensuring that the area was secure, the team ended the operation at 2.52am. — The Borneo Post

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — A 28‑year‑old man was found dead with multiple stab wounds at a house on Jalan Masjid Baung Bayam in Kota Bharu yesterday.

According to a report by Berita Harian, a family member discovered the victim in the bathroom at about 1pm.

Kota Bharu district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Azmir Damiri said the victim was found with a knife in his hand, adding that “there were two stab wounds on the chin, one on the neck and a small stab wound on the victim’s abdomen.”

He said the victim’s aunt had entered the bathroom and saw blood on the floor before finding the man covered in blood with the knife still in his hand.

Mohd Azmir said the victim had no known medical history but had been involved in drug abuse over the past year while working in Johor.

He said the man had returned to his hometown on May 16 and that police found no signs of struggle or criminal elements at the scene.

He said a medical officer confirmed the victim’s death at 1pm and that the body was sent to the Forensic Unit of Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II for a post‑mortem.

He said the case has been classified as sudden death.

PUTRAJAYA, May 20 — AirBorneo may submit applications to provide flight services for the Kuching-Sibu, Kuching-Miri and Kuching-Bintulu routes on a commercial basis as the routes are not categorised as Rural Air Services (RAS).

The Transport Ministry said such routes were intercity flights based on a RAS review by the Malaysian Aviation Commission in 2017, because the routes no longer fulfilled the definition of Public Service Obligations (PSO) as they were jointly operated by MASwings with AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines or both.

“Therefore, flights on these routes should not receive subsidies as they involve two cities, similar to any inter-city flight in Peninsular Malaysia.

“The change in status of these routes to commercial routes will further encourage the participation of local airlines to operate and subsequently provide air travellers in rural Sabah and Sarawak with more flight options,” the ministry said in a statement today.

The ministry is seeking to clarify issues raised at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly regarding the absence of AirBorneo flight services for the Kuching-Sibu, Kuching-Miri and Kuching-Bintulu routes, which were allegedly linked to an agreement signed by the Federal Government in 2019.

The Sarawak state government took over MASWings through AirBorneo, effective January 1. — Bernama

MIRI, May 18 — Lutong fire station personnel were left intrigued and amused when a hornbill repeatedly knocked on the windows of the station’s control centre.

The unusual encounter occurred around 10.30am on Monday, when the oriental pied hornbill hopped on the window ledge and began tapping the glass with its beak, as if attempting to get the attention of those inside.

Station chief Henry Jugah said the hornbill was not a stranger to his team as it would appear from time to time around the premises.

“The hornbill has visited the station on several occasions before, but this time its behaviour attracted more attention when it repeatedly knocked on the window panel,” he said, adding that the encounter was recorded by personnel on their mobile phones.

Henry also said the bird’s appearance would hopefully bring luck to Lutong fire station as the festive season is fast approaching.

The encounter brought back memories of an earlier incident involving the protected bird species.

In March, personnel from the station had rescued a critically injured hornbill at Kuala Baram Industrial Estate, after it was found lying weak on the ground amid sweltering heat and ongoing bushfires in the area.

Firefighters who responded to the incident later handed the exhausted bird over to the relevant authorities for further treatment and monitoring. — The Borneo Post