Borneo Safari to enliven Visit Sabah 2027
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HATC development has necessary approvals
KOTA KINABALU: 1 November 2026 The construction activities recently highlighted on social media at Mount Kinabalu form part of the approved development of the High Altitude Training Centre (HATC). It is an initiative designed to enhance mountaineering facilities while maintaining the highest regard for environmental conservation and the cultural significance of the mountain. Tourism, Culture…
Hajiji: Help Sabah SMEs grow beyond
KOTA KINABALU: 31 October 2026 Government agencies must work with banks, industry and the private sector to help small and medium enterprises overcome business challenges. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said SMEs are vital to Sabah. They create jobs and sustain livelihoods in towns, districts and rural areas. “Many still struggle to access finance,…
Sabah plans direct KK-Sendai charter flight
KOTA KINABALU: 27 October 2026S Sabah will launch a direct charter flight between Kota Kinabalu and Sendai on 30 Dec 2026 to strengthen tourism ties with Japan and open access to its northern Tohoku region. The plan was discussed during a courtesy call on Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Dr Andi Md Shamsureezal Mohd…
Italy to promote VSY 2027
KOTA KINABALU: 26 October 2026 Italy offers to help promote Sabah ahead of Visit Sabah Year 2027 Sabah looks forward to stronger bilateral cooperation with Italy in investment opportunities covering oil and gas, tourism and higher education. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said this after meeting Italy’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Raffaele Langella, at Menara…
Can Sabah build roads without losing forests?
KOTA KINABALU: 27 September 2026
How can Sabah build roads for growth without cutting off its wildlife?
That question drove a workshop in Kota Kinabalu, where government, scientists and civil society agreed environmental evidence must enter road planning before routes and budgets are locked.
The workshop, by Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) (IDS) and the Humans, Habitats and Highways (3H) Coalition of 10 civil society groups, gathered almost 60 participants.
The gap is critical. By the time biodiversity data reaches planners, alignments are often finalised.
Key agencies including State Economic Planning Unit, Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat, Environment Protection Department, Lands and Surveys Department and Sabah Forestry Department shared where the system allows or blocks early input.
Tawai Lessons for Next Highway
Efforts to keep the Pan Borneo Highway out of Tawai Forest Reserve ultimately failed, said chief executive facilitator of Forever Sabah Cynthia Ong.
We want our rigorous evidence to contribute during planning, not after budget and design are set, she said.
Scientists said Tawai offers lessons that can save the next stretch.
It is not too late for Kalabakan-Maliau for Phase 3, said professor of Cardiff University and director of Danau Girang Field Centre Prof Benoit Goossens. Alignment and budget are not finalised. There is still time to ensure the road respects nature and people.
A study by Seratu Aatai and Danau Girang Field Centre, supported by Yayasan Hasanah and Ministry of Finance, tracked elephants before and during Tawai construction.
Three elephants we monitored – one male, two females – moved out during early construction, said senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah and director of Seratu Aatai Dr Nurzhafarina Othman. We found concentrated activity that overlaps directly with the highway.
The team has advised against guardrails at key crossings that would block calves. It is low-cost mitigation that only works if engineers get data in time.
Tools already exist, said senior officer of WWF-Malaysia Dr Cheryl Cheah, including the IUCN Handbook to Mitigate Impacts of Roads and Railways on Asian Elephants.
The workshop will produce practical recommendations on when, where and how science must be mandatory in Sabah road planning.
If Sabah wants greener development, we must bring development and biodiversity together from the start, said Dr Nurzhafarina Othman.-HS
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Tenom coffee to boost tourism
TENOM: 24 October 2026 Tenom will turn its coffee plantations into a tourism draw to create new income for growers, as Sabah pushes to make the district self-sufficient in coffee by 2030. Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said Tenom, home to four coffee factories, is targeting 50 per cent self-sufficiency in…
Cultural tourism can drive rural incomes
MATUNGGONG: 24 October 2026 Cultural tourism can generate income for rural communities, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said. He said Sabah’s diverse arts and cultures are assets that draw tourists. “The State Government is committed to promoting culture as a driver of local tourism, in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan,” he…
Alex, June, Markov won Climbathon race
KUNDASANG: 18 October 2026 Alex Oberbacher of Italy won the Men’s Elite title at the 33rd Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon in 3:20.54, while June Villaroel of Spain won the Women’s Elite title in 4:09.14. Markov Evegenii of Russia won the Men’s Veteran title in 3:29.11. The 24.5km race began at 6.30am, with Tourism, Culture and…
MATTA Sabah to stage two fairs in 2027
KOTA KINABALU: 21 October 2026 MATTA Sabah will expand beyond Kota Kinabalu next year with a second fair planned for Tawau, following the success of its September edition. Its chairman Alex Chong said the chapter will stage two fairs in 2027 — April in Kota Kinabalu at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) and June…