The sights and sounds of North Borneo’s culture were showcased at Marina Square during the Sabah Fest Singapore Edition 2025.
Visitors enjoyed a taste of Sabah’s diverse ethnic performances, food products and crafts.
For Sabahans living in Singapore, the event was a chance to reconnect with their roots, while for Singaporeans it offered a rich cultural discovery.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore Dato’ Indera Azfar Mohd Mustafa jointly launched the event.
Joniston urged the Sabah diaspora abroad to promote the state as a preferred travel destination and boost its visibility internationally.
“Singapore and Kota Kinabalu have direct flights available and we want to leverage this connectivity to attract more visitors,” he said.
Between January and May this year, more than 13,000 Singaporeans visited Sabah.
Joniston, who also chairs the Sabah Tourism Board, said the event was the perfect introduction for first-time visitors ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 and the Explore Sabah campaign.
He invited both Singaporeans and international travellers to experience Sabah first-hand by visiting Sabah Fest 2025 in Kota Kinabalu next month (Aug 30–Sept 30).
Both Joniston and Azfar praised the Sabah Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STTOS) for spearheading Sabah Fest Singapore Edition with support from Tourism Malaysia Singapore, Matrade, Desa, Jetsin and travel partners.
Azfar said the High Commission of Malaysia to Singapore was proud to support Sabah Fest 2025 as it aligns with its mission to foster bilateral ties through cultural exchange, tourism promotion and economic collaboration.
The event also launched the “Stamp and Feel Sabah” campaign, a stamp rally encouraging Singaporean tourists to explore destinations across Sabah.
Also present were STTOS Managing Director Wendy Clare Stephen and senior officers from Tourism Malaysia and Matrade.
