KOTA KINABALU 23 Aug 2026
The Sabah Government wants fishing to be developed as a niche sport tourism product to attract more international tourists and anglers to Sabah.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the Sabah International Fishing Tournament (SIFT) had great potential to promote Sabah as an international fishing destination.
He said this in his speech at the prize-giving ceremony of SIFT 2026 at a hotel.
Also present were Sabah Anglers Association (SAA) secretary and SIFT 2026 organising chairman Christy Justinus, members of the organising committee, sponsors, strategic partners and participants.
“SIFT is not just a fishing competition. We want to use this platform to introduce Sabah to the world as a sport tourism destination for fishing.
“Sabah has an extensive coastline, beautiful islands, rich marine biodiversity and waters that are highly suitable for fishing. These are assets that can be utilised to develop a niche tourism segment with its own market,” he said.
Jafry said developing fishing as a tourism product could also generate economic benefits for other sectors, including hotels, food and beverage, transport, boat operators, fishing equipment retailers and local communities.
He said SIFT 2026 attracted 195 registered anglers and 21 boats, while the total cash prizes offered amounted to RM47,800, in addition to trophies and souvenirs.
This year’s tournament also marked the return of SIFT after it was last held in 2018.
Jafry congratulated all the winners and participants and hoped those who missed out would return to compete in the next edition.
“To the winners, congratulations once again. To those who did not succeed this time, do not give up. Come back next year and try again. In fishing, a bigger catch may be waiting for us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jafry said the development of fishing as a sport must go hand in hand with efforts to protect and conserve Sabah’s marine resources.
He said anglers could also play a role as government partners by reporting suspicious activities, illegal fishing or other activities that could affect the state’s marine resources and environment.
“We want to develop sport tourism, but the sustainability of Sabah’s marine resources cannot be compromised. Responsible anglers can also be among the best ambassadors in protecting our marine treasures,” he said.
Jafry said SIFT 2027 had been scheduled for July 29 to Aug 1, 2027, allowing international promotion to begin earlier.
“We want the next edition to be bigger, better organised and more international in nature.
“Our aim is to see SIFT develop into one of the region’s leading fishing tournaments while positioning Sabah as an international niche sport tourism destination for fishing,” he said.
SIFT 2026 results
In the Seahawk category, Edmond Asiin emerged champion with a 16.1kg catch, followed by Ahmadul Bill Tahir in second place with 15.6kg and Adrian Jolimu in third with 15.1kg.
Larry Lo took fourth place with an 11.9kg catch, while Hirman Ladjaharun finished fifth with 8.7kg.
In the Team category, Team Target On emerged champion with a combined catch of 50.3kg, followed by Team KK Lau 2 in second place with 44.8kg and Team Combat Angler in third with 37.2kg.
