Sabah Infrastructure 2026 — Airports, Roads & Ports
Sabah has 5 airports, 3 major ports, and an 18,000+ km road network. The flagship Pan Borneo Highway (706 km) is 60% complete overall, with Phase 1A targeting October 2026. KKIA handles 7.96 million passengers (2024) and is expanding to 12 million by 2028. Broadband coverage reaches 75% statewide (2024); 5G rollout is 50% complete. Electricity access is 96% (expanding to 99.5% by 2027).
KKIA is Malaysia’s 2nd busiest airport, handling 90% of Sabah’s passenger traffic.
Source: MAHB 2024 Data
Infrastructure Overview
Sabah\u2019s infrastructure is undergoing a transformation. The state covers 73,631 km² with a dispersed population of 3.76 million, making infrastructure investment critical for connectivity and economic growth. The Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 Development Plan (2026–2030) prioritizes roads, ports, digital connectivity, and power generation — with an estimated RM30+ billion federal allocation.
Key constraints remain: geography (mountains, rivers, dispersed settlements), tropical climate (high rainfall accelerates deterioration), and funding gaps. However, strategic partnerships (DP World at Sepanggar, federal highway projects) and technology investments (5G, renewable energy) are modernizing the infrastructure base faster than ever before.
Airports & Air Connectivity
Sabah has 5 commercial airports. KKIA is the primary international gateway; Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu, and Kudat serve regional routes. KKIA alone handles 90% of Sabah\u2019s passenger traffic and is Malaysia\u2019s 2nd-busiest airport after KLIA.
KKIA recovered from COVID collapse and reached new high of 7.96M passengers in 2024, driven by international connectivity recovery.
Source: MAHB
Ports & Maritime
Sabah\u2019s main port is the Sapangar Bay Container Terminal (SBCP) in KK, developed by DP World. In 2024, SBCP handled 501,944 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), up 17.2% year-over-year. The port has capacity for 1.5 million TEUs and is designed as a regional transhipment hub for BIMP-EAGA trade (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines).
Sandakan and Tawau ports handle regional cargo, timber, and palm oil exports. Cruise passenger terminals in KK serve growing cruise tourism (23 vessels, 24,634+ passengers in 2025).
Roads & Pan Borneo Highway
Sabah has 18,000+ km of roads: federal, state, and rural. The flagship Pan Borneo Highway is a 706 km mega-project connecting KK to the east coast via Sandakan and Tawau. When complete, it will reduce KK-Tawau travel time from 10+ hours to 7 hours and cost an estimated RM16+ billion.
Phase 1A targets October 2026 completion. Phase 1B on track for 2029. Phase 2 (east coast) follows 2029+.
Source: JKR Malaysia
Digital Infrastructure & Connectivity
Broadband and 5G rollout is accelerating via JENDELA (National Digital Network) programme. 4G coverage reaches 95% of populated areas. 5G coverage is at 50% statewide (437 of 622 sites completed as of 2024), with target of 100% by 2026.
Rural broadband remains a challenge: fixed-line penetration is only 20.9 per 100 premises (2021), but mobile broadband is strong at 88 per 100 residents. Government is expanding fibre and satellite internet to underserved areas via JENDELA Phase 2 (2026–2027).
Power & Water Infrastructure
Electricity: SESB (Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd) has 866.4 MW generation capacity, with 50.3% sourced from independent power producers. 2026–2027 projects include: 100 MW gas power plant, 100 MW solar projects, 30 MW import from Sarawak, and 400 MWh battery storage in Lahad Datu (ASEAN\u2019s largest). Access: 96% overall, target 99.5% by 2027.
Water: Urban water supply coverage is 100%; rural coverage is 70%. Water quality and supply reliability remain priority areas. Challenges: geography, dispersed settlements, and infrastructure maintenance in tropical climate.
Frequently asked questions
Q When will the Pan Borneo Highway be fully completed?
Q How do I travel between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan?
Q What is broadband coverage like in interior districts?
Q Is there a Sabah Rail corridor planned?
Q Can Sabah's ports handle current trade volume?
Q What is the status of rural electrification in Sabah?
Q What new infrastructure projects are planned for 2026–2027?
Sources & References 9 sources
Last verified: 11 April 2026