Sabah This Week #14 - 1-13 Oct 2026
Buffalo races at Kota Belud’s big tamu, from 10 Oct. Three days of Sabah culture right in the middle of KK. A comedy night with five comedians and nobody under 18 allowed in. That is your next two weeks, if you want it.
Head to Padang Merdeka this weekend, where Ritma Kinabalu, the state culture festival, runs stage shows, crafts and concerts until 11pm. Then pick your adventure below. New this week: Sabah Business, three quick stories on money and work in the state.
Daniel
This Week & Weekend
Three days of Sabah on one field, from morning to late at night The state culture festival, with stage shows, exhibitions, a craft and folk games village, an ethnic costume contest and two nights of concerts. · 2-4 October 2026 · Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu
Kota Belud’s big tamu, buffalo races and all The district’s grand market runs for nine days, with buffalo and cattle races, cultural shows and stalls. Organisers expect about 50,000 visitors. The picture is an illustration, not a photo of the fair. · 10-18 October 2026 (official opening 17 Oct) · Tamu ground, Kota Belud
An outdoor and adventure show to plan your next trip A three-day exhibition of outdoor gear, travel operators and adventure clubs. No entry fee is stated, so check before you go. · 9-11 October 2026, 10am-8pm · Kinabatangan Hall 3, Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
A health fair on mental wellbeing, with Zumba and henna The state health department’s fair on mental health and lifestyle diseases, with talks, quizzes, health screenings, Zumba and games. No entry fee is stated. · 2-3 October 2026, 10am-8pm · ITCC Shopping Mall, Kota Kinabalu
Four days of coffee, from bean to cup A coffee festival with specialty brews, roasters, competitions, coffee education, machines and workshops. The mall has not said whether any part of it is ticketed. · 1-4 October 2026 · Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, Kota Kinabalu
Five comedians from around Asia, one night only A touring stand-up show led by Malaysian comic Kumar, with Prakash Daniel, Harry Jun, He Huang and Saaniya X. Adults only: nobody under 18 is admitted. The ticket price is not listed on the organiser’s page. · 8 October 2026, 8pm-9:30pm · Hilton Kota Kinabalu
Three days of yacht racing, in its 31st year The yacht club’s long-running Merdeka regatta, on the Asian sailing federation’s calendar. Neither the club nor the federation says anything about watching from shore. · 9-11 October 2026 · Kinabalu Yacht Club, Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu
Sabahan stand-up joins forces with Bruhaha The MAD SABAH comedy tour’s joint night with Bruhaha. The tour’s first Sandakan show has already sold out, so do not leave this one late. The organiser names the city but not the venue. · 10 October 2026, 8pm · Kota Kinabalu
Save the date
- D’Masiv live in Kota Kinabalu Fri 16 Oct, 8pm · Grand Ballroom, Magellan Sutera Resort
- Timpohon Run 2 Sat 17 Oct · Kinabalu Park, Kundasang (entries have closed)
- Makers & Mavens Market, where kids can run their own stall 17-18 Oct, 12pm-6pm · 1st Floor, The Walk, Riverson
- Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon Sun 18 Oct · Kinabalu Park, Kundasang (entries have closed)
- MAD SABAH comedy in Labuan Sat 24 Oct, 8:30pm · Rafflesia Hall, Financial Park Labuan
- Sabah PlayVerse 24-25 Oct, 9am-9pm · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Ride Sat 24 Oct · KK Sentral
- Borneo Safari 2026 Flag-off Sun 25 Oct, runs to 1 Nov · Sabah Tourism Board 0KM, Kota Kinabalu
- BIGSABAH Sale 2026 30 Oct-1 Nov · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
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💼 Sabah Business
The Chief Minister says the four million visitor target is still in reach.
Chief Minister Hajiji Noor says about 2.6 million arrivals were recorded by August, 1.1 million from abroad and 1.5 million domestic, and names flight connectivity among the challenges. (Bernama)
The state is looking at Australian cattle to grow local beef.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Jamawi Jaafar visited cattle farms in Australia to study breeds and breeding technology. No deals were announced. (Daily Express Malaysia)
Sabah’s mangroves could earn carbon credits, an expert says.
UPM forestry professor H’ng Paik San told a carbon credit conference in Kota Kinabalu that mangroves are the best option, but national inventory data and certification are still needed. (NST)
The Sabah Roundup
Police have advised against a US gospel singer’s concert, for now.
State police commissioner Jauteh Dikun cited public sensitivities over Israel Houghton’s planned show, said two police reports had been lodged, and said the organisers have not applied to hold it. Former Chief Minister Salleh Said Keruak says it should go ahead if security can be managed. No decision has been announced. (Malay Mail, Malaysiakini)
Up to 250 people can watch the 40 per cent appeal from inside the court complex.
The Court of Appeal hearing on Sabah’s revenue entitlement opens on 29 October in Kota Kinabalu, with a live feed to a conference hall in the same building. It will not be broadcast online. (Malay Mail via Yahoo)
The weather department is watching Sabah’s quakes around the clock.
Met Malaysia says its 28 seismic stations in the state share earthquake information within six minutes of detection, after a magnitude 3.3 tremor in Kinabatangan. It adds that no technology can predict earthquakes. (Daily Express Malaysia)
The book fair drew a record 150,000 visitors.
The five-day Kota Kinabalu International Book Fair closed with the Head of State, Musa Aman, officiating. (Daily Express Malaysia)
A Sabah bodybuilder took bronze at the Asian championships.
Meilaura Dora Jimmy placed third in women’s bodybuilding up to 55kg in Bangkok, after moving down a category for lack of entrants. (Daily Express Malaysia)
Sites for a new state museum are being shortlisted.
Assistant Minister Andi Md Shamsureezal says every option is in Kota Kinabalu, and nothing has been decided about the current 42-year-old building. (Daily Express Malaysia)
A committee may study more Parliament seats for Sabah and Sarawak.
Federal minister Mustapha Sakmud wants a special committee under the MA63 implementation council to set a timeline. No seat numbers have been given. (Free Malaysia Today)
Building plans in Kota Kinabalu could be approved in under 10 days.
City Hall says the national digital building plan system aims for that turnaround on plans that pass its checks, with online submission planned from 2027. (Daily Express Malaysia)
Sabah is showing off its culture at a mask dance festival in Korea.
Malaysia is Guest Country at the 30th Andong International Maskdance Festival, and state tourism minister Jafry Ariffin says Sabah is part of the showcase. (Daily Express Malaysia)
🚌 Getting Around
What Sabah PKR says federal projects for roads and airports are worth
Answering a PAS complaint about road money, PKR’s Ahmad Farid Sainuri listed Budget 2026 project values: RM15.9 billion for Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1A and 1B, nearly RM500 million for the Kota Kinabalu airport expansion and RM120.9 million for Tawau Airport. He says multi-year projects should not be compared with one year of road maintenance money. (Malay Mail)
China Eastern may add Shanghai flights, and a Beijing route
After meeting the airline in Shanghai, state tourism minister Jafry Ariffin says it intends to double or even triple its daily Shanghai to Kota Kinabalu services and is exploring a direct Beijing route. These are plans, not schedules. (Malay Mail)
Fuel: petrol came down five sen
For the week from 1 October: RON95 RM4.52 and RON97 RM5.00, both down five sen, with the Budi rate at RM1.99. A new set is announced most weeks, so treat this as the price at the time of writing. (data.gov.my fuel price dataset)
Did You Know?
Sabah’s nickname is about the weather. It is called the Land Below the Wind because it sits just south of the typhoon belt, so it is rarely hit by typhoons. The name was popularised by Agnes Newton Keith’s book of the same name, according to the NST.
Keep reading
Tamu markets across Sabah. The weekly markets worth knowing, with Tamu Besar Kota Belud coming up.
Things to do in Sabah. A running list of experiences worth your weekend.
How many tourists actually visit Sabah?. The running numbers, updated as the state publishes them, next to this week’s 2.6 million.
Quotables
“Bumi mana yang tidak ditimpa hujan.” There is no land that is never touched by rain: everyone faces trouble sometime. (Malay proverb)
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