Sabah This Week #15 - 8-21 Oct 2026
The Climbathon is back on Mount Kinabalu. Kota Belud’s big tamu has its official opening, buffalo races and all. And Japanese films are on the big screen in KK for RM10 a ticket. That is your fortnight, if you want it.
Start tonight with MIC DROP, five comedians at the Hilton, adults only. Further down: a retirement expo, a dancesport championship, Tenom’s coffee festival for the diary, and three Sabah business stories.
Daniel
This Week & Weekend
Sabah’s big mountain race is back for a 33rd edition The Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon, Sabah’s international mountain race. Entries have closed, so this one is for the runners already in. · 18 October 2026 · Kinabalu Park, Kundasang (entries have closed)
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
A full day of ballroom and Latin dance competition The 22nd Sabah Open, run by Imperial Ballroom Dancing School, with ballroom and Latin dance competition. Spectator entry is not stated. · 17 October 2026, 8am-11pm · Promenade Hotel, Kota Kinabalu
Five comedians, one night only A stand-up show with Kumar, 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
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
An expo on planning the years after work Life+ Expo, themed Reimagine Retirement, run by event organiser Instant with community groups as partners. No entry fee is stated. · 9-11 October 2026, 10am-8pm · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
Sabahan stand-up joins forces with Bruhaha The MAD SABAH comedy tour’s joint night with Bruhaha. The tour’s other stop has sold out, so do not leave this one late. The organiser names the city but not the venue. · 10 October 2026, 8pm · Kota Kinabalu
Japanese films on the big screen, RM10 a ticket The 22nd Japanese Film Festival, run by the Japan Foundation, stops here for four days. Tickets are RM10 per screening, sold through the cinema. · 15-18 October 2026 · GSC Suria Sabah, Kota Kinabalu
D’Masiv, live in concert The band’s Sabah tour. Tickets are on the organiser’s booking site. · 16 October 2026, 8pm · Grand Ballroom, Magellan Sutera Resort, Kota Kinabalu
Timpohon Run 2 The second edition of the Timpohon run. Entries have closed. · 17 October 2026, flag-off 7am · Kinabalu Park, Kundasang (entries have closed)
A makers’ market where kids can run their own stall Makers & Mavens Market, with a Realms of Oakshire theme, where children can run stalls of their own. · 17-18 October 2026, 12pm-6pm · 1st Floor, The Walk, Riverson, Kota Kinabalu
A Halloween treasure hunt for kids Little Miner’s Trick or Treat Adventure: trick-or-treating, a gold coin hunt and mystery challenges for children in costume. You need to register first; no fee is stated. · 18 October 2026, 2pm-6pm (register by 15 Oct) · Aramaiti, IMAGO Shopping Mall, Kota Kinabalu
Save the date
- Pesta Kopi Tenom, the coffee festival 23-25 Oct · Dewan Datuk Seri Panglima Antanom, Tenom
- Sabah PlayVerse 24-25 Oct, 9am-9pm · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Ride Sat 24 Oct, 4pm-6pm · 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
- North Borneo Rainforest Festival 31 Oct-1 Nov · Koisaan Cultural Village, Penampang
- Borneo 4by4 Outdoor Show, then CULT Car Culture Festival 31 Oct and 1 Nov · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Sabah International Balloon Expo: Galaxy Ocean 13-15 Nov · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- 26th Sabah Hospitality Fiesta 20-22 Nov · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Kiulu Adventure Challenge Sun 6 Dec · Kiulu
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💼 Sabah Business
DPI Holdings is buying RM7.6 million of industrial land at KKIP.
Its unit Eastern Forever (Sabah) is paying cash for about 2.05 acres in the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park at Telipok, to grow its consumer goods distribution and warehousing in East Malaysia. Completion is expected in the first half of 2027. (EdgeProp, The Star)
The Sabah Indian Chamber of Commerce backs the call for cheaper flights.
President V. Jothi Veeramani supports Chief Minister Hajiji Noor’s call for affordable airfares and better air links, citing nearly 3.8 million visitors and about RM8.74 billion in tourism receipts in 2025. (Daily Express Malaysia)
City Hall is hosting an international mayors’ dialogue.
The Kota Kinabalu International Mayors Dialogue runs 10 to 14 October, with the main sessions on 12 and 13 October, on the blue economy, digital governance and urban resilience. Mayors attend by invitation; other parties can apply to the secretariat. (KKIMD)
🚌 Getting Around
Only 4 of 35 Pan Borneo Phase 1 work packages were finished, an audit found
Nanta says delivery will improve. As of 25 August, Phase 1A was 89.01 per cent done, WP09 37.58 per cent and Phase 1B 23.96 per cent, with delays put down to a change of delivery model, Covid-19, land acquisition, utility relocation and contractor performance. (Free Malaysia Today)
Fuel: petrol went up 15 sen
For the week from 8 October: RON95 RM4.67 and RON97 RM5.15, both up 15 sen, with the BUDI95 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)
The Sabah Roundup
Four in five Sabah EPF members have under RM50,000 saved.
EPF Sabah and Labuan director Mohd Fadil Sarehan says about 80 per cent of members in the state are below RM50,000, and only about 20 per cent have made nominations. The EPF is most concerned about informal workers, whose contributions are irregular. (Daily Express Malaysia)
A call for a Sarawak-style discount on power bills.
Sri Tanjong assemblyman Justin Wong wants Sabah to follow Sarawak, which set aside RM188.1 million for a 25 per cent discount for all domestic users. Sabah’s rebate covers only hardcore-poor eKasih households, up to RM40 a month. (Daily Express Malaysia)
Eleven ideas to keep doctors and nurses in Sabah and Sarawak.
Senator Dr R. A. Lingeshwaran proposes measures including a standard 24-month posting, a rural hardship allowance of at least RM1,000 a month and return flights to the Peninsula. (NST)
IDS Sabah wants Budget 2027 to fund water, roads and schools.
Chairperson Azizah Mohd Dun asks for at least RM500 million for water pipes until the Ulu Padas supply arrives in 2029, RM500 million for rural roads and RM300 million for 968 dilapidated schools and rural internet. She puts water lost before it is billed at around 60 per cent. (The Sun)
A Sabah Arts Council has been proposed.
Backbenchers Club chairman Masiung Banah, the Kuamut assemblyman, plans to table the idea at the coming state assembly sitting, as one body to coordinate support and funding for artists. (Daily Express Malaysia)
Sabah won three golds at Mr Malaysia.
Elvian Ondui, Martin Magalai and Nicholas Li each won their category at the 55th national bodybuilding and physique championships in Alor Setar. (Borneo Post)
Did You Know?
Sabah’s first carbon credits came from a forest project. UPM professor H’ng Paik San told the Daily Express that Sabah was the first state in Malaysia to get carbon credits, through the Kuamut Forestry Project, as he pushed for a second project.
Keep reading
The Kinabalu Climbathon. What the race is, for anyone heading up this month.
Tamu markets across Sabah. The weekly markets worth knowing, with Tamu Besar Kota Belud from 10 October.
A coffee guide to Sabah. Where Tenom’s coffee comes from, before its festival later this month.
Quotables
“Sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit.” Little by little, in time it becomes a hill: small efforts add up. (Malay proverb)
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