Sabah This Week #17 - 22 Oct-4 Nov 2026
This weekend SICC fills with board games, collectables and blind boxes, and on Sunday the Borneo Safari convoy leaves for a week in the jungle. Next weekend is a big one: the BIGSABAH Sale, the Rainforest Festival in Penampang and Halloween at three malls.
Closer to home: a Deepavali tamu at Riverson, the last days of the free ghost art show, and petrol 30 sen cheaper. Further down, three Sabah business stories.
Daniel
This Week & Weekend
A weekend of board games, collectables and blind boxes Sabah PlayVerse fills a hall with games and toy sellers, a board games competition, a toy exchange, face painting, a photobooth and DIY crafts. The competition and the toy exchange are pre-register only. No entry fee is stated. · 24-25 October 2026, 9am-9pm · Kinabatangan Hall 1, Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
The 4x4 convoy heads into the jungle The 34th Borneo Safari International Offroad Challenge, run by the Sabah Four Wheel Drive Association: eight days of extreme off-roading. Catch the convoy at the flag-off before it leaves the city. · flag-off 25 October 2026, runs to 1 November · Sabah Tourism Board 0KM, Kota Kinabalu
Three days of shopping at the BIGSABAH Sale The convention centre’s big consumer fair returns with fashion and lifestyle, food, home living and decor, and a tamu section. Visitor hours and entry are not published yet; the organiser has a visitor registration form. · 30 October-1 November 2026 · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
A Deepavali edition of the Urban Tamu Riverson’s weekend market, themed for the festival of lights. No entry fee is stated. · 24-25 October 2026, 11am-6pm · The Walk, Riverson, Kota Kinabalu
Three days of coffee in Sabah’s coffee town Pesta Kopi Tenom, held alongside the state Farmers’, Breeders’ and Fishermen’s Day. No programme or hours have been published, so check before you make the drive. · 23-25 October 2026 · Dewan Datuk Seri Panglima Antanom, Tenom
A Halloween costume contest for kids For children aged 4 to 12, in three categories, with cash prizes. Entry is RM50 per child. · 24 October 2026, 7.30pm · Suria Sabah, Kota Kinabalu
A night of stand-up comedy in Labuan MAD Sabah’s live stand-up tour stops in Labuan. Tickets are sold on the organiser’s site; a magazine post lists them from RM50. · 24 October 2026, 8.30pm · Rafflesia Hall, Level 1, Financial Park Labuan
A guided bike ride through KK at sunset A cycling tourist guide leads a ride past the city’s scenic spots as the sun goes down. Register with the organiser; no fee is stated. · 24 October 2026 · KK Sentral
Last days of the free ghost art show Thirteenth, by Japson Wong and Andrea Maturin, turns Malaysian ghost folklore into art. Entry is free, but you need to book a slot first. · to 1 November 2026, 11am-7pm · B-1-28, 1st Floor, The Walk, Riverson, Kota Kinabalu
Trick-or-treat and a kids’ costume contest Centre Point’s Monster Hotel Halloween weekend, with trick-or-treating all three days and a kids’ costume contest on the last day. Times and fees are not stated. · 30 October-1 November 2026 (costume contest 1 Nov) · Palm Square, Centre Point Sabah, Kota Kinabalu
Pumpkin painting and trick-or-treat for kids Weekend Wonders Halloween, run by Estona Events. Children need to register first through the organiser’s form. No fee is stated. · 31 October-1 November 2026, 11am-6pm · The Walk, Riverson, Kota Kinabalu
A rainforest festival at Koisaan The North Borneo Rainforest Festival, run by Persatuan Sukarelawan Seni Budaya Sabah. No programme, hours or prices have been published. · 31 October-1 November 2026 · Koisaan Cultural Village, Penampang
A 16-team football tournament The BRFC Cup, an 11-a-side tournament run by Braven Rovers FC. Spectator entry is not stated. · 31 October 2026, 8am-6pm · Padang Ragbi A and B, Kota Kinabalu
A 4x4 outdoor show, then a car culture festival Both run by Cult with the BIGSABAH Sale: 4x4 trucks, campers and overland gear first, then a day of modified cars, sim racing, a DJ and food stalls. Entry is not stated. · 31 October (4by4) and 1 November (CULT) 2026, 10am-6.30pm · Jesselton Square open plaza, Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
A music education fair Listed by the venue alongside the BIGSABAH Sale. No organiser, hours or prices have been published. · 30 October-1 November 2026 · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
Save the date
- 16th Borneo Bird Festival 7-8 Nov · Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok, Sandakan
- Mud Volcano Run, 10km and 15km trail Sun 8 Nov · Pantai Sawangan, Kuala Penyu
- 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
- Sabah Digital Summit 2026 25-26 Nov · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- HobbyCon 2026, Tekken 8 and EA Sports FC tournaments 5-6 Dec (early bird to 31 Oct) · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Kiulu Adventure Challenge Sun 6 Dec · Kiulu
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💼 Sabah Business
BDC Sabah has started five more warehouses for businesses
Phase 2 of its industrial centre covers 1.3 acres, with each unit between 7,000 and 8,000 sq ft. Three of the five are already booked, and building should finish by December 2027, chairman Datuk Johnny Mositun said. (Daily Express)
Sixteen Sabah co-ops got RM1.19 million from the federal co-op commission
The Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission (SKM) gave the development money this year, and a further RM5.3 million went to two co-ops through its revolving capital fund, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said. (Daily Express)
Sabah paid about RM1 million to fly in 950 goats and 140 dairy cattle
The chartered flight from Sydney cost USD250,000 and brought goats worth about RM1.6 million for the state’s ruminant programme. The rest of the 395 dairy cattle are due next, State Agriculture Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said. (Daily Express)
🚌 Getting Around
Fuel: petrol came down 30 sen
For the week from 22 October: RON95 RM4.32 and RON97 RM4.80, both down 30 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 Pink Bus board wants better routes, and the buses in more towns
Sabah CVLB chairman Senator Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe says the board keeps reviewing the eight Pink Bus routes and hopes the Transport Ministry will extend the programme to other towns. These are plans, not decisions yet. (Daily Express)
The Sabah Roundup
Seven young Sabah engineers earned an Asean title
Members of the IEM Sabah Branch’s Young Engineers Section were made Associate Asean Engineers at the CAFEO 44 conference in Bandung. (Borneo Post)
Sandakan students won the Shell NXplorers Sabah challenge with a road-safety device
Team Triangle from SM Sung Siew built DriveShield, an AI system, and now represents Sabah at the national round. (The Star)
Sabah FC Academy’s under-17s are playing in China
A 16-player squad from SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin Sports School is in a 16-team youth tournament in Lijiang. The knockout rounds start next week. (Daily Express)
Matta Sabah says no tourism bookings have been cancelled
Deputy chairman Noordin Sabtu says bookings are holding as usual, with Visit Sabah Year 2027 coming next. (Daily Express)
Matta Sabah plans two travel fairs next year
One in Kota Kinabalu in April 2027 and a first Tawau edition in June. Its September fair recorded RM3.315 million in travel sales. (Daily Express)
Did You Know?
There is only one way up Mount Kinabalu. The only official route to the summit starts at Timpohon Gate; the Mesilau trail has been closed since the 2015 earthquake, according to the state tourism minister.
Keep reading
The Pink Bus guide. Routes, first and last buses, and fares, before any of it changes.
A coffee guide to Sabah. Where Tenom’s coffee comes from, for the festival weekend.
Things to do in Sabah. A running list of experiences worth your weekend.
Quotables
“Bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh.” United we stand, divided we fall. (Malay proverb)
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