Sabah This Week #18 - 29 Oct-11 Nov 2026
This weekend SICC is the place to be: the BIGSABAH Sale, a car show, and Big Bad Wolf books, which stays on until 9 November. Halloween is at the malls in KK and in Sandakan.
Next weekend the Borneo Bird Festival fills the rainforest centre in Sepilok, with a run for families. Deepavali is on 8 November, and petrol is up 10 sen.
Daniel
This Week & Weekend
Big Bad Wolf is back with cheap books The giant book sale returns for eleven days, with English books for children and adults, daily title deals and a lucky draw. Entry is free, and students, educators and Sabah library members get 5% off. · 30 October-9 November 2026, 10am-10pm · Annex B, Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
Three days of shopping at the BIGSABAH Sale The convention centre’s consumer fair, with fashion, food, home living and a tamu section. HelloSabah lists entry as free, and a hanging bar challenge pays cash if you can hold on long enough. · 30 October-1 November 2026, 10am-10pm · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
A weekend of birds, talks and a rainforest run The Borneo Bird Festival brings guided birdwatching and photography walks, talks, colouring contests and craft corners for children. The Borneo Bird Run adds a 12km trail run and a 2km fancy dress run for families. · 7-8 November 2026 (run 8 November) · Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok, Sandakan
The free ghost art show now runs another month Thirteenth, by Japson Wong and Andrea Maturin, turns Malaysian ghost folklore into art. The organiser has extended it because of demand. Entry is free, but you book a slot first. · until 30 November 2026 · B-1-28, 1st Floor, The Walk, Riverson, Kota Kinabalu
A rainforest festival at Koisaan The North Borneo Rainforest Festival, run by Persatuan Sukarelawan Seni Budaya Sabah, with culture, exhibitions and live music. No lineup, hours or ticket prices have been published. · 31 October-1 November 2026 · Koisaan Cultural Village, Penampang
A 4x4 outdoor show, then a car culture festival Both are part of the BIGSABAH weekend: 4x4 trucks, campers and overland gear first, then modified cars, sim racing and a live DJ at the fifth CULT Car Culture Festival. · 31 October and 1 November 2026, 10am-6.30pm · Jesselton Square, Sabah International Convention Centre, 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, per the mall’s own posts. · 30 October-1 November 2026 (contest 1 November, 12.30pm) · Palm Square, Centre Point Sabah, Kota Kinabalu
Pumpkin painting and trick-or-treat for kids Weekend Wonders Halloween, run by Estona Events. Children register by form on the organiser’s post. No fee is stated. · 31 October-1 November 2026, 11am-6pm · The Walk, Riverson, Kota Kinabalu
A weekend pop-up with a Halloween night NO SKIPS brings coffee, bakes, live singing, DJ sets and a live podcast to the mall. Its AFTERDARK night is a Halloween dress-up party with a DJ and cash prizes for the best dressed. · 30 October-1 November 2026 (AFTERDARK 31 October from 6pm) · Harbour Mall Sandakan
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 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
A trail run past the mud volcano A 15km Warrior and a 10km Explorer trail, run by the Kuala Penyu tourism operators’ association with J&J Event. Fees and flag-off time are not listed, so check registration is still open. · 8 November 2026 · Pantai Sawangan, Kuala Penyu
A students’ innovation showcase Ideas Playground, supported by the state science and innovation ministry, hosts the Junior Innovate National Competition. Daily Express says registration details will come through the organiser’s own channels. · 7-8 November 2026 · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
Save the date
- 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
- Kota Kinabalu Sunset Ride, a guided bike ride Sat 28 Nov · KK Sentral
- HobbyCon 2026, from RM20 a day 5-6 Dec · Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Kiulu Adventure Challenge Sun 6 Dec · Kiulu
School holidays: Sabah schools break up for the year from 5 December to 31 December.
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💼 Sabah Business
Sabah got the most small-business financing in the country
Minister Steven Sim said KUSKOP agencies had given about RM950 million to more than 44,000 Sabah entrepreneurs as of 30 September, the highest of any state. (Bernama)
A special economic zone is proposed for POIC Lahad Datu
Trade Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said MITI supports the idea of a BIMP-EAGA zone there. Consultants and a proposal paper come next, so nothing is set up yet. (Nabalu News)
Why Sabah’s oil palm smallholders get less for their fruit
Deputy Minister Huang Tiong Sii told Parliament the main reasons are Sabah’s 7.5% state sales tax on crude palm oil and higher transport costs. (The Edge)
🚌 Getting Around
Fuel: petrol went up ten sen
For the week from 29 October: RON95 RM4.42 and RON97 RM4.90, both up ten 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)
AirAsia flies KK to Bintulu and Sibu again
Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing announced flights to Bintulu three times a week from 1 November and to Sibu four times a week from 2 November. (Bernama)
The new Nabawan bridge is running late
The Sungai Nabawan bridge was due on 13 July. The district JKR says the delay is down to the contractor, and has told it to speed up. No new finish date was given. (Daily Express, via Newswav)
The Sabah Roundup
Sabah gets RM444.96 million for its water supply
Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof told Parliament the federal grant will replace critical pipes and cut water lost before it reaches homes. No projects or places were named yet. (The Sun)
Two weeks to send in quick flood fixes for KK and Sepanggar
Minister Mustapha Sakmud gave agencies and elected representatives two weeks to submit small flood mitigation projects to City Hall, and asked residents to stay alert in the northeast monsoon. (Daily Express, via Newswav)
Sabah soaks up more carbon than it emits
State climate advisor Darrel Webber said carbon projects must keep value in Sabah and reach poorer communities, noting eight of Malaysia’s ten poorest districts are here. (Daily Express, via Newswav)
UMS and Sabah’s plumbers plan to work together
They signed a letter of intent on research, training and internships, and plan to host World Plumbing Day Sabah 2027 at UMS. (Daily Express, via Newswav)
Did You Know?
Sabah is nicknamed the “Land Below the Wind” because it sits just south of the Pacific typhoon belt. While the Philippines up north gets hit by typhoons, Sabah is spared them almost entirely.
Keep reading
A district-by-district guide to Sabah. What each corner of the state is actually known for.
Sabah by the numbers. The data behind the state, handy if you run a business here.
How many tourists actually visit Sabah?. The running numbers, updated as the state publishes them, live on our tourism statistics page.
Heads up: Deepavali falls on Sun 8 Nov, a public holiday in Sabah, so Mon 9 Nov is the replacement day off. Schools also close on Tue 10 Nov.
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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