What's happening around you
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24 divers collect 110kg of marine debris off Sepanggar Island
Twenty-four divers from the Sabah Diving Squad Club collected 110 kilogrammes of marine debris during an underwater clean-up off Mari Mari Sepanggar Island in Kota Kinabalu. The Malaysia Day operation, the club's third, retrieved ghost nets, discarded fishing gear and plastic waste that was sorted and weighed ashore. Club president Sim Fui JP said the effort highlighted shared responsibility for protecting the nation's marine heritage.
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Undocumented Filipino jailed 30 years, caned 12 times for syabu trafficking in Tuaran
A 33-year-old undocumented Filipino man was sentenced to 30 years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane by the High Court in Kota Kinabalu for trafficking 475.1g of syabu. The offence took place on July 4, 2023 in front of Restoran Farvis, Taman Telipok Ria, Tuaran. Judicial Commissioner Ratanah Devi Yusof Perumal ruled the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
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Pacific Partnership 2026 closes in Sabah after school and clinic upgrades
The Pacific Partnership 2026 mission in Sabah has ended after completing engineering projects at Sekolah Kebangsaan Babagon Toki and Telipok Health Clinic, plus a maritime search and rescue exercise in Sepanggar Bay. Military engineers from Malaysia, the United States, South Korea and Australia worked 25 days on the upgrades, while medical and community programmes reached local residents.
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Ambulance door held shut with foot, dilapidated quarters: health workers speak out after Long Lellang
Health workers in Sabah and elsewhere have posted accounts of rundown ambulances, including a nurse holding a door shut with her foot and a doctor describing a repurposed pick-up used to move patients in Tuaran. A medical officer in Kudat said staff there have only vans, strapping oxygen tanks with seatbelts and laying patients across the backseat. The posts follow the Long Lellang flying doctor tragedy and question whether health staff are given safe assets.
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Sabah Parks may impose maximum compound on Croatian climber over unauthorised Mount Kinabalu route
Sabah Parks is investigating a Croatian climber who allegedly used an unauthorised route without a permit or guide to climb Mount Kinabalu last week. The 46-year-old man fell and was rescued on Sept 10, and the state tourism minister said authorities will wait for him to recover before deciding on a maximum compound.
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500 attend smart farming and black pepper course in Tambunan
More than 500 people joined a smart farming and black pepper cultivation course in Tambunan, Sabah, organised by Sawit Kinabalu. The course, held for the first time at SMK Tambunan, introduced farmers and agro-entrepreneurs to technology such as smartphones and CCTV for crop monitoring. Deputy Chairman Datuk Victor P Paut said the approach, inspired by farming in Hokkaido, Japan, could help Tambunan become a modern agricultural hub.
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Indonesian carpenter hurt as iron piece pierces foot in Tambunan
An Indonesian carpenter was injured in Tambunan, Sabah, on Monday morning when a piece of iron pierced his foot while he was doing carpentry work on a house. Firefighters from the Tambunan Fire and Rescue Station were called to Tambunan Hospital to cut the metal out, and he was handed to Health Ministry staff for further treatment.
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Croatian climber rescued after 8 days stranded on Mount Kinabalu
A 46-year-old Croatian climber, Mauro Persic, was found alive after eight days alone and injured on Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. He was rescued in a multi-agency operation and is still in police custody while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Kota Kinabalu. He expressed regret over the risks he took and gratitude to the rescuers and porters who carried him down.
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Kantalan theft at Dorombou plantation costs tapper RM7,000
Rubber tappers in Kampung Kiawayan, Tambunan, are alarmed after repeated latex thefts at the Dorombou plantation. One tapper, Albinus Kunjan, lost a week's worth of kantalan valued at about RM7,000. Residents are urging police patrols and caution among buyers.
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Sabah minister to table proposal for dedicated motorcycle racing circuit
Sabah Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk James Ratib said he will bring a proposal for a dedicated motorcycle racing circuit to the State Cabinet, following a request from Sabah MotoDay 9.0 organisers. He spoke after officiating the two-day event at the Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex in Likas, which drew about 70,000 people. Organisers said possible locations include Tawau, Kalabakan, Tuaran and Kimanis, though the final decision rests with the authorities.
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Masidi: Sabah food variety shows F&B growth, draws tourists
Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun said Sabah's growing variety of food and eateries reflects a healthy food and beverage industry that can attract domestic and international tourists. He spoke at the opening of Qahwa Alamesra Restaurant in Kota Kinabalu, where he also urged operators to keep up food quality and service.
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Sakmud: More Sabah, Sarawak seats needed to uphold MA63
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Mustapha Sakmud said increasing parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak is about upholding the spirit of MA63, not just adding numbers. He said the Election Commission will study the increase, which needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament. He spoke after officiating a National Day and Malaysia Day programme at Kg Lapasan in Kota Kinabalu.
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Foreigner fined RM20,000 for keeping 578kg cooking oil, 250 litres petrol without permit
A 34-year-old foreign national was fined RM20,000, or 12 months' jail in default, by the Sessions Court in Tawau on Friday for possessing controlled goods without a permit. Azmain Same pleaded guilty to holding 578kg of cooking oil and 250 litres of petrol on an unregistered wooden boat in waters off Kalapuan on Sept 6, which he admitted he meant to take to a neighbouring country. He was arrested by a Kunak General Operations Force team and charged under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
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Kampung Numbak fire victims get RM300 each in education aid
Students affected by the Aug 30 fire in Kampung Numbak, Kota Kinabalu, received RM300 each plus school uniforms, textbooks, school packs and scientific calculators. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said RM121,200 was disbursed through an emergency fund, with the Education Ministry and Sabah Education Department also providing textbooks. The handover took place at Dewan Sri Semerbak, SMK Bandaraya.
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Two men held with syabu at a house in Kampung Mata Kundasang, Ranau
Ranau police arrested two local men, aged 26 and 38, at an unnumbered house in Kampung Mata Kundasang at about 1am on Sept 12 and seized 5.12g of suspected syabu. The case is being probed under Section 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, and a four-day remand has been sought for one suspect.
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Villagers at Aki Aki Trail want action as foreign hikers keep entering without guides
Villagers managing the Aki Aki Trail in Ranau say foreign tourists keep entering the community trail without permission or guides, sometimes twice a week since 2021. Deputy chairman Hanson Juhili wants tourism authorities to step in before an unauthorised hiker is lost or hurt, after the recent rescue of a Croatian climber who used a village route up Mount Kinabalu.
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UMS offers 6,171 undergraduate places for 2026/2027 session
Universiti Malaysia Sabah has offered 6,171 undergraduate places for the 2026/2027 session, with registration starting today. A total of 5,251 students registered at the Kota Kinabalu campus, 698 at the Labuan international campus and 222 at the Sandakan campus. The intake includes 3,380 B40 students, 14 disabled students, eight Orang Asli, 15 athletes and 215 international students from 12 countries.
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Teach disaster preparedness from young, says Mustapha
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said safety and disaster preparedness education should start at a young age. He spoke at the closing of the Kampung Siaga 221 programme at Kampung Kokol, Manggatal, on Saturday. The Sabah Civil Defence director said the programme, the third this year, will continue annually.
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Gagasan Rakyat coordinator: Sabah, Sarawak seat increase must be implemented, not just promised
A Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah coordinator in Tambunan said the proposed increase in parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak must be turned into concrete action rather than remain a political promise. Datuk Victor P. Paut said the matter has been awaited for decades and should be considered in the context of MA63, adding that Sabahans do not want it to be a gimmick.
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Filipino man jailed five months for threatening ex-wife in Kota Kinabalu
A 49-year-old Filipino man without valid documents was sentenced to five months in jail and fined RM2,500 by the Magistrate's Court in Kota Kinabalu for threatening to kill his former wife. The offence occurred on May 6 at a house in Kampung Suang Parai, Manggatal, where he had confined the woman for about a month after their child's wedding.
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Broker charged with cheating woman of RM81,500 over Tambunan land deal
A 44-year-old freelance broker, Herman Stephen, was charged in the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court with seven counts of cheating a 66-year-old woman of RM81,500 over a land deal in Kampung Rompon, Tambunan. He pleaded not guilty, was released on RM14,500 bail with two local sureties, and the court fixed Oct 29 for mention. The payments were allegedly made between Nov 23 and Dec 5, 2025 at an apartment in Jalan Sulaman, Manggatal.
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Tvetmara records 94.5pc graduate employability, 214 receive qualifications in Kota Kinabalu
Tvetmara recorded a 94.5 per cent graduate employability rate for its 2025 cohort, with 25.2 per cent earning RM2,000 and above. A total of 214 graduates received their qualifications at the 16th Tvetmara Kota Kinabalu Convocation held at the Sabah Federal Administration Complex auditorium on Saturday.
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Tuaran sand track hosts 10-race card on Sunday
The Royal Sabah Turf Club at Tambalang Racecourse in Tuaran stages a 10-race programme on the sand track on Sunday, with Race 3 over 1,000m and Race 10 over 1,400m among the highlights. Races are also telecast live at off-course centres in Tanjung Aru, Sandakan and Keningau.
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Man, 31, held over mother's murder in Tambunan
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his 56-year-old mother at a rented house in Kampung Katagayan, Tambunan, Sabah, on Friday. Police said the victim died at the scene from injuries believed to have been caused by a sharp weapon, and the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code.