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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Sabah official wants jail for Mount Kinabalu trespassers after climber rescue
A Sabah deputy state secretary, Datuk Jamili Nais, has called for jail sentences for climbers who trespass on Mount Kinabalu via unauthorised routes, after a Croatian climber was rescued in a five-day operation. The climber, Mauro Persic, was brought down to Timpohon Gate and is recovering in hospital. A Native Court judge said Native Laws could also be used against trespassers.
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245 of 416 dilapidated Sabah schools replaced, 63 still being built
In Sabah, 245 of the 416 dilapidated schools slated for full replacement have been completed, with 63 more under construction, the Education Ministry said. Two handovers were made: SK Buit Hill in Penampang (RM33.46 million) and Sekolah Menengah Sains Sabah at Bukit Padang (RM85.05 million), benefiting 991 pupils.
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PM hands RM1,500 special aid to 111 families of Numbak fire victims
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim presented RM1,500 in special federal aid to each of the 111 households affected by the Numbak fire in Kota Kinabalu. The aid was delivered during his visit to the temporary relocation centre at Dewan Serbaguna Damai. The 30 August blaze destroyed 202 houses and killed three children.
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Undocumented man gets 17 years, five strokes for robbing e-hailing driver
An undocumented man was sentenced by the Sessions Court in Kota Kinabalu to 17 years in jail and five strokes of the cane for gang robbery. Musa Normani, 32, was found guilty of robbing an e-hailing driver of an iPhone 11 at knifepoint at a Chinese cemetery at Mile 5, Jalan Tuaran, on Aug 2, 2025.
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Tamu Besar Kota Belud 2026 expected to draw 50,000 visitors
Tamu Besar Kota Belud 2026 will run from Oct 10 to 18 in Kota Belud, Sabah, targeting about 50,000 visitors. Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick said the Head of State will launch the event, with the Chief Minister attending on Oct 17, and it will feature buffalo and cattle races at Padang Kota Belud plus a Tamu Geopark Kinabalu spotlighting Mount Kinabalu.
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43 rescuers bring down Croatian climber injured on Mount Kinabalu
A Croatian climber, Mauro Persic, 46, fell while climbing Mount Kinabalu and suffered injuries to his right leg and ribs. A five-day search and rescue operation involving 43 personnel from JBPM, PDRM, APM and Sabah Park brought him down via Timpohon Gate before he was sent to Ranau Hospital.
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Tamparuli LLC Bridge repairs near completion, reopening in early October
Repair works on the Tamparuli Low Level Crossing Bridge in Sabah are about 90 per cent complete and it is expected to reopen to the public in early October. The bridge was closed early this year after subsidence, and support pillar repairs are finished while surface works and gantry installation continue.
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Kundasang tourism group seeks review of Federal Route 22 traffic data
A Kundasang tourism association has urged the Federal Government to reassess traffic conditions along the Tamparuli-Kundasang-Ranau-Lohan corridor, saying the 2024 census rating of Level of Service A does not match the congestion seen during school holidays and festive seasons. Its chairman also wants clarity on funding and timelines for alternative alignments under Phase Two of the Pan Borneo Highway.
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CHERY Borneo Drive 2.0 takes TIGGO PHEV across Sabah
CHERY Borneo Drive 2.0 saw TIGGO PHEV models travel over 734 km from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau over three days from 29 to 31 July 2026. The journey through Kundasang, Sandakan and Lahad Datu highlighted the plug-in hybrid technology's capabilities in various road conditions. Participants also visited the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and attended technology talks in several towns.
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Three men remanded over Ranau assault and drug find
Three local men aged 22 to 27 were remanded for four days by the Ranau Magistrate's Court over an alleged assault and criminal intimidation at a parking area near Kiaburi Plaza on Sept 4. Police also seized a packet of suspected syabu during the investigation and opened a separate probe under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
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Kundasang golf club eyes homegrown talent after 90-player Merdeka meet
The Kundasang Highland Golf and Recreation Club held its Kundasang Merdeka Golf Tournament 2026 at Mount Kinabalu Golf Club in Kundasang, Ranau, drawing 90 golfers on Sept 2 and 3. Club president Suhilin Hadi said the event is a platform to nurture local golfers who could one day represent Kundasang nationally and internationally. Junairy Doupin won the gross title, Hasidi Suning topped the nett category and Azuan Asrin took the beginner category.