Crime & Safety news in Mount Kinabalu Sabah
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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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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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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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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.
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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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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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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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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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BMW seized in Tuaran over expired licence and road tax
A BMW was seized at Jalan Lintas-Inanam in Tuaran during a JPJ Sabah patrol on Tuesday after the driver was found without a valid Competent Driving Licence and the vehicle's Motor Vehicle Licence had expired. The car was taken to the Telipok Enforcement Station, and summonses were issued to both the driver and the owner.
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Cat rescued from flat roof by civil defence team in Tuaran
A cat that fell from a fifth-floor flat at Taman Sri Rugading in Tuaran was rescued by the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM). The team received an emergency call at 9.26am and successfully removed the 1.5kg cat from a zinc roof on the fourth floor without serious injury. The operation was completed at 10.57am and the cat was returned to its owner.
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Sabah Parks to probe Croatian climber's permitless Mount Kinabalu entry
Sabah Parks will investigate how a Croatian tourist entered the Mount Kinabalu area without a permit via an unofficial village route. The investigation follows a search and rescue operation for the injured 46-year-old climber, Mauro Persic, who was located alive but had yet to be brought out safely.
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Woman fined RM100 for failing to explain RM1,029 scam-linked deposit
A 22-year-old woman was fined RM100 by the Magistrate's Court in Ranau, Sabah, after being found with RM1,029 in her bank account that was believed to be proceeds from a scam. The money was traced to a 16-year-old complainant who paid it for a motorcycle advertised on TikTok but never received. The woman, Nurullisa binti Kasman, failed to provide a reasonable explanation for the funds.
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Three sentenced in Kota Kinabalu court for cable theft, gambling, entering vehicle
A 47-year-old man was fined and jailed by the Magistrate's Court in Kota Kinabalu for possessing stolen copper cables. In separate cases, a woman was fined for online gambling and a man was fined for entering a vehicle without a satisfactory reason.
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Ranau driver fined RM5,500 for careless driving that injured motorcyclist
A 58-year-old driver was fined RM5,500 by the Magistrate's Court in Ranau after pleading guilty to careless driving. The incident occurred on May 2, 2026, along the Ranau-Telupid road when the driver turned into the path of a motorcycle, injuring its 17-year-old rider.
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Stolen Proton Saga found after UMS student house break-in
A Proton Saga stolen during a break-in at a house occupied by female Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) students in Kota Kinabalu was recovered hours later at a waste disposal area in Kingfisher. Two laptops and keys were also stolen. Police confirmed the students were safe and no arrests have been made.
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Missing Croatian climber on Mount Kinabalu found alive after two-day search
A 46-year-old Croatian climber, Mauro Persic, who went missing on Mount Kinabalu was found alive on Monday after a two-day search and rescue operation. He had sustained several injuries, including a swollen heel, suspected rib fractures, and a deep calf wound. Rescuers from the Ranau Fire and Rescue Station and the STORM team coordinated with Sabah Parks to locate him after he had used an unmanaged village trail.
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Ministers to study housing affected Numbak fire students in school hostels
Ministers Datuk Mustapha Sakmud and Fadhlina Sidek will consider a proposal to house students displaced by the Kampung Numbak fire in school hostels. The fire on Aug 30 destroyed about 200 stilt houses and killed three children. Affected students will receive RM300 each from a government fund.
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Man, 23, found dead at house in Kota Belud; police classify as sudden death
A 23-year-old man was found dead at a house in Kota Belud today. Police received a report at 4.20pm and the man was pronounced dead by a medical officer at Kota Belud Hospital. Initial investigations found no criminal element and the case is classified as sudden death.
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Ranau futsal tournament aims to steer youth away from drugs
An anti-drug futsal championship was held in Ranau, Sabah, on Sept 5 to engage youth in positive activities. Sixteen local teams competed in the event, which was organized by the Ranau Anti-Drug Squad with several partner groups. The initiative highlights sports as a tool for drug prevention and youth development.
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Three arrested after brawl in Kota Belud caught on video
Police in Kota Belud arrested three men on Tuesday in connection with a public brawl that was filmed and shared on social media. The incident occurred in front of a grocery store, and police are still looking for three other suspects. The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting.
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Fire destroys two homes in Kampung Mangkadait, Ranau, leaves families homeless
A fire in Kampung Mangkadait, Ranau, destroyed two houses and belongings on Wednesday afternoon, leaving two families homeless. The Fire and Rescue Department received the call at 2.45pm and dispatched a team, but villagers had mostly extinguished the blaze with tap water before they arrived.