Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s arts and creative industry players have been urged to tap into the more than RM130 million allocation under Budget 2027 to strengthen the local film, music and creative content sectors.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the Federal Government allocation presented opportunities for local players to produce quality works, improve professionalism and reach wider markets.
He said this when receiving a courtesy visit from a delegation of the Sabah Creative Associations Federation (Kreatif Sabah), led by its chairman Chester Pang, at his office in Menara Kinabalu recently, adding that he hoped the Sabah Budget 2027, scheduled to be tabled in November, would also prioritise the state’s arts and creative industry.
During the nearly two-hour meeting, Kreatif Sabah presented its role, activities and direction, as well as two proposals for the establishment of the Kota Kinabalu Creative Hub (KKCity C-Hub) and Kota Kinabalu City Orchestra (OBKK), which were discussed alongside the potential development of Sabah’s creative industry.
Kreatif Sabah, which brings together 11 arts and creative associations in the state, could serve as a platform to identify industry needs, coordinate development proposals and connect the creative community with the Government, while supporting the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 Development Plan (SMJ 2.0), creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for local talent and strengthening the sector’s contribution to Sabah’s economy.
