Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s arts and creative industry practitioners have been urged to take advantage of the more than RM130 million allocated under Budget 2027 to strengthen the state’s film, music and creative content sectors.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the Federal Government allocation presented opportunities for local practitioners to produce quality works, enhance professionalism and reach wider markets.
He said this when receiving a courtesy visit from a delegation of the Sabah Creative Associations Coalition (Kreatif Sabah), led by its Chairman Chester Pang, at his office in Menara Kinabalu recently.
Joniston also expressed hope that the Sabah State Budget 2027, scheduled to be tabled in November, would give due attention to the development of the state’s arts and creative industry.
During the nearly two-hour meeting, Kreatif Sabah presented its role, activities and direction, along with two proposal papers on the establishment of the Kota Kinabalu City Creative Hub (KKCity C-Hub) and the Kota Kinabalu City Orchestra (OBKK).
Both parties discussed the proposals and explored opportunities to further develop Sabah’s arts and creative industry.
Kreatif Sabah, which brings together 11 arts and creative associations in the state, has the potential to serve as a platform for identifying industry needs, coordinating development proposals and connecting the creative community with the Government.
These efforts could also support the aspirations of the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 (SMJ 2.0) Development Plan through more structured development of the creative industry, while creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for local talent.
Kreatif Sabah hopes the visit will lay the foundation for continued cooperation between the Government and industry practitioners to strengthen Sabah’s arts and creative ecosystem and increase its contribution to the state’s economy.
