Kota Kinabalu: A RM300 million federal-funded project will transform Kota Kinabalu into a smart city by 2028, strengthening its digital infrastructure, improving urban management and ensuring public safety and efficient service delivery.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the Kota Kinabalu Smart City project, which began on Aug 6, was being implemented through a collaboration between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK).
She said the project, funded by the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund under MCMC, was scheduled for completion in February 2028.
“The project’s scope includes installing 50km of backbone fibre-optic network and 308km of last-mile network, alongside the installation of 822 smart poles and multi-purpose poles.
“It also involves the provision of public Wi-Fi facilities and the development of a Network Operations Command Centre (NOCC), which will serve as a central hub to monitor and coordinate various urban systems.
“Once operational, the NOCC is expected to help DBKK manage city operations and public services more efficiently and effectively,” she said after inspecting the NOCC development site, Sunday.
She said the NOCC, housed in the former Kota Kinabalu Magistrates’ Court building, would give the historic building a new lease of life, with a dedicated data centre being developed next to it to support smart city operations.
The data centre would have a capacity of 120 kilowatts (kW), with an additional 30 kW of reserve capacity, and would be equipped with a backup power supply system to ensure uninterrupted operations.
“Construction of the data centre and renovation works on the NOCC building are expected to be completed within six months, after which DBKK staff will undergo training and acquire knowledge transfer in preparations for operating the system,” she said.
Teo said a total of 1,696 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras would also be installed across DBKK’s administrative area to enable real-time monitoring of traffic, security and emergencies, including facilitating police investigations and crime prevention.
“Installing the CCTV cameras will be part of the smart city features so that DBKK and relevant authorities can collect real-time data, which will help DBKK to make decisions on traffic management, emergency response and urban operations.
“The system will enable DBKK to monitor road conditions, identify traffic congestion and determine the most suitable routes for emergency services, including fire and rescue teams,” she said.
Teo said MCMC would continue working with DBKK and the implementing parties to ensure the digital infrastructure, NOCC and smart city systems were developed according to plan and integrated effectively to meet the needs of Kota Kinabalu’s growing population.
“MCMC will bear the operating costs of the smart city infrastructure for five years after a two-year development period, before handing over the whole facility to DBKK to manage,” she said.
Also present were Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, who is also Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament, and DBKK officials.
Chan described the project as an important step towards transforming Sabah’s State Capital into a more modern, safe and competitive smart city.
He said the digital infrastructure would not only improve urban management but also enhance the safety of residents and tourists, in line with Kota Kinabalu’s growth as a tourism destination.
“This is a good project because repurposing this heritage building will help position Kota Kinabalu among the cities embracing smart city development,” he said.
Chan said integrating information from the CCTV network and other digital systems would enable authorities to make more accurate predictions on traffic conditions, weather and public safety, improving urban planning and management.
He also expressed his appreciation to MCMC for implementing the project, describing it as a major contribution to Kota Kinabalu’s development, particularly in accelerating Sabah’s digital transformation.
