TONGOD: The Sabah State Library’s Community Outreach Programme should be expanded to more districts across the State to ensure that the benefits of knowledge, reading and technology can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, regardless of their background or where they live.
Sabah Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk James Ratib said the initiative not only strengthens the reading culture and improves literacy but also helps bridge the gap in access to knowledge and technology, especially in rural areas.
His speech was delivered by his Political Secretary, Justinus Jalang, during the prize presentation ceremony for the Sabah State Library Community Outreach Programme in Tongod recently.
James said libraries today were no longer just places to store reading materials. Instead, they had evolved into centres for learning, community development and knowledge-sharing that bring services closer to the people.
“Programmes like this provide more opportunities for the community to gain knowledge, explore new technology and promote lifelong learning,” he said.
He said the Sabah Government would continue to support efforts to strengthen the reading culture, improve literacy and expand access to knowledge and technology through various initiatives carried out by the Sabah State Library.
He added that this commitment also included providing facilities and digital resources that could be accessed by people throughout the State, regardless of where they lived.
Meanwhile, James said the public should continue improving their knowledge, skills and competitiveness to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing digital era.
He encouraged the public to make full use of the facilities and services provided by the Sabah State Library, both physical and digital, as a source of lifelong learning.
James also expressed pride in the strong response from the Tongod community to the programme, which featured activities such as reading competitions, traditional games, an Info Hunt, digital information exhibitions, science programmes and various community activities.
According to him, the active participation showed the community’s strong spirit of learning, unity and cooperation.
James also expressed his appreciation to all government agencies, strategic partners, community leaders, volunteers and Sabah State Library staff for making the programme a success.
He congratulated all competition participants for their sportsmanship, creativity and commitment throughout the programme, adding that the experience, teamwork and friendships built were more meaningful than winning alone.
The ceremony also saw prizes presented to winners of the various competitions held during the 2026 Sabah State Library Community Outreach Programme in Tongod.
Also present were Sabah State Library Director George Yih Ching Yaw, Tongod District Community Development Officer Tokyo Hashim, and Sabah Digital Technology and Innovation Department Director Ernywati Dewi Abas.
