KOTA KINABALU: The 2026 Sabah-level Malaysia Day celebration will feature activities ahead of the main event aimed at giving the public, particularly the younger generation, a greater appreciation of Malaysia’s formation and Sabah’s role in it.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Dr Andi Md Shamsureezal Mohd Sainal said the celebration would place greater emphasis on introducing Malaysia Day to youths as inheritors of the nation’s heritage.
He said the Malaysia Day exhibition organised by the Sabah State Archives from Sept 9 to 11 at Palm Square, Centre Point, would help the public, especially youths, understand and appreciate the significance of the celebration.
“We want this history to be conveyed through approaches that are closer to the younger generation, including through culture, the arts and creative content,” he said during an interview on the Kupi Kruz segment with Kupi Kupi FM, hosted by DJ Velvet, on Thursday.
Andi said the main event on Sept 16 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) would feature performances by local artistes and cultural groups, including dances and presentations showcasing Sabah’s various ethnic groups, as well as an ethnic exhibition.
“A total of 300 students from six higher education institutions in Sabah have also been invited to attend and take part in the Malaysia Day celebration at SICC,” he said, stressing that the programme was not merely about concerts and entertainment, but also about appreciating the history of Malaysia’s formation and Sabah’s role in it.
He said the celebration also provided an opportunity to promote Sabah as a tourism destination while benefiting small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and local sectors such as transportation, accommodation, food and beverage and other services.
Andi urged Sabahans to attend and enliven the Malaysia Day celebration at SICC on Sept 16, expressing hope that Sabahans and Malaysians would continue to live harmoniously, remain united and progress towards a better future.
