Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is moving towards smarter and more resilient municipalities as the State seeks to transform local authorities into dynamic engines of progress.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said the approach included modernising municipal administration through digital public services to make council services faster, more transparent and accessible.
“Sustainable waste and energy management would also be strengthened through the adoption of green technologies in urban waste handling and local infrastructure to help keep towns clean and resilient,” he said.
His speech was delivered by Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Maijol Mahap during the opening of the Borneo Architecture Festival (BAF) 2026 on Friday.
Arifin said urban planning would focus on creating more liveable spaces that balance economic activity with green and recreational areas for communities. On housing, he said the State’s strategy would centre on affordability, community integration and urban renewal to ensure young families and low-income households could secure quality homes.
He said housing development should go beyond providing buildings by creating neighbourhoods with modern amenities, access to transport and safe communal spaces. Urban renewal would also focus on revitalising ageing township areas while preserving the unique architectural and cultural identity of local districts.
Arifin said a truly inclusive society must ensure no family was left behind, with shelter remaining a fundamental pillar of human dignity.
He also emphasised the importance of grassroots participation, saying top-down governance alone was no longer sufficient for a dynamic Sabah.
He said the ministry was therefore deepening partnerships between local councils, resident associations and local business leaders so communities could have greater ownership of their surroundings.
“When our local councils listen continuously and act decisively, public trust becomes the cornerstone of State progress,” he said.
Arifin said the BAF 2026 theme, “Transcendence”, represented a call to move beyond standard expectations, historical constraints and conventional approaches to how Sabah lived, built and developed.
He said the theme was aligned with the Sabah Maju Jaya vision of creating a united, peaceful and prosperous State through resource optimisation, economic revitalisation and human capital development.
He said Sabah’s development aspirations were also aligned with Malaysia’s national development frameworks, including Malaysia Madani and the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.
“Transcendence should ultimately be viewed as a daily commitment to excellence and a responsibility to consider the legacy that present development would leave for future generations,” he said.
