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Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sabah's business events industry scores big at national awards
Sabah's business events industry representatives celebrating their wins at the Malaysia Business Events Awards (MBEA) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. KOTA KINABALU (Aug 8): Sabah's standing in Malaysia's business events industry received a major boost after the state's top venues, the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) and Sutera Harbour, picked up multiple honours at the Malaysia Business Events Awards (MBEA) 2025. The ceremony, officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre last night. The awards, organised by the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS), recognise excellence and innovation across the country's business events sector. SICC emerged a double winner, taking the Congress/Conference Excellence Award for BE in Sabah 2025 in the 1,001 delegates and above category, and the Consumer Exhibition Excellence Award for Big Sabah Sale 2024 in the 5,001-10,000 square metres category. The waterfront venue also earned a Merit Award in the Purpose Built Convention & Exhibition Centre Excellence category. 'At Sabah International Convention Centre, we believe in the power of storytelling, not just through events, but through the journey of building something meaningful for our industry and our community,' said SICC Chief Executive Officer Datuk Hajah Dr. Rosmawati Haji Lasuki J.P. 'Participating in MBEA was a natural step for us to reflect on how far we've come and to celebrate the resilience, innovation, and passion that have shaped our path. Even as a relatively young venue in East Malaysia, bold ideas, strong collaboration, and a clear purpose can make a lasting impact in the national and international business events landscape,' she added. Sutera Harbour, meanwhile, was recognised with a Merit Award in the Hotel with Meeting Facilities Excellence category for its contributions to Malaysia's MICE sector. The integrated resort, which spans 384 acres and includes The Magellan Sutera, The Pacific Sutera and Sutera Harbour Marina & Country Club, offers over 950 rooms, two grand ballrooms, a convention centre and 29 flexible meeting spaces. 'This award is not only a source of pride, but also a reflection of our unwavering commitment to service excellence and innovation,' said Sutera Harbour Group deputy chief executive officer Gerry D'Cruz. 'The launch of our Rafflesia Function Hall at The Magellan Sutera reflects our drive to position Sabah as a premier MICE destination with uniquely local experiences.' Both venues have played host to major conferences, exhibitions, and corporate gatherings, with events ranging from the World Tourism Conference to ASEAN leadership dialogues. The wins come as Sabah positions itself under the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign and the Sabah Maju Jaya development blueprint to attract more high-profile business events and strengthen its reputation in the Asia Pacific region.
Daily Express
01-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Confidence in Sabah as biz, convention tourism hub
Published on: Friday, August 01, 2025 Published on: Fri, Aug 01, 2025 Text Size: Liew (centre) with Dr Rosmawati (right) and SICC Assistant Director of Corporate Communications, Clara Lim (left) displaying their promotional material. Kota Kinabalu: Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Christina Liew is confident that Sabah will fully unleash its potential as a leading destination for Business Events (BE) or Meeting, Incentive, Convention & Exhibition (MICE) tourism. She said going by the relentless efforts made by the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Sabah is on the right track towards reaching this milestone in the not too distant future. 'We (Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment) fully support the SICC-organised Bigsabah Sale 2025 from October 31 to November 2, given its role in driving domestic tourism, empowering local entrepreneurs, and elevating Sabah's profile in the regional economic landscape. 'I understand that the event will feature 500 booths, up from 300 in 2024, and is expected to attract 50,000 visitors,' Liew said after a courtesy call by the Chief Executive Officer of SICC, Datuk Dr Hajah Rosmawati Haji Lasuki on Tuesday. The Minister also noted that Sabah through the SICC is strengthening regional ties ahead of the event with expanded international participation. In her briefing, Dr Rosmawati, who is the Event Organising Chairman, stressed that Bigsabah Sale 2025 aims to further strengthen Sabah's positioning as the gateway to East Asean and the Asia Pacific region. Towards this end, for the first time, a curated B2B component will also be introduced for participants to create meaningful trade connections and unlock regional opportunities, she said. 'Which is why we are focusing on the 80 million population of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area) region. Sabah can serve as a platform for these countries and other regions to promote their products and services. 'In this respect, we are stimulating growing international interest by extending invitations to other countries, including China, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan, to take part in this year's event. 'We are pleased to confirm that Thailand is committed to participating with 20 booths,' the Organising Chairman said, while enlightening the Minister on the momentum gained from her recent promotional visits to Brunei and Indonesia, along with outreach efforts across Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur, to build regional participation and connect businesses to Sabah's growing marketplace. To be spread across two themed zones, Gourmet & Home Living and Decor (Level 2) and Fashion & Lifestyle (Level 4), Bigsabah Sale 2025 promises an immersive showcase of culture, commerce, cuisine, fashion, and collaboration, Dr Rosmawati added. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
31-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sabah poised to become leading MICE tourism hub
Liew (centre) with Dr Rosmawati (right) and SICC Assistant Director of Corporate Communications, Clara Lim (left) displaying their promotional material. KOTA KINABALU (July 31): Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew is confident that Sabah will fully unleash its potential as a leading destination for Business Events (BE) or Meeting, Incentive, Convention & Exhibition (MICE) tourism. She said going by the relentless efforts made by the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Sabah is on the right track towards reaching this milestone in the not too distant future. 'We (Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment) fully support the SICC-organised BIGSABAH Sale 2025 from October 31 to November 2, given its role in driving domestic tourism, empowering local entrepreneurs, and elevating Sabah's profile in the regional economic landscape. 'I understand that the event will feature 500 booths, up from 300 in 2024, and is expected to attract 50,000 visitors,' Liew said after a courtesy call by the Chief Executive Officer of SICC, Datuk Dr Hajah Rosmawati Haji Lasuki on Tuesday. The minister also noted that Sabah through the SICC is strengthening regional ties ahead of the event with expanded international participation. In her briefing, Dr Rosmawati, who is the event organising chairman, stressed that BIGSABAH Sale 2025 aims to further strengthen Sabah's positioning as the gateway to East ASEAN and the Asia Pacific region. Towards this end, for the first time, a curated B2B component will also be introduced for participants to create meaningful trade connections and unlock regional opportunities, she said. 'Which is why we are focusing on the 80 million population of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area) region. Sabah can serve as a platform for these countries and other regions to promote their products and services. 'In this respect, we are stimulating growing international interest by extending invitations to other countries, including China, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan, to take part in this year's event. 'We are pleased to confirm that Thailand is committed to participating with 20 booths,' the organising chairman said, while enlightening the minister on the momentum gained from her recent promotional visits to Brunei and Indonesia, along with outreach efforts across Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, to build regional participation and connect businesses to Sabah's growing marketplace. To be spread across two themed zones, Gourmet & Home Living and Decor (Level 2) and Fashion & Lifestyle (Level 4), BIGSABAH Sale 2025 promises an immersive showcase of culture, commerce, cuisine, fashion, and collaboration, Dr Rosmawati added.
The Star
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sabah on right track to be leading regional MICE destination, says Liew
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is on the right track to become a leading destination for the Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention & Exhibition (MICE) industry following aggressive measures undertaken by the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), says Datuk Seri Christina Liew ( pic ). The state Tourism, Culture and Environment said her ministry fully supported SICC organised events that helped drive domestic tourism, empower local entrepreneurs and elevate Sabah's profile in the regional economic landscape. She said this after being briefed by SICC chief executive officer Datuk Dr Rosmawati Lasuki on the SICC's BIGSABAH Sale 2025 event being held from Oct 31-Nov 2, this year. Liew said that Sabah through SICC is strengthening regional ties ahead of the event with expanded international participation. "I understand that the event will feature 500 booths, up from 300 in 2024, and is expected to attract 50,000 visitors," Liew said Liew observed that the BIGSABAH Sale 2025 aims to further strengthen Sabah's positioning as the gateway to East Asean and the Asia Pacific region. Towards this end, for the first time, a business-to-business (B2B) component will also be introduced for participants to create meaningful trade connections and unlock regional opportunities, she added. Rosmawati said the focus was on the 80 million population of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area) region. "Sabah can serve as a platform for these countries and other regions to promote their products and services. "In this respect, we are stimulating growing international interest by extending invitations to other countries, including China, Singapore, and Taiwan, to take part in this year's event. "Thailand has confirmed participation with 20 booths," she said. Rosmawati said they conducted promotional visits to Brunei and Indonesia, along with outreach efforts across Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur, to build regional participation and connect businesses to Sabah's growing marketplace. The BIGSABAH Sale will be themed under Gourmet & Home Living and Decor as well as Fashion & Lifestyle (Level 4), which will showcase culture, commerce, cuisine, fashion, and collaboration, Rosmawati added.
Borneo Post
11-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sabah set to shine as global business events hub in 2026
Liew (left) being briefed by Dr Rosmawati (right). KOTA KINABALU (June 11): Sabah will enter the next phase of its journey as a regional business events (BE) hub next year. Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) chief executive officer Datuk Dr Hajah Rosmawati Lasuki said the third edition of BE in Sabah is scheduled to take place from Feb 4-5 next year under the new theme 'Global Collaboration Through Business Events'. It is jointly organised by SICC and MACEOS Sabah Chapter. 'The 2026 edition will mark a turning point, not just a forum but a full-scale live demonstration of the strength and potential of global business events. 'BE in Sabah 2026 will bring together decision makers, organisers and associations from around the world, not just to connect but to experience the global business events ecosystem in motion,' Dr Rosmawati said when briefing Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Christina Liew on Monday. Sabah, which delivers a seamless, professional experience through a trusted supply chain, world class venues, efficient logistics and rich cultural heritage, is where the world meets and where business events move forward together, she added. Liew said the continued support from her ministry (KePKAS), together with international bodies such as International Congress and Convention Association and local agencies, including the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers, has played a pivotal role in elevating BE in Sabah into a respectable regional forum from the time it was first introduced in 2024 to raise greater awareness among local BE players. 'More importantly, aggressive international marketing efforts by Dr Rosmawati and her team have significantly raised the visibility of Sabah on the global business events map. Sabah's participation in the ICCA Congress 2024 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has borne fruit,' she said. Dr Rosmawati expressed her appreciation for unwavering support from KePKAS and the Chief Minister's Office. 'From high-level dialogues to impactful connections, BE in Sabah is now drawing attention as a serious platform for international business collaboration,' she said. Briefing the minister, she said 161 international delegates representing 29 countries attended this year's edition of BE in Sabah, themed 'Empowering Asia Pacific Through Business Events'. The two-day forum highlighted global insights, sustainability, and strategic partnerships. 'The event also delivered tangible economic returns for Sabah. Direct delegate expenditure was recorded at RM899,364, a significant increase from RM588,800 in 2024. 'Similarly, the total economic impact soared from RM1.38 million in 2024 to RM2.1 million in 2025. This reflects a growing confidence and participation in Sabah's business events landscape. 'Tax revenue also increased from RM35,328 in 2024 to RM53,961 this year, while the number of jobs supported rose from 100 to 120. This indicates broader economic stimulation across the tourism, hospitality, and service sectors,' Dr Rosmawati shared. Also present were the ministry's Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai, SICC Director of Finance Catherina Wee, Assistant Director of Corporate Communications Clara Lim, and Assistant Manager of Corporate Communications Rachel Hee.
