KOTA KINABALU: August 4, 2026 – ADTEC JTM Kampus Kota Kinabalu have been crowned champions of the Sabah state-level Young Heroes 2026 competition, beating nine other teams in a creative economy enterprise pitch held on 2 August.
Two teams from Keningau Vocational College (KV Keningau) also achieved notable success, securing the runner-up and third-place positions.
The team Ritmakata claimed the runner-up spot with a digital platform concept aimed at helping young people develop rap talents into a creative business venture. During their presentation, they performed a rap to demonstrate the enterprise’s potential. The team comprised Muhammad Fadzrul Mohammad Puad, Safirza Madinah Joise Duan and Marie Rose Barry, mentored by English language teacher Nurazilah Othman.
The Beauty Hackers team took third place with their special effects (SFX) makeup business idea. They impressed the judges with a live demonstration, transforming models into popular fictional characters Pennywise and Medusa to prove the marketability of their skills. The team consisted of Aivrillona Alix, Darlene Dee Denial, Esty Sylvie Toos and Raihanah Shauqina Roselan, guided by Cosmetology course instructor Vienny Balakrishnan.
The competition, organised by the Sabah State Youth and Sports Department, was held after a three-day intensive training camp at the Putatan Youth and Sports Complex. It was officially opened by National Youth and Sports Department Director-General Azura Abidin, who also presented the prizes to the winners.
Other participants included Almacrest International College, Geomatika College Keningau, and another KV Keningau team that pitched ideas in edible arts. The programme also received support from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC), and the Sabah Film and Visual Association (SAFVA), who acted as mentors.
KV Keningau Director Lumang anak Lang expressed pride in the achievements of both his teams. He said their success proved that students were not only dedicated to competing with their ideas, but were also using their talents and creativity to develop enterprises with the potential to empower the local economy through Malaysia’s rapidly growing creative industry.
