KOTA KINABALU: 2 September 2026 — Parliamentarian Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan received a courtesy call from United States Chargé d’Affaires to Malaysia, David Gamble, at the Sheraton Kota Kinabalu.
The meeting was held in conjunction with Freedom 250 Sabah, a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of American independence and commemorating the close ties between the United States and Sabah in the fields of education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
Dr Jeffrey, a Harvard University graduate, offered to serve as a facilitator to advance bilateral relations and encourage US participation in Sabah’s business, investment, education, and tourism sectors.
He proposed collaboration and assistance in developing a new smart city in Tambunan, integrating modern technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to support sustainable development and enhance the quality of life for local communities.
Dr Jeffrey emphasised that AI should not merely stand for Artificial Intelligence, but also Ancestral Intelligence — the wisdom, knowledge, and values inherited by indigenous communities through generations. He stressed that technological progress must be balanced with ancestral wisdom to ensure development remains sustainable, culturally rooted, and respectful of indigenous identity and rights.
Dr Jeffrey also invited greater US investment in Sabah, particularly in the oil and gas, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and food industries. Cooperation in environmental conservation and the preservation of Sabah’s indigenous cultural heritage was also discussed, alongside initiatives to empower local community economies.
The meeting also welcomed the improved travel advisory issued by the United States for Sabah, which is expected to encourage more American tourists to visit the state, especially destinations along its coastal areas.
Both parties expressed their commitment to building closer and more meaningful relations based on mutual respect, shared opportunities, and strengthening people-to-people ties.
