TAMBUNAN: July 27, 2026 – Nearly 500 people have already registered for a large-scale free agriculture course to be held in Tambunan district this September, as part of efforts to boost the rural economy and strengthen the agricultural sector.
The course, organised by the Sawit Kinabalu Group in collaboration with several agencies including the Malaysian Pepper Board, will teach participants high-value crop cultivation methods including oil palm, pineapple, durian and black pepper.
Deputy chairman of the Sawit Kinabalu and Borneo Samudera Group, Datuk Victor P. Paut said the programme is fully sponsored by his company and open to all residents of Tambunan at no cost.
“We expect the number of participants to grow further as we approach September,” he told reporters after officiating a community clean-up event in Kampung Sunsuron on Saturday.
Victor said the course is part of a long-term strategy to establish Tambunan as one of Sabah’s main agricultural hubs.
He expressed hope that the knowledge gained would help increase farming productivity and create more economic opportunities for local communities.
The group will continue rolling out community development initiatives across villages in Tambunan through various beneficial programmes, he added.
“We want more residents to join this course. The more people who take part, the greater the benefit to the community, and the easier it will be for us to develop the agricultural sector in this district,” he said.
Separately, Mr Victor said the Sawit Kinabalu Group also sponsored the community clean-up event, which involved about 400 residents and received a total allocation of RM15,000.
The funding covered the use of excavators to clear overgrown areas, equipment for the clean-up and food for volunteers.
Eight government agencies took part in the initiative, including the Tambunan District Office, the General Operations Force, the Tambunan District People’s Volunteer Corps, Tambunan Community College, the 507th Territorial Army Regiment, Tambunan Fire and Rescue Station, neighbourhood watch committees and Sunsuron Health Clinic.
Victor said the programme would be extended to other villages as part of efforts to create a cleaner and more conducive living environment.
“The Sawit Kinabalu Group will continue to play a role in helping the community through CSR programmes, as most of the social programmes in Tambunan receive support from this body,” he said.
At the same event, Mr Victor announced an allocation of RM5,000 to Kampung Sunsuron for the construction of a traditional community hall, which would help strengthen native customary laws in the area.
