Mohd Lan Muslim is new Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre CEO

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 2): The Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (Scenic) has appointed Mohd Lan Muslim as its new chief executive officer (CEO), marking a consolidation phase in strengthening Sabah’s creative economy and innovation landscape.

With over 20 years of experience in the financial and public sectors, he noted that while Scenic has been actively supporting Sabah’s creative economy since 2020, the ecosystem remains at an early stage compared to more mature creative economies, presenting strong opportunities for structured growth.

Mohd Lan said his immediate priority is to position Scenic as a practical enabler of the creative
economy and innovation agenda, fully aligned with the mandate of the Ministry of Education,
Science, Technology and Innovation Sabah.

He highlighted the first Creative Economy Summit in Sabah, held last April, as a key milestone which brought together industry players, government agencies, and educational institutions to strengthen collaboration and showcase Sabah’s creative potential.

“By organising the ecosystem properly from the outset, creativity and innovation can translate into real economic participation involving a wider audience,” he said.

Following the conclusion of Scenic’s five-year plan from 2020 to 2025, Mohd Lan said the organisation will now focus on sharpening execution and delivery on the ground, while shaping a longer-term strategic direction for the next decade.

He said priority will be given to initiatives that generate work opportunities, income, and enterprise development.

At the national level, he noted that Malaysia’s creative industry is increasingly industry-led and market-driven, with greater emphasis on Intellectual Property (IP) ownership, enterprise growth and professionalisation.

Scenic will continue to be a platform connecting creative industry players, chambers of commerce, educational institutions, and partners at the state, federal and international levels, he said.

Particular attention will be given to youth, early-career creatives, freelancers, small operators, and communities outside urban centres.

“My aspiration is to see the creative economy, together with innovation and technology, recognised as a meaningful pillar of Sabah’s economic landscape,” he added.

Mohd Lan previously served as the state director of the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) Sabah and Labuan, an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department, which is now under the Ministry of Economy.