Sabah China Chamber explores ties with Sabah Institute of Art

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 15): The President of the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce, Datuk Frankie Liew, recently led members of the Chamber’s Council on a courtesy visit to the Honorary Advisor, Pro Dato’ Sri Dr. Wilson Yong, JP.

During the meeting, both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on strengthening exchanges and cooperation between Sabah and China in the fields of trade, economy, culture and education.

During the visit, Liew presented an official invitation letter to Yong, inviting him to attend the Third Council Swearing-In Ceremony of the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce on March 16 at Hakka Hall.

Yong expressed his high appreciation for the work carried out by the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce since its establishment.

“Under the leadership of Datuk Frankie Liew, the Chamber’s Council members have worked in unity to build a strong bridge for bilateral trade and economic exchanges. Through the Chamber’s platform, enterprises from both sides are accurately matched, with cooperation projects successfully implemented one after another. These efforts have not only driven local economic growth in Sabah and created employment opportunities, but also promoted cultural exchange and mutual understanding, injecting strong momentum into Sabah–China friendly relations.”

On cooperation in the field of education and culture, Yong also introduced the Sabah Institute of Art, which he founded and which marks its 36th anniversary this year.

The institution is currently at a critical stage of applying for university status. As the plan requires substantial financial, manpower, and institutional support, he expressed hope for broader cooperation with the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce.

The institute offers diploma-level programmes in art and design, music, and related disciplines, and is also an accredited training provider under Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources, providing a solid foundation for diverse forms of collaboration.

During the meeting, Yong also shared his views on higher education development in Sabah. He pointed out that Sabah currently does not have a dedicated higher education management authority, and matters relating to private higher education institutions must be handled in Kuala Lumpur, which causes significant inconvenience.

He emphasised that Malaysia is striving to become a regional centre of excellence for education, with 70,000 to 80,000 Chinese students studying in Malaysia annually, and total applications reaching up to 100,000. However, Sabah receives less than 2% of these students, mainly due to limitations in institutional scale and facilities.

Yong expressed hope that the Chamber could assist in conveying these concerns to the government, advocating improvements to the current situation, or proposing the allocation of land for the development of a university town with integrated academic and student accommodation facilities. He also called for government funding to establish scholarships and financial aid schemes to support underprivileged students in the region.

He stressed that attracting international students not only generates foreign exchange income, but also nurtures talent, and urged the government to pay greater attention to and support the healthy and sustainable development of private higher education institutions.

Yong further noted that amid profound changes in the global economic and trade landscape, cooperation between Sabah and China presents both opportunities and challenges. He expressed hope that the Chamber would continue to leverage its strengths — deepening collaboration in traditional sectors while actively exploring emerging fields such as digital economy, green energy, and modern agriculture.

At the same time, he encouraged the Chamber to further strengthen its service functions by providing comprehensive and professional support to enterprises from both sides, helping them resolve practical challenges and enabling more businesses to benefit.

Yong expressed his confidence that under the leadership of Liew and with the collective efforts of the Council members, the Sabah China Chamber of Commerce will achieve even greater success and make further contributions to the prosperity and development of both Sabah and China.

He also thanked the Council members for their courtesy visit and wished the Chamber continued growth and success, and enduring friendship between Sabah and China.