Kota Kinabalu: Possible sabotage linked to scavengers is not ruled out in recent fire incidents at the Kayu Madang landfill in Telipok.
Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah said the presence of scavengers in the area, who target materials such as copper and metal from burnt waste, could be a contributing factor, alongside dry weather conditions and highly flammable materials.
“City Hall is now working with relevant stakeholders and reviewing proposals from several companies to improve waste management at the landfill and prevent future occurrences,” he told reporters at the Mayor’s Innovation Awards 2025 presentation ceremony at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC). It drew 39 entries, including nine from City Hall (DBKK).
The Awards aim to cultivate a culture of innovation among students, individuals and organisations, encouraging efforts to improve work processes, enhance efficiency and adopt more systematic, data-driven approaches.
“For DBKK, innovation is crucial to ensure our services do not remain outdated, especially in areas that still rely on manual processes.
“However, cost-effective solutions remain a priority while the city is moving towards adopting technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI),” he said.
Sabin noted that large-scale initiatives, such as smart city projects, often require joint ventures and support from agencies, including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as well as state, federal and private sector partners.
On public complaints about illegal roadside dumping, he said DBKK relies on both scheduled waste collection and public reports, noting that dumping often occurs at night, complicating enforcement and clean-up efforts.
He stressed that maintaining a strong culture of innovation is key to improving both organisational performance and public service delivery.
First place in the invention category was awarded to i-Wass from the Civil Engineering Department of Politeknik Kota Kinabalu, while Tourism Artz Crew from Kota Kinabalu City Hall’s Department of Tourism and Community Wellbeing emerged as the top winner in their respective category.
