By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Nearly 200 leading scientists, engineers and industry leaders from 13 countries have converged here to address the growing challenge of managing composite materials at the end of their lifespan.
Composite materials are widely used to make commercial aircraft lighter, improve the safety of electric vehicle batteries and power everyday microelectronics.
“We aren’t just looking at how to make materials stronger or lighter anymore. We’re asking what happens to them 20 years down the line,” said organising chairperson Dr Fethma M Nor during the 14th Asian-Australasian Conference on Composite Materials (ACCM 2026) at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).
“Bringing this level of international expertise together in Sabah allows us to move beyond theory and focus on real-world applications, ensuring the next generation of cars, aircraft and power grids leaves a much smaller environmental footprint,” she said.
The four-day conference, jointly hosted by Curtin University Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Brunei, focuses on advancing bio-based, recyclable and longer-lasting composite materials.
Sabah Convention Bureau chief executive officer Noredah Othman said ACCM 2026 showed that Sabah was more than an eco-tourism destination.
“It is an absolute privilege to welcome such brilliant minds from across the globe to Kota Kinabalu.
“Events like ACCM 2026 demonstrate that Sabah is also a centre for world-class innovation. When international experts gather here to solve global challenges, they inspire our scientific community and create a lasting legacy for Sabah,” she said.
International delegates made up 93 per cent of the participants, with attendees from South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and other countries. Their presence also generated economic benefits for the local tourism industry.
Besides attending the conference, delegates visited Mari Mari Cultural Village and toured landmarks including the Tun Mustapha Tower and Kota Kinabalu City Mosque.
Many also extended their stay to visit Mamutik and Sapi islands, Kinabalu Park, Poring Hot Springs, and joined river cruises to see proboscis monkeys and fireflies, benefiting local tour operators.
During the conference, Prof Mariatti was named the incoming President of the Asian-Australasian Association for Composite Materials (AACM) for the 2028-2030 term.
The next ACCM conference will be held on Jeju Island, South Korea, in 2028.
Prof Mariati (centre), with the international delegates.
Noredah Othman said ACCM 2026 showed that Sabah was more than an eco-tourism destination.
