SANDAKAN: In a decisive move to re-energise the city’s core, the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) has launched a two-pronged strategy designed to modernise the urban landscape while injecting fresh vitality into the local economy.
The initiatives—a sweeping policy to digitise signage and the introduction of a weekly car-boot night bazaar—signal a concerted effort to restore Sandakan’s former lustre as the “Little Hong Kong” of Sabah.
MPS President Datuk Walter Kenson announced that MPS has approved a forward-looking policy encouraging businesses to replace conventional signboards with illuminated alternatives, including LED, lightbox, neon, and 3D billboards. In a bid to accelerate adoption, the council has waived all previous installation and conversion fees, with the initiative taking immediate effect and carrying no expiry date.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the new guidelines is the removal of size restrictions. Premises are now permitted to utilise entire building facades for LED displays, provided they secure technical approval and submit engineering drawings for safety verification.
“Our goal is to collaborate with the business community to bring back the vibrant, neon-lit energy that once defined Sandakan,” said Walter following a licensing committee meeting earlier this week.
The council is targeting a minimum of two illuminated signboards per building block, extending the campaign beyond retail outlets to include private offices, government buildings, hotels, and tourism hubs stretching as far as Sepilok.
Complementing the aesthetic overhaul is a push to activate the city’s night-time economy. Walter officially launched the Car Boot Sale Night Market on August 15 at Sandakan Harbour Square.
Organised by the Sandakan Documentary and Film Association, the weekly event is slated to run every Saturday from 4:00 PM to midnight, starting September 5, 2026. The market will feature 20 lots, offering local entrepreneurs and young creatives a low-barrier entry into retail.
“This programme provides a more relaxed, creative, and flexible business model,” Walter explained. “It allows youths to generate extra income by simply using their existing vehicles to sell goods—reimagining what a market can be.”
Describing the car-boot sale as a “new experiment,” Walter expressed hope that it would drive foot traffic to the city centre year-round, rather than only during festive seasons, attracting visitors and tourists from outside the district.
The launch event was attended by key figures, including Persatuan Dokumentari and Filem Sandakan chairman Datuk Md Afendi Hamdan, Walter’s wife Datin Ivy Wong, Immigration Chief Tajul Aripin Mohammed Mokhtar and other officials.
Walter extended an open invitation to shop owners and the public to further discuss the city’s economic trajectory at the MPS Town Hall Programme, scheduled for August 27 at 8.00 am at the Sandakan Community Hall.
As Sandakan looks to reclaim its historical identity, these dual initiatives mark a significant step toward a brighter, busier, and more dynamic future. – James Leong
‘Our goal is to collaborate with the business community to bring back the vibrant, neon-lit energy that once defined Sandakan’ – Walter
