Once Remote, Pulau Banggi Now Thrives With Roads, Internet And New Facilities

By Arthur Edward

KUDAT, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- Rapid development has boosted the economy of Pulau Banggi, Malaysia’s largest island located about 70 kilometres from Kudat on the mainland, accessible only by ferry or speedboat.

A recent Bernama check found that what was once a forested area with no basic amenities has undergone a comprehensive transformation since Sabah became part of Malaysia.

Infrastructure such as paved roads, internet access in most areas, as well as improved electricity and water supply have made daily life on the island easier and more harmonious.

Razif Sarabi, 40, from the Development Unit of the Banggi Sub-District Office, said official data shows that the island is home to about 15,000 residents whose main economic activities include fishing, oil palm and rubber.

“The majority of residents here are from the Ubian, Dusun Banggi, Kegayan, Suluk and Bajau communities. The island covers an area of 126,570 acres and, being the northernmost part of Sabah, was officially declared a district in 1975,” he told Bernama.

Razif added that the island now has 46 villages and 15 schools, including a secondary school serving the local population.

Having served on the island for 17 years, he recalled that when he first started, there were no paved roads, and residents faced major challenges in getting around.

“At that time, there was no clean water supply and no electricity. These issues meant the quality of life was stagnant, with more than 70 per cent of residents categorised as poor,” he said.

However, he noted that year by year, things have improved with more basic infrastructure in place, even if still not entirely sufficient.

In the early 2000s, he said, roads were not paved and were impassable during the rainy season, making it difficult for residents to transport agricultural produce for sale elsewhere.

“Internet was also a challenge — people used to climb trees or hills to get a signal. Now we can access the internet easily from home. There are about 15 kilometres of paved roads from Karakit to nearby villages,” he said.

He added that new facilities have also been built for residents, including a jetty and fish market in Karakit completed this year, both of which are vital for the local community.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, during his visit to the island on Aug 10, said the National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) has the potential to become a catalyst for digital economic development on Pulau Banggi.

He said the initiative provides high-speed internet facilities that will help curb rural-to-urban migration and improve the quality of life for the local community.

“NADI plays a crucial role in bringing Sabah into the digital era by providing internet access, digital skills training and information access to rural communities that have long been left behind in mainstream development,” he said.

 Fahmi said the Starlink technology deployed at NADI Pulau Banggi delivers high-speed internet of up to 100 Mbps, opening new opportunities for locals to participate in the digital economy.

“With this facility, young people in Pulau Banggi no longer need to migrate to Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur, as they can harness digital expertise to generate income from their hometown,” he said.

Fahmi also announced that the Pulau Banggi NADI initiative, part of the NADI Malaysia Digital Inclusion Project, was named the winner of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 in the Capacity Building category.

This international recognition, he said, affirms the government’s commitment to ensuring no community is left behind in the nation’s digitalisation drive, in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya policy.

--BERNAMA