Media in Sabah: Newspapers, TV & Radio Guide
What does Sabah's media landscape look like?
Sabah has its own distinct media: English dailies led by the Daily Express and Borneo Post, long-running Chinese newspapers, RTM Sabah and TV Okey on television, and a network of RTM regional radio stations broadcasting in English, Malay and indigenous languages.
Sabah's media landscape at a glance
Sabah has a media scene that is distinct from Peninsular Malaysia, shaped by the state's history, its multilingual population, and its geography. English-language journalism is strong here — unusually so for Malaysia — while Chinese-language dailies have documented Sabah life since before the formation of Malaysia. Broadcasting reaches from the city into the interior through one of the densest networks of regional radio stations in the country.
This hub introduces Sabah's newspapers, television and radio, with linked guides that go deeper into the history and the players behind each. Whether you are a resident, a researcher, or a visitor wanting to follow local news, it is a practical map of where Sabahans get their information.
Newspapers in Sabah
Print remains influential in Sabah. The Daily Express, launched on 1 March 1963, is the state's oldest surviving English daily and its paper of record. The Borneo Post, which expanded into Sabah in 1986, covers the whole of East Malaysia. Chinese-language journalism runs even deeper: the Overseas Chinese Daily News dates to 1936, making it the first daily newspaper in Sabah, while the Sandakan Merdeka Daily News is the largest Chinese paper on the east coast.
Television and radio
On screen, Sabahans watch RTM's national channels with Sabah-specific bulletins from the KK bureau, alongside TV Okey, the free-to-air channel dedicated to East Malaysian content since 2018, and the online platform Borneo.TV. On the airwaves, RTM operates a spread of regional stations — Sabah FM, Sabah V FM, and divisional and interior stations — reflecting the state's linguistic diversity and rugged terrain.
Languages of Sabah's media
Few Malaysian states publish and broadcast in as many languages as Sabah. English and Mandarin dominate the daily newspapers; Malay anchors broadcasting; and indigenous languages reach audiences through specific outlets — Utusan Borneo historically printed Kadazan-Dusun sections, and interior radio such as Keningau FM serves Kadazan-Dusun and Murut listeners. This multilingual mix mirrors Sabah's 80-plus ethnic communities.
Explore the media guide
Following Sabah news as a visitor
For visitors and new residents, the English-language dailies are the easiest way into local affairs, with the Daily Express and Borneo Post both publishing online. RTM bulletins and TV Okey give a sense of the cultural calendar, while regional radio is handy on long interior drives.
Bookmark the Daily Express and Borneo Post websites for English coverage, tune to Sabah FM (89.9) around Kota Kinabalu, and check TV Okey listings during festival season for cultural programming you will not find on national channels.