MAH SABAH & LABUAN CHAPTER 2026 A Year of Leadership, Collaboration & Hospitality Excellence Led by Chairperson Mr. Suresh M. Ramasamy
From boardrooms to banquet halls, from government engagements to industry gatherings, 2026 has been a year of movement for the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Sabah & Labuan Chapter.
Under the leadership of Chairperson Mr. Suresh M. Ramasamy, the chapter has continued to strengthen its role as a collective voice for Sabah and Labuan's hotel industry, bringing hoteliers together, engaging stakeholders and supporting initiatives that contribute to the wider tourism ecosystem.
The journey began early in the year with preparation for Visit Malaysia 2026, setting the tone for what would become an active and meaningful year for the chapter.
Rather than simply occupying a seat within the tourism industry, MAH Sabah & Labuan has continued to step forward as a partner, advocate and contributor to Sabah's hospitality story.
JANUARY
Setting the Direction for Visit Malaysia 2026
The opening months of 2026 were focused on preparation, coordination and setting the chapter's direction for the year ahead.
With Visit Malaysia 2026 bringing renewed attention to Malaysia's tourism destinations, Sabah's hotel industry found itself at an important juncture. The chapter's leadership worked towards strengthening coordination among members and ensuring that the hospitality sector remained aligned with the state's broader tourism ambitions.
The completion of the chapter's Executive Committee meeting provided an important starting point for the year, establishing priorities and creating a platform for continued engagement throughout 2026.
For Mr. Suresh and the committee, the message was clear: Sabah's hospitality industry must be ready, united and visible.
the MAHTEC "Visit Malaysia Year 2026" training session - at SKY Hotel
FEBRUARY
Hospitality Meets Celebration
February brought MAH Sabah & Labuan into the heart of Sabah's tourism and cultural calendar.
The chapter was honoured to support the Sabah Tourism Awards, a prestigious platform recognising the passion, dedication and service excellence that continue to define Sabah's tourism and hospitality industry.
The month also saw MAH members participating in the State-Level Chinese New Year 2026 Open House, hosted by the Sabah State Government at the Sabah International Convention Centre.
Fifteen member hotels showcased the diversity of Sabahan hospitality through an impressive selection of festive delicacies, bringing the industry's culinary talent directly to thousands of guests.
Among the participating hotels were Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort, Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu, Gaya Centre Hotel, Hilton Kota Kinabalu, ibis Styles Kota Kinabalu, Nexus Resort & Spa Karambunai, Horizon Hotel, Promenade Hotel, Dreamtel Hotel, Sabah Oriental Hotel, Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, Grandis Hotel, The Palace Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort and Howard Johnson by Wyndham.
The participation demonstrated something bigger than food.
It demonstrated the industry's willingness to come together and represent Sabah's distinctive hospitality culture.
February also saw the city centre transformed during Lampoopalooza 2026, held at the Sabah Tourism Board building along Gaya Street. The festival brought light, creativity, music and community energy into the heart of Kota Kinabalu.
For a hospitality industry built around creating experiences, events such as these are important touchpoints. They help shape the destination experience beyond the hotel walls.
27 FEBRUARY
Charting the Future at the MAH Sabah & Labuan AGM
One of the year's key milestones came on 27 February 2026, when the MAH Sabah & Labuan Chapter held its Annual General Meeting at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru.
The AGM provided an opportunity for members to come together, review the chapter's direction and look towards the priorities ahead.
Official MAH records confirm the successful conclusion of the 2026 AGM at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru on 27 February.
The AGM was more than a formal annual gathering.
It represented a collective pause before moving forward.
For the Sabah and Labuan hotel community, unity remains one of its greatest strengths. By bringing hotel leaders and industry representatives together, MAH creates a platform where challenges can be discussed, opportunities identified and common interests represented.
PEOPLE FIRST
Driving Talent Impact Across the Hospitality Industry
Human capital remained another important part of the chapter's journey.
Through MAHTEC, the chapter facilitated engagement with MAH human resource representatives, including the MAH HR Members Representatives Engagement Session held on 27 February 2026 at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Hotel @ Bandaran.
The focus was clear: developing people and strengthening the talent pipeline that supports Sabah's hospitality industry.
Behind every room, restaurant, banquet, front desk and guest experience is a person.
And behind every successful hotel is a team.
For MAH Sabah & Labuan, strengthening that team is part of strengthening the destination itself.
MAY
Taking the Industry's Voice to Government
On 5 May 2026, MAH Sabah/Labuan Chapter paid a courtesy visit to YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Minister of Finance Sabah, for discussions on matters affecting Sabah's hospitality and tourism industry.
The engagement reflected the chapter's continuing commitment to maintaining constructive communication between the hotel industry and government.
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| MAH Sabah/Labuan Chapter paid a courtesy visit to YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Minister of Finance Sabah, on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, for a constructive discussion on key matters impacting Sabah’s hospitality and tourism industry. |
This is an increasingly important role for an industry association.
Hotels are not isolated businesses. They are connected to tourism arrivals, employment, events, transportation, food suppliers, attractions, local communities and the wider economy.
When the hotel industry speaks, it speaks not only about rooms and occupancy, but about the destination ecosystem surrounding every visitor.
JUNE / JULY
Building Stronger Industry Connections
On 25 June 2026, MAH HR Sabah & Labuan Chapter held a Sub-Committee Meeting, hosted by Monocolo Hotel.
Such meetings may appear modest compared with major public events, but they form part of the machinery that keeps an association moving.
Committee meetings create the space to discuss priorities, exchange ideas and develop initiatives that eventually reach the wider membership.
For MAH Sabah & Labuan, the work continues behind the scenes as much as it does under the spotlight.
AUGUST
STRIKES, SPARES & CAMARADERIE
Hospitality is serious business.
But even hoteliers need to occasionally put down the spreadsheets and pick up a bowling ball.
The MAH Sabah & Labuan, MAHSAL Bowling Tournament 2026 brought hospitality professionals together for a day of sportsmanship, teamwork and friendly competition.
The tournament produced strong performances across the participating teams.
Team Champions
Champion: Hyatt Regency Kinabalu
1st Runner-Up: Sutera Harbour Resort
2nd Runner-Up: Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort
Beyond the trophies, the tournament offered something equally valuable: camaraderie.
The hospitality industry is built around people, and relationships developed outside the workplace often become the foundation for stronger professional collaboration within it.
AUGUST
Celebrating 50 Golden Years of Sabah Tourism
August also brought another significant celebration as MAH Sabah & Labuan Chapter joined the festivities marking the 50th Golden Anniversary of the Sabah Tourism Board at Sabah Fest 2026.
Fifty years of Sabah Tourism Board represented five decades of destination development, promotion and partnership.
For the hotel industry, the anniversary was also a reminder of how closely hospitality and destination marketing are intertwined.
Sabah's story is ultimately experienced by visitors through many touchpoints: its landscapes, culture, cuisine, people, attractions and, importantly, the welcome they receive.
Hotels form part of that welcome.
MAH Sabah & Labuan's participation therefore carried a deeper meaning: celebrating not only an institution, but the shared tourism journey that has brought Sabah to where it stands today.
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER
Looking Ahead With Purpose
As 2026 moves towards its final quarter, the journey of MAH Sabah & Labuan Chapter continues.
The first ten months have demonstrated an association that is active across multiple fronts: industry representation, government engagement, human capital development, member participation, tourism collaboration, community events and professional camaraderie.
Mr Suresh with friends at recent GIN Malaya presentation event at Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu RoofTop
For Chairperson Mr. Suresh M. Ramasamy, leadership is ultimately about bringing people together around a common purpose.
And that purpose is larger than any individual hotel.
It is about building a stronger hospitality industry for Sabah and Labuan.
It is about ensuring that the people who work within the industry are given opportunities to grow.
It is about maintaining dialogue with government and tourism stakeholders.
It is about supporting the destination while representing the interests of the hotels that help power its visitor economy.
And it is about preparing for what comes next.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
The story of MAH Sabah & Labuan in 2026 is not defined by one event, one meeting or one achievement.
It is defined by continuity.
Month after month, the chapter has continued to show up, participate, engage and build.
From the planning rooms at the beginning of the year to the colourful celebrations of Sabah's tourism calendar; from government dialogue to HR engagement; from AGM discussions to bowling lanes; from industry recognition to the celebration of Sabah Tourism Board's golden milestone, the chapter's journey reflects a hospitality industry that understands one important truth:
Tourism succeeds when the people behind it move together.
Under the leadership of Mr. Suresh M. Ramasamy, MAH Sabah & Labuan Chapter continues to build that sense of togetherness.
The road towards the next chapter of Sabah tourism is already unfolding.
And the hotels of Sabah and Labuan intend to be there, ready to welcome it.
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