KOTA KINABALU – In the past 26 years, the state government-owned Sabah Trade Centre (STC) in Likas has helped countless entrepreneurs realise their dreams.
Launched on February 17, 1997 by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, it quickly became a bustling venue, playing host to numerous exhibitions, seminars, launches, meetings, concerts, and various other events, being true to its purpose to spur investment and opportunities into the state.
However, the once-thriving hub for exhibitions and trade shows now finds itself in a lamentable state of neglect and decay, sparking speculations about its future.
Under the ownership of Sabah’s Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry, talks on the centre’s future have now included plans to demolish the building.
Its minister Phoong Jin Zhe, the centre’s custodian, said a letter from the office of the Sabah chief minister arrived at his office recently, requesting him to deal with the deteriorating structure.
He told The Vibes that the plan will ultimately point towards demolishing and redeveloping the centre, but the specifics of its future use still remain a mystery.
“We are also treading cautiously as there might be an existing contract with a company to operate the centre, and we want to avoid any hasty decisions that might lead to legal repercussions,” he said.
STC has an impressive 100,000 sq ft space spread across two levels, coupled with 400 parking spaces, offices and cafeteria to provide unmatched convenience to visitors and customers when it was established.
There is no public record available regarding the cost of the trade centre’s construction.
Lifeline
Talks of demolition and redevelopment had been surfacing before 2017.
Then industrial development minister Datuk Raymond Tan hinted at the redevelopment, but after the state government changed twice in 2018 and 2020, the plan appeared to have been put on the backburner.
Consequently, the once-bustling STC saw a decline in both maintenance and bookings, setting it on a downward trajectory.
Covid-19 also exacerbated the situation, leaving STC without any company running its upkeep for three years between 2020 and 2023.
A new management had thrown in a fresh coat of paint to the building’s interior and done some fixing this year, but the centre is still far from its former glory.
The opening of the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) in 2019 had also badly affected STC’s business.
A formidable competitor with state-of-the-art facilities, SICC became the new go-to destination for larger gatherings and international events.
Hope
STC is now occupied by a car detailing company, a restaurant, food stalls, and a company selling food trucks.
The last event held at the centre was an auto show in May.
The managing firm rented out a portion of its parking spaces to a developer, while still collecting parking fees at the front portion of the vacant lot and renting them out to stall operators in the evening.
STC’s future, at this juncture, appears bleak.
Yet, not all hope is entirely lost, as Phoong assured that “the government is determined to find a fitting solution for the Sabah Trade Centre’s future”. – The Vibes, July 27, 2023
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