ABM Sabah Campus in Papar Set to Become Malaysia’s Largest Training Hub
PAPAR, Sept 20 – The Malaysian Construction Academy (ABM) is set to make history with its new Sabah Regional Campus in Beringgis, Papar, which will be the largest of its kind in the country. Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan inspected the site on Saturday, following the groundbreaking ceremony held on August 30 by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor and Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
Built at a cost of RM130.6 million, the campus spans 34 acres and will house state-of-the-art facilities including academic blocks, training workshops, hostels, a sports complex, surau, and advanced digital infrastructure. Designed as an eco-campus, it aims to provide a sustainable learning environment while expanding training capacity to 700 trainees at any given time—a 73% increase in youth intake and 39% growth in construction personnel compared with the current Kayu Madang facility.
“Construction is progressing as planned. Platform works are complete and piling works will begin soon,” Ahmad said during the visit. He stressed that the project underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to developing Sabah’s human capital in line with the national Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) agenda.
World-Class Facilities for Skilled Workforce
According to Ahmad, the new campus is not just a physical development but a milestone for Sabah’s construction industry.
“With high-tech facilities, impactful programmes, and digital tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Industrialised Building System (IBS), this campus is poised to be a world-class TVET training hub in East Malaysia,” he said.
Since its inception in 2001, ABM Sabah has trained over 195,000 youths in multiple construction disciplines. In 2025 alone, more than 4,000 youths and 3,000 construction workers have benefited from training provided by ABM Sabah and CIDB Tech, with 85% of graduates successfully securing jobs.
This will also be the first campus in Sabah to adopt BIM up to LOD 500, fully integrated with IBS. The project is undergoing assessments against SHASSIC, QLASSIC, and MyCREST standards to ensure top-tier safety, quality, and sustainability benchmarks are met.
A Boost for Sabah’s Economy
As of July 2025, ABM and CIDB Tech nationwide have trained more than 463,000 individuals, comprising 164,350 youths and 299,329 construction personnel. This highlights ABM’s critical role in supplying Malaysia with a skilled workforce to meet industry demand.
Once completed, the Papar campus will open new opportunities for training, employment, and industry development, positioning Sabah as the leading TVET construction training hub in East Malaysia. The project also aligns with the Sabah Maju Jaya roadmap and the federal government’s TVET aspirations, bringing long-term benefits to the state and the nation.
-DG
