Nowadays everyone can start a media channel on the Internet and become a citizen reporter. Sabahans can find out what happens in their hometown, even if they live overseas. Newspapers are used to be the mainstream media, and now viewed by younger generation as a sunset media. Reading a newspaper while enjoy coffee is more like a morning routine in the past. The main problem is – printing newspapers takes time. What’s point of buying an outdated newspaper if you already know what’s happening around the world in minutes online?

However, social media has become a breeding ground to spread faked news and unverified information, which can go viral by sharing. The only way to debunk them is to look at the reliable sources, that is, newspapers. To survive, most newspapers today have evolved into TV-like media that provides up-to-date and reliable news via website and social media. They also offer e-Newspaper subscription that delivers latest digital news to our mobile phones.

The following is a list of licensed Sabah and Malaysia newspapers. You may share this with your Sabah friends overseas. Most of them have social media for you to follow the Sabah news.

Sabah Newspapers

It’s impossible for national newspapers to cover everything in 13 states of Malaysia, so Sabah newspapers come in to fill in the gap by reporting news in local cities and districts of Sabah. They also create quality content about the local community and society of Sabah.

1. Borneo Post

This is the best English news site of East Malaysia and offer the richest content. Besides national news, they focus a lot on news about Sabah and Sarawak. Their website is friendly to mobile phone, and the news sections are well-organized and easy to browse. Besides English, the subscriber version also have news in Malay, Kadazandusun and Iban languages.

Website: theborneopost.com
Facebook: borneopost.online
Twitter: theborneopost
Youtube: Borneo Post
E-mail: shbpkl@gmail.com, reporters@theborneopost.com

2. Daily Express

Daily Express is the first Sabah newspaper that goes online. They used to post old news because they worried that nobody would buy their newspaper. Now they have improved a lot by providing updated news and wider news coverage through their mobile-friendly website. I would say Daily Express is the second best online Sabah newspaper in English.

Website: dailyexpress.com.my
Facebook: DailyExpressSabah
Twitter: DailyExpress_MY
Instagram: dailyexpresssabah
Youtube: Daily Express TV
E-mail: hotline@dailyexpress.com.my
Hotline: 088-437773

3. New Sabah Times (stopped)

Their web site is simple and easy to use but not mobile friendly. They post a selection of major local news in English, Malay and Kadazandusun languages. They have stopped publication.

Website: newsabahtimes.com.my
E-mail: actionline@newsabahtimes.com.my

Sabah Chinese Newspapers

Sabah has over 280,000 Chinese, and most of them are business-minded and want to know what is going on around them. They also find newspaper useful for cleaning windows and wrapping stuffs after reading. Many Chinese still prefer reading news in Chinese. Besides, some local news are only of interest to the Chinese community and normally not reported in English news.

1. See Hua Daily News (诗华曰報)

The sister newspaper of the Borneo Post. Their website is informative and well-designed.

Website: seehua.com
Facebook: seehuadailynews

2. Overseas Chinese Daily News (华侨曰報)

This newspaper is under same company of Daily Express. As Overseas Chinese Daily News (OCDN) is one of the oldest Chinese newspapers of Sabah, local folks are jokingly call it ?Oldman Newspaper? because it is the first choice for locals to post obituary (no offense). OCDN has a lively and clean Chinese website that fit nicely on smartphones.

Website: ocdn.com.my
Facebook: OverseasChineseDailyNews
Youtube: OCDN
Twitter: OCDN_Sabah
E-mail: hotline@dailyexpress.com.my

3. Sabah Sinchew (星洲)

This is under Sinchew Daily News and they have a Sabah section that features Sabah news and interesting local content.

Website: sabah.sinchew.com.my
Facebook: sabahsinchewdaily

4. Asia Times (亚洲时报)

Another Sabah Chinese newspaper. They are quite active on Facebook.

Website: asiatimes.com.my
Facebook: asiatimes.my
E-mail: asiatimeskk@gmail.com

City Newspaper

Most Sabah newspapers are printed at West Coast, and the newspapers are delivered to cities of Sabah East Coast by plane. Normally, people in East Coast get the newspapers after 10am. Therefore, ?city newspaper? found a market opportunity because most Chinese want to read newspaper during breakfast. Therefore, Harian Tawau Express (凤凰日报) was once very popular in Tawau city. Unfortunately, they lost this advantage in digital era and out of business after 1st June 2015. I include it in this list anyway as a remembrance of their contribution.

Facebook: 凤凰日报 HARIAN TAWAU EXPRESS

National Newspapers

For businessmen and political junkies, local news can’t fully satisfy their needs. To be in-the-know for everything, they also read the national newspaper. The following is a go to list for national news.

1. The Star

Website: thestar.com.my
Facebook: TheStarOnline
Twitter: staronline

2. New Straits Times

Website: nst.com.my
Facebook: nstonline
Twitter: NST_Online
Instagram: nstonline
Youtube: New Straits Times

3. Malay Mail

Website: malaymail.com
Facebook: malaymaildotcom
Twitter: malaymail
Instagram: themalaymail
Youtube: themalaymailonline

4. Sin Chew Daily (星洲)

Website: sinchew.com.my
Facebook: SinChewDaily
Twitter: SinChewPress
Instagram: sinchewdaily
WeChat: wechat
Weibo: sinchewi
Telegram: sinchewtelegram
Youtube: 星洲 pocketimes