Kapayan Square Roofing Underway

6 November 2025

KOTA KINABALU: Roofing work at Kapayan Square is now in progress, signaling a new chapter in Datuk Jannie Lasimbang’s long-term vision to make Kapayan a social, cultural, and entrepreneurial hub.

For years, Datuk Jannie has been laying the groundwork for this transformation through her social entrepreneurship empowerment programmes, particularly for women and youth. Her initiatives, from micro grants for women entrepreneurs to workshops and training in cooking, tailoring, mushroom cultivation , vegetable farming, and composting, were designed not as isolated projects but as strategic preparation for what Kapayan would one day become.

“All these programmes were not randomly picked simply because we needed to run programs,” said Jannie.

“They were strategies toward a bigger picture, preparing our

to rise once Kapayan Square becomes a hub for local entrepreneurship.”

Located just minutes from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Kapayan Square is ideally positioned to become the nearest tourism and community destination for visitors entering Sabah.

Once completed, the roofing will provide a comfortable and weather-protected space for local entrepreneurs to sell their products, host cultural events, and attract both locals and travelers.

Jannie emphasised that social entrepreneurship remains one of the most sustainable forms of employment, especially in an economy that increasingly values creativity and adaptability.

“When people learn to create value with their own hands, whether through food, crafts, or farming, they gain economic independence that no corporation can take away,” she said. “That’s why empowering our social entrepreneurs has always been my priority. They are the real drivers of sustainable growth.”

The ongoing roofing project, supported by the Ministry of Local Government Development, marks the physical realisation of that long-term vision, transforming a once open marketplace into a vibrant and structured space that unites culture, community, and commerce.

“Kapayan Square will not only be a marketplace,” said Jannie. “It will be a symbol of how we prepare our people first, so when opportunities arrive, they are ready.”

Jannie also shared that she has been working closely with Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK) to ensure that the proposal to build a multi-storey car park and market is realized under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13). She expressed confidence that the approval will be made soon with full support from the Mayor and the Sabah Government.

With the roofing construction now underway at Kapayan Square, and the market-cum-car park proposal moving forward, Kapayan is set to emerge as the gateway to Penampang’s economy and culture, a living example of what happens when visionary planning meets community empowerment.