SCENIC Welcomes New CEO

2 January 2026

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC) has appointed Mohd Lan Muslim as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), marking a consolidation phase in strengthening Sabah’s creative economy and innovation landscape.

Mohd Lan said his immediate priority is to position SCENIC as a practical enabler of the creative economy and innovation agenda, fully aligned with the mandate of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Sabah (MESTIS).

With over 20 years of experience in the financial and public sectors, he noted that while SCENIC has been actively supporting Sabah’s creative economy since 2020, the ecosystem remains at an early stage compared to more mature creative economies, presenting strong opportunities for structured growth.

He has previously served as the State Director at Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (TERAJU) Wilayah Sabah & Labuan, an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department, which is now under the Ministry of Economy.

He highlighted the first Creative Economy Summit in Sabah, held in April earlier this year, as a key milestone by bringing together industry players, government agencies and educational institutions to strengthen collaboration and showcase Sabah’s creative potential.

“By organising the ecosystem properly from the outset, creativity and innovation can translate into real economic participation involving a wider audience,” he said.

Following the conclusion of SCENIC’s 5-Year Plan (2020–2025), Mohd Lan said the organisation will now focus on sharpening execution and delivery on the ground, while shaping a longer-term strategic direction for the next decade.

Priority will be given to initiatives that generate work opportunities, income and enterprise development.

At the national level, he noted that Malaysia’s creative industry is increasingly industry-led and market-driven, with greater emphasis on Intellectual Property (IP) ownership, enterprise growth and professionalisation.

SCENIC will continue to be a platform connecting creative industry players, chambers of commerce, educational institutions, and partners at the state, federal and international levels.

Particular attention will be given to youth, early-career creatives, freelancers, small operators and communities outside urban centres.

“My aspiration is to see the creative economy, together with innovation and technology,

recognised as a meaningful pillar of Sabah’s economic landscape,” he concluded.