The state of Sabah is rich in unique and interesting natural resources, history, festivals and culture. This diversity of products and attractions has led to an increase in domestic and international tourist arrivals to the state. This article aims to examine the payment rates and tourist willingness to pay those who visit different tourist destinations in Kundasang-Ranau and Kota Belud, Sabah. The evaluation and case study research methods were used in this study. In this study, the evaluation and case study research methods were applied. A total of 150 people took part in this study, who visited a variety of tourist attractions in Kundasang-Ranau. There were 93 respondents in Kota Belud who took part in the study. The findings show that all the tourist destinations in Kundasang-Ranau charge visitors an entrance fee. Only five tourist attractions in Kota Belud require an entry fee. In Kota Belud, all designated tourist places charge a service fee, but in Kundasang-Ranau, only a few charges a service fee to tourists. The survey's findings also revealed that most respondents in both study locations considered the fee charged was appropriate in comparison to the services provided by the tourist attractions visited. In summary, the desire to pay among the respondents questioned was impacted by payment rates at tourist destinations in both locations.

This study aims to analyse the development of paddy cultivation in Kota Belud, Sabah using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from 1990 to 2020. The cultivation of agriculture-based crops began in the early 1990s, and in 2017-2018, the Malaysian and state government identified Kota Belud as a paddy granary, making the cultivation of paddy a priority. This was in line with the National Agro-Food Policy 2021-2030, which aims to improve food security policies and reduce dependence on imports by enhancing rice production through technology reform and various initiatives. This study employed GIS and remote sensing techniques to analyse the changes in land use for paddy cultivation. Landsat TM 5 and Landsat TM 8 images were used to extract data of land use from 1990 to 2020. The results indicate that the area of paddy cultivation increased from 4,329 ha in 1990 to 12,564 ha in 2020, with fluctuations in between. The specific GIS and remote sensing techniques used in the analysis included unsupervised and supervised classification technique with accuracy classification of 94%, 86%, 98.30% and 91.60 % for year 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2010, respectively. Overall, the findings of this study can be used as a guideline by local authorities to improve rice production and food security in Malaysia.

The Malaysian community has been impacted by the government development programs that were put in place. The effects of development that have been changing the socio-economic atmosphere of the populations are not limited to mainstream races but also to vulnerable communities like Orang Asli. Many development programs have been implemented to uplift the well-being of Orang Asli since before Independence Day in 1957. Thus, this study aims to investigate the efficiency of socio-economic support programs in the Orang Asli community to bring them out of multidimensional poverty. This study was done on the head of household (HoH) of the Orang Asli community living near the National Park in Pahang. SEM Amos analysis was used to validate all the hypotheses of dependent variables: education, health, the standard of living, and wealth. Only the indicators in the health dimension have negative values. This indicates that both indicators, child mortality rate and nutrition, are good in all three Orang Asli settlements. Besides that, logistic regression shows that only the indicators in the health dimension have negative values, indicating that both indicators, child mortality rate and child nutrition, are good in all three Orang Asli settlements. Therefore, any responsible bodies need to emphasise these particular deprivation matters to uplift the well-being status of the Orang Asli. In addition, serious involvement in the tourism sector is the better option to bring this community out of deprivation as they live in an attractive and tourism-driven area, the National Park.

The tourist circuit pattern is one of the factors that are influenced by tourists' willingness to pay for a vacation at a tourist destination. As such, this article will examine the relationship between tourist space and willingness to pay in Kundasang - Ranau and Kota Belud, Sabah. The assessment and case study methods were used in the research. The study used quantitative methodologies, including a questionnaire survey of 150 respondents who visited selected tourist locations in Kundasang-Ranau and 93 respondents who visited Kota Belud. The survey's findings indicated that the majority of respondents (87.3% - Kundasang, Ranau) and (61.3%- Kota Belud) who visited the two study locations traveled privately and prioritized destinations they had never visited while selecting tourist destinations. The majority of respondents (70%) in Kundasang - Ranau agreed that the fee rate charged has an effect on the direction of their journey. In Kundasang - Ranau, the respondent's roaming space is dictated by the tourism package, and the tourist attraction visited by the respondent is nearby, whereas in Kota Belud, the opposite is true. Following that, the bulk of respondents who arrived at Kota Belud were determined by their roaming space in accordance with the institution or organization's determination. The study's findings also revealed that the majority of respondents who visited the two study areas did so on their own and that the tourist destinations visited were relatively near together.

Three (3) satellite images (2004, 2014, and 2022) were processed and analysed using a Geographic Information System (GIS) to obtain the land use types. The land suitability parameters were chosen based on population density and landscape factors such as slope, land use, elevation, and distance from rivers. The weights of each evaluation factor were determined using Analytical Hierarchical Analysis (AHP). Additionally, weighted overlay analysis, available in ArcGIS 10.8 software, was used to integrate all the parameters. This study found that Jeli’s build-up area increased from 1.9% in 2004 to 24.5% in 2022. The suitability map for Jeli’s land development has been reclassified into three (3) highly suitable categories (42.43%), moderately suitable (53.32%), and highly not suitable (4.25%). The area of land suitability for land use increases along with the population density. The findings of this study will help policymakers develop better strategic urban expansion policies.

The natural beauty of the islands is the main attraction of the tourism sector in Semporna, Sabah. The development of this tourism industry is seen to have a positive impact on the overall development in the Semporna District. However, whether this tourism development has a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the indigenous people in the surrounding islands of Semporna is the primary focus of this pilot study. The objective of this study is to identify the impact of tourism on the socio-economic development of the indigenous communities in the surrounding islands of Semporna. The study adopts a quantitative approach involving 60 respondents, with 20 respondents in each study location. The study locations include three islands around Semporna: Larapan Island, Omadal Island, and Mabul Island. The results of the study found that the respondents strongly agreed that the arrival of tourists in Semporna increased the income of the island's residents and provided job opportunities for the local population, with a minimum mean value of 4.6 for both aspects. In the social aspect, the majority of community members were highly responsive and believed that tourism empowered women's involvement (mean=4.4) and strengthened cooperation among community members (mean=4.6). In conclusion, the development of tourism in Semporna has a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the indigenous communities in the surrounding islands. However, various initiatives need to be strengthened to ensure that this positive impact benefits a larger number of indigenous people and helps alleviate poverty issues among the indigenous communities, particularly on the islands.