KOTA KINABALU: Borneo.TV was launched to bring Sabah's stories to the world – but instead of celebration, it has sparked backlash from local creatives and indigenous groups who say they were excluded from the process meant to represent them.
Unveiled on July 1, the online streaming platform is marketed as a digital showcase under the banner "Sabah in the eyes of the world."
However, critics argue the initiative risks cultural insensitivity, legal ambiguity and the sidelining of local voices.
Several Sabah-based creatives claimed they were blindsided by the launch, asserting there was no formal engagement with local filmmakers, content producers or cultural custodians before the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) secretariat and Kuala Lumpur-based IB Media Consultant Work Sdn Bhd.
Sabah Film and Visual Association president Chester Pang described the move as disappointing, calling for greater transparency on policies, content curation and communication channels with the local industry.
"This kind of exclusion weakens trust and sidelines the very people who've helped build Sabah's creative ecosystem," he said.
Safva, representing Sabah in the Malaysian Film Association Coalition, expressed readiness to collaborate but expects clearer policies and meaningful inclusion moving forward.
Beyond the creative sector, cultural advocates say the platform may dilute Sabah's indigenous narratives instead of elevating them.
Historian and MA63 advocate Remy Majangkim questioned the implications of outsourcing a cultural platform to a non-local entity.
"Are these small steps to neutralise our cultural diversity and remove our sovereign identity through new narratives?" he asked, warning that cultural storytelling must come from within the communities it aims to portray.
Indigenous rights activist Atama Katama said the move failed to uphold international cultural standards, including the Unesco Convention on Cultural Diversity and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Sabahan national artist Yee I-Lan echoed those views in a public Facebook post saying that it risks erasing local agency in favour of top-down branding.
Legal concerns have also surfaced. Safva legal advisor Yong Yit Jee said it remains unclear whether IB Media holds the necessary broadcasting licences from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission or complies with the Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
"Any income generated from Sabah's content must benefit Sabah's economy. Without transparency in contracts or clear IP protection, Sabah creators could be left vulnerable to exploitation or loss of control over their work," he said.
Yong also stressed the need for free, prior and informed consent when indigenous cultural elements are involved, warning of possible legal consequences if this is ignored.
Safva and other stakeholders are now calling for the public disclosure of the SMJ-IB Media agreement and for an open dialogue involving groups like Jatiks and other cultural bodies to ensure the platform respects the legal, cultural and economic rights of Sabah's creative community.
Previously, SMJ Secretariat chief coordinator Datuk Rosmadi Datu Sulai explained that the government remains open to engaging with local stakeholders.
But many in Sabah's creative and indigenous circles remain unconvinced, saying meaningful inclusion requires more than after-the-fact invitations.
While many support the idea of sharing Sabah's stories with the world, they say the platform's success depends on how genuinely it involves the communities it claims to represent.
