KOTA KINABALU: Marriott International properties across Sabah, through the Marriott Business Council (MBC) East Malaysia, have joined forces with Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) on a community initiative to improve the facilities and learning environment at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tampasak Kinarut, Papar.
The initiative involves Marriott’s four properties in Sabah — Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Kota Kinabalu and Fairfield by Marriott in Kota Kinabalu — reflecting a shared commitment to extend the spirit of hospitality beyond hotel operations and contribute meaningfully to the communities in which they operate.
Marriott Business Councils bring together hotel leaders within a city or region to strengthen collaboration, advance Marriott’s core values and mobilise collective action around business priorities and community engagement. An important part of this commitment is corporate social responsibility, where participating hotels pool their people, expertise and resources to support initiatives that create positive and lasting local impact.
Marriott Business Councils serve as a platform for hotel leaders within a destination or region to collaborate on shared priorities while advancing Marriott’s core values and community commitments. Through its corporate social responsibility initiatives, MBC enables participating hotels to combine resources, professional expertise and associate volunteerism to address tangible needs within local communities.
The SK Tampasak project embodies this collective approach, extending the spirit of hospitality beyond hotel walls and into a community where improvements to the physical learning environment can directly support student safety, development and opportunity.
“Our responsibility as hoteliers extends beyond the experiences we create within our hotels. We are also part of the community in which we operate, and that means looking for meaningful ways to contribute where our resources, expertise and people can make a difference,” said Suresh Ramasamy, General Manager of Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu and Marriott Business Council lead for east Malaysia. “SK Tampasak has students who are already demonstrating tremendous potential, particularly through their achievements in sports. Through this collaboration, we hope to provide them with an environment that better reflects their aspirations and gives both students and teachers a safer, more conducive space in which to learn, grow and succeed.”
Supporting Potential with a Better Place to Learn
Located in Kinarut, Papar, approximately 28 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu, SK Tampasak serves 412 students with 31 teachers. The school operates a single school session and, according to the initial assessment, had no prior history of corporate CSR assistance.
Despite limitations in some of its existing facilities, the school has built a notable track record in sports, with students consistently competing at district, state and national levels. Its students have represented the school in badminton and more recently rugby at state level, while the school continues to meet its academic performance indicators and places a strong emphasis on character development through sports.
These achievements became an important consideration in selecting SK Tampasak for the initiative. The collaboration recognizes that the school already possesses the talent, determination and commitment to compete beyond its immediate community. Improving its physical environment can help provide students and educators with stronger conditions to continue progressing alongside their peers at district and state levels.
Initial assessments identified several areas requiring attention, including deteriorated handrails and weathered common areas. A subsequent joint site visit involving DGFC and Marriott representatives refined the programme to focus primarily on improvements to two classroom blocks.
The proposed works include repairs to damaged ceiling sections, restoration and replacement of deteriorated handrails, inspection and upgrading of electrical wiring, replacement of worn wooden flooring, and repainting of classroom common areas and walkways.
Several of these improvements address immediate safety considerations. The assessment found severely oxidised and damaged handrails with sharp edges along student staircases and pathways, as well as sections of worn wooden flooring and electrical systems within older classroom blocks requiring attention.
Nauman Hasan, General Manager of Sheraton Kota Kinabalu, said, “The strength of the Marriott Business Council lies in what we can accomplish collectively. Each property may have its own identity, but we share the same commitment to serving our communities. By bringing together our associates, engineering knowledge, resources and partners such as Danau Girang Field Centre, we can create an impact that is both practical and sustainable. More importantly, we want the students of SK Tampasak to feel that their surroundings support their ambitions and that their achievements deserve to be matched by an environment where they can continue to thrive.”
A Collaborative Commitment Beyond Hospitality
Working alongside the participating Marriott hotels is Danau Girang Field Centre, a Sabah-based research and conservation organisation whose work extends beyond wildlife research into education, capacity-building and community engagement.
DGFC played an important role in identifying potential community needs and conducting the initial and subsequent assessments of SK Tampasak, helping translate observations on the ground into a practical scope of work for the MBC initiative.
Audrey Umbol, General Manager of Danau Girang Field Centre, said, “At Danau Girang, much of our work is centred on conservation, science and education, but ultimately long-term conservation and community development have one important element in common — people. Young people, in particular, need environments that encourage curiosity, confidence and ambition. SK Tampasak has already shown what its students are capable of achieving. We are pleased to work with the Marriott Business Council and its participating hotels to help improve the conditions in which these children learn, and we hope this becomes a relationship that continues well beyond the physical improvements to the school.”
The collaboration is envisioned as more than a one-time refurbishment project. The proposed programme includes quarterly visits to SK Tampasak, creating opportunities for future educational campaigns, awareness talks and other student-focused community activities involving DGFC and Marriott associates.
This longer-term approach enables the partnership to evolve from physical improvement works into continued engagement with students, teachers and the wider school community.
An initial budget of approximately RM25,000 to RM30,000 has been proposed for improvements to the two classroom blocks, with the final scope and cost subject to technical assessment and prevailing material requirements. Major physical works are intended to be carried out during the school holidays to minimise disruption to lessons and safeguard students while improvement works are underway.
Through the initiative, Marriott Business Council East Malaysia and DGFC aim to demonstrate how collaboration across organisations and industries can translate corporate social responsibility into tangible community impact.
For SK Tampasak, the programme is ultimately about ensuring that the environment in which its students learn can better support the potential they have already demonstrated — providing safer spaces, better learning conditions and a stronger platform from which they can continue aspiring and competing at district, state and national levels.-BNN
