Aidah Wong (left) and Onn Norshal Hamzah showing the agreements to build the cinema, witnessed by Ongkili.
KOTA MARUDU (July 3): A state-of-the-art cinema will be built at the township of Kota Marudu – the first cinema in North Sabah!
10 Star Cinemas Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Melewar Industrial Group Berhad, is bringing the cinema to 1 Avenue Commercial Centre (1ACC) and is scheduled to start operating in November 2022.
Costing RM5 million, the first-ever modern cinema in Kota Marudu’s history will become a landmark for the development of the creative industry in the district.
Kota Marudu member of parliament and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili on Sunday witnessed the cinema signing ceremony between WK Majujaya CEO Aidah Wong and 10 Star Cinemas CEO Onn Norshal Hamzah.
10 Star Cinemas Sdn Bhd is an infra cinema development company that aims to normalise the concept of Community Cinema in Malaysia.
Its inception in 2021 focused on incorporating its “Pawagam Milik Anda” development program throughout the more under-developed districts in the State of Sabah.
Having successfully opened branches in Tawau and Sandakan, 10 Star Cinemas expects to have six operating cinemas in Sabah by the end of 2022, and 18 cinemas by the end of 2023.
The cinema in Kota Marudu will screen local and western films upon their release in Malaysia. Most importantly, this cinema will be equipped with the latest laser projection system – one of the first in Malaysia – and the world’s leading digital sound system from India!
With this technology, the people of Kota Marudu can experience movies at an exceptional level – on par with the screenings of existing commercial cinemas.
Each of the six screening halls will offer 70 seats, giving a total of 420 available seats.
As a bonus point, the incorporation of this cinema into the township will provide employment opportunities to the local youth with specialised training programs, as well as provide a platform for art activists in the local screening and film sectors.
With the addition of this cinema into the Kota Marudu township, WK Consortium Sdn Bhd is confident that it will soon be able to transform the district into becoming the epicentre of North Sabah.
WK Consortium has led the successful development of a new township in Kota Marudu, consisting of Residensi PR1MA and 1 Avenue Commercial Centre.
“Our dream, however, will not end there, as we intend to use our expertise in township developments to instil similar transformative and modern concepts into our new project, Alam Pesona Putatan.
“Alam Pesona Putatan represents the first element of our transformative project in Putatan District. Comprising 1,200 units of chique, stylish and affordable apartments and three-storey shop lots, Alam Pesona Putatan will be the catalyst for modernisation in Putatan District, acting as the centre of residential and commercial developments in the district,” said Aidah in a statement on Sunday.