KOTA KINABALU: The opening of Suria FM’s studio at 1Borneo, Sabah’s largest shopping mall, is set to boost the entertainment scene here.

Suria FM and Red FM chief operating officer Azrullah Mohd Nor told reporters they were working towards expanding the local studio broadcast from 6am to midnight.

“Among the things we will be doing more immediately is to provide traffic reports and segments about local happenings,” he added.

Currently, the local studio broadcasts to the Sabahan audience from 6am to 2pm daily with programmes hosted by DJ Othoe and Akademi Fantasia stars Velvet and Lotter.

They play songs from Sabah and the peninsula, selected based on a study of listeners’ preference.

The studio was opened by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, representing Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman.

The setting up of the studio here meant that more local songs would be heard on the airwaves, said Nur Jazman Mohamed, director of Rimakmur Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Star Publications (M) Bhd, which manages Suria FM.

“Suria FM Sabah is also a medium to promote community activities such as cultural events and festivals,” he said at the studio’s launch yesterday.

Nur Jazman said Suria FM’s target audience in Sabah were radio listeners aged between 25 and 39.

“With the presence of Suria FM in Sabah, we hope people here will become even more familiar with our radio station,” he added.

Musa, whose speech was read by Pairin, said he was thankful to the Suria FM management for its decision to set up a studio in Sabah and that the move would further promote harmony among the state’s diverse communities.

“The opening of Suria FM’s studio is a significant milestone,” he said.

He also anticipated the broadcasting industry in Sabah to become vibrant with even more radio stations establishing their studios here.

Also present at the launch yesterday were Star Publications group managing director and chief executive officer Datin Linda Ngiam and Rimakmur company directors Tan Sri Kamal Mohamed Hashim Che Din and Richard Ong, and Suria FM deputy chief operating officer Yusry Abu Samah.

To mark the launch, Kamal presented a RM5,000 contribution to the Bukit Harapan home.

The radio station also hosted a concert featuring artistes including Amy, Hattan, Adira as well as Akademi Fantasia stars Adam, Stacy, Marsha and local talents Jimmy Palikat, the Divine Masters and Peter Dicky Lee.

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