Ricardo (left) and co-hosts Yap (right) and Faisal recording an episode of ‘Kinabalu Podcast’ at the house that served as a studio before it was destroyed in a fire in 2023.
WHEN the name Kota Marudu is mentioned, many Sabahans would likely associate it with corn and oil palm, among the more prevalent crops in the state’s northern district.
Moreover, Kota Marudu serves as a common stopover point for travellers on their way to either the Kudat district in the state’s north-western region or Pitas in the northeast.
However, it is also the home base of an online talk show or podcast that has garnered an audience not only within Malaysia but also in 50 countries worldwide.
Known as the Kinabalu Podcast, its hosts are proud of the fact that their weekly show has garnered a loyal following in Singapore. A testament to this is the numerous groups of Singaporeans who have visited Sabah after hearing about life in the state through the podcast.
“We know this for a fact, as more than 35 Singaporean groups have asked us to help coordinate their visits to Sabah. Most of them are our regular listeners,” said Ricardo Tawil, who co-founded and is one of the two regular hosts of the Kinabalu Podcast.
The podcast is broadcast on various platforms, including YouTube and Spotify. The latter’s analytics alone show that it has been played more than 37,000 times, with as many as 400 people listening to each weekly episode.
The ‘team interviewing Insp Zulkhairi Daud, who spends his time teaching silat to youths around Kota Marudu and about his sizable keris collection.
For the Kinabalu Podcast team, comprising Ricardo, fellow hosts Kenneth or Kenny Yap, Faisal Maral, and producer Norasliza Ahmad (Ricardo’s wife), these numbers far exceed their expectations when they began broadcasting amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
“We began the podcast with the concept of friends discussing the issues they face daily while sitting around the kitchen table.
“We literally started that way, sitting around the kitchen table at my house in Kota Marudu. We thought it was just a way for us to keep in touch with our family and friends,” said Ricardo, a teacher at a Kota Marudu school, like Ken.
Throughout the years, Ricardo and Ken, occasionally joined by Faisal whenever he is free, have discussed life as Sabahans – from recalling their childhood and swimming in irrigation ditches to addressing more serious topics such as the rich history of Kota Marudu by hosting amateur historians as guests on the podcast.
“We’ll talk about anything current – whether it’s politics or local issues such as Sabah’s power supply problems or our wonderful roads – things that people discuss in a coffee shop. And we can be explicit in what we say,” he added with a laugh.
Ricardo handing over a souvenir ‘Kinabalu Podcast’ t-shirt to former federal minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman after an interview for the show.
While their audience was modest initially, their following has grown exponentially over the years, especially as Singaporeans became aware of the Kinabalu Podcast.
This recognition came about when Ricardo and his team appeared as guests on OK Let’s Go – a Singapore-based podcast with one of the largest audiences in the island republic.
“Podcasts are a big thing in Singapore. People listen to episodes at their convenience or while busy with other tasks,” explained Ricardo, adding that the simpler life in Sabah discussed on the Kinabalu Podcast was an added appeal.
With significant growth in their audience, Ricardo and his team decided to adopt a more professional approach, moving the podcast from his kitchen table to a purpose-built studio in his house.
Over the years, their initial guest slot on OK Let’s Go led to similar appearances, and last year, the Kinabalu Podcast team was invited to participate in OK Let’s Go Fest – a gathering of podcast followers in Singapore.
An aerial view of Kota Marudu where teachers Ricardo and Yap began their ‘Kinabalu Podcast’ that now has a steady following internationally.
It was an opportunity for Ricardo and the Kinabalu Podcast team to further promote Sabah, and what better way than bringing along a piece of Kota Marudu, including bead necklaces and other handicrafts, as well as snacks like ampalang fish chips and ikan bilis.
However, on the day they arrived in Singapore for the festival in July 2023, Ricardo and his wife were shaken when they received a call from their family informing them that their house in Kota Marudu had been razed to the ground.
“My wife and I were devastated. Everything we had was gone. Thankfully, our children were with us on that trip. But initially, we didn’t know what to do – whether to rush back or to stay in Singapore.
“After discussing with the festival organisers, they urged us to stay because nothing could be done about our house. Staying at the festival meant more exposure for our podcast and also for Sabah.
The ‘Kinabalu Podcast’ team used their appearance at the OK Let’s Go Fest in Singapore last year to promote Sabah by showcasing local products such as handicrafts and various food items.
“So we stayed. It was the right move, although at times I felt lost knowing that I would be returning to Kota Marudu to a house that was in ashes,” shared Ricardo.
As word spread about his misfortune, the Kinabalu Podcast audience rallied around Ricardo and his family, donating funds to help them rebuild their home.
“I was overwhelmed by their care and generosity. We all feel so connected, and the Kinabalu Podcast has become like a community,” said Ricardo, who has been providing updates about the reconstruction of his house.
Looking ahead, Ricardo is certain that the Kinabalu Podcast will continue long into the future, encouraging more Sabahans to venture into podcasting.
“We aim to organise workshops to encourage more people to try podcasting. There is so much to talk about in Sabah, and there’s much talent to be developed,” said the podcaster from a small town in the north of the state.
