Sabah State Library director Wong Vui Yin said the Sabah State Library had obtained approval from Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to operate at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA).

Wong said the state library behind DBKK was demolished due to its structural issues and was temporarily relocated to Suria Sabah.

He said the site had been handed over to DBKK where a new DBKK building would be built.

Wong also added that DBKK would allocate a floor to the state library once the building is completed.

"We will then move the library from Suria Sabah back to the DBKK building" he said.

He said the new library at KKIA was expected to commence operation by the end of this year.

This would be the first library operating within an airport in Malaysia, Wong said.

The Sabah State Library and PWD were currently planning the design and renovation of the library at KKIA.

Wong said the library would benefit not only flight passengers but also members of the public who were waiting for the arrival of their friends or families.

According to Sabah Tourism Board, tourist arrivals in Sabah rose by 7.9 percent at 3.427 million visitors in 2016, the highest since 2013, generating RM7.25 billion from tourism receipts and giving an extra 10 per cent into the State economy.