Ms. Emalia Binti Rabin

Board Member, Koperasi Desa Cinta Kobuni Berhad, Malaysia

Ms. Emalia Binti Rabin is a dynamic community leader, tourism mentor, and advocate for women’s economic empowerment in rural Malaysia. A mother of five, she has dedicated her life to developing sustainable, women-led community tourism in Kg. Kobuni, a scenic village in Sabah. Since 2009, she has led the women’s community movement, transforming Kobuni into an award-winning model village and the first registered homestay in the Kota Kinabalu district — Homestay Desa Cinta Kobuni.

As a founding member of Koperasi Desa Cinta Kobuni Berhad, Ms. Emalia has helped create income opportunities for over 150 members, 95% of whom are women, through community-based tourism and eco-craft initiatives. She has also trained new homestay clusters across Sabah and regularly speaks on sustainable tourism.

Recognized as Malaysia’s TVET Icon for Homestay Tourism (2025), Ms. Emalia continues to promote cultural preservation and inclusive rural development. Under her leadership, the cooperative has received the ASEAN Homestay Standard Award (2025–2027) and has been named among Malaysia’s Top 30 Cooperatives for community-based tourism.