The State Government’s strategic initiatives and focus on human capital development are expected to further enhance Sabah’s competitiveness and attract more investment and economic opportunities in the coming years.The industrial sector and investment remain key drivers of Sabah’s economy, Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, said at the opening of the fifth session of the 16th State Legislative Assembly, Thursday.
He cited the expansion of SK Nexilis Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which established a RM300 million copper granulation factory at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park through its subsidiary Curix Sdn Bhd.To build on this momentum, the State Government will strengthen the Manufacturing Investment Task Force in 2024 to ensure the realisation and expedited implementation of all approved investment proposals.
The tourism sector, another key economic driver for Sabah, has also shown encouraging recovery trends. In 2023, the number of tourist arrivals increased by 51.3% to 2.61 million, compared to 1.72 million the previous year.“To achieve this, the government will intensify implementation of various high-impact tourism initiatives and programmes, including providing incentives to industry players to encourage them to actively boost growth in this sector,” Juhar said.
Infrastructure and facilities in tourism areas, especially rural areas, will also be a key focus in preparation for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.This includes providing training and skills courses, grant and fund allocations and entrepreneurship programmes through the Sabah Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme.