3 days ago
Sabah records 94pc success rate
Published on: Thursday, July 10, 2025
Published on: Thu, Jul 10, 2025
By: Ricardo Unto Text Size: Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan told the State Legislative Assembly that as of May this year, 366 of those initiatives had reached full completion. Kota Kinabalu: The State Government recorded an average 94 per cent achievement rate across 467 initiatives under its Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan 1.0 since its launch in 2021. Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan told the State Legislative Assembly that as of May this year, 366 of those initiatives had reached full completion. 'Sabah's economic growth continues on a positive trend year-on-year,' said Nizam, noting that the state's gross domestic product had increased from RM77.8 billion in 2020 to RM84.3 billion in 2024. He was responding to a question by Nabawan Assemblyman Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin. Sabah's total trade exceeded RM100 billion in 2022, reaching a peak of RM118 billion – an increase of RM30.8 billion from RM87.2 billion in 2021. Chief Statistician of Malaysia Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin, as cited by Nizam, stated that Sabah's trade remained resilient in 2024 with a total value of RM107.8 billion, marking the third consecutive year it exceeded RM100 billion. Nizam said the rise in revenue had enabled the government to enhance its annual budgets, with total state revenue between 2021 and 2024 reaching RM26.224 billion. He listed the yearly breakdown of revenue as RM3.591 billion in 2020, RM5.449 billion in 2021, RM6.960 billion in 2022, RM6.973 billion in 2023 and RM6.842 billion in 2024. He attributed the improved revenue performance in part to the Commercial Collaboration Agreement between the State Government and Petronas, which is guided by the principles of 'Greater Say, Greater Participation, Greater Revenue.' Meanwhile, the involvement of the private sector and civil society continues to play a vital role in the implementation of Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0, Nizam said, He said domestic investors had been highly responsive, with regular engagement sessions held and civil society contributing notably through human capital development and poverty alleviation initiatives. 'In fact, the private sector acts as a strategic partner in investment, technology transfer and job creation,' he said in response to k Abdul Ghani's supplementary questions. He cited the joint effort between state agencies and private companies in the agriculture sector in Lingkungan, Beaufort – particularly the production and export of high-value pineapples – as a strong example of economic contribution coupled with social initiatives like community empowerment and agricultural training. 'These efforts show how the private sector not only supports economic growth, but also helps strengthen collaboration among government, private entities and communities in delivering impactful and transparent development,' he added. On digitalisation and green technology, Nizam said the State Government remains committed to expanding their use in the next phase of SMJ to improve economic competitiveness and ensure sustainable growth. 'Digital technology will be intensified across sectors, including state administration, to improve service delivery and simplify public dealings,' he said, adding that green technologies such as renewable energy, efficient waste management systems and sustainable farming practices would be further promoted. This, he noted, aligns with the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040 (Sirem 2040), which outlines a comprehensive transition to clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable development. Touching on lessons from SMJ 1.0, Nizam stressed the importance of inclusive public participation at all levels of planning and implementation, noting that policy success hinges on public understanding and acceptance. He said grassroots-level engagement such as open dialogues, town halls and roadshows across districts had brought the government closer to the people and provided platforms for communities to voice their needs directly. 'These approaches will help strengthen future planning under SMJ 2.0,' he said, adding that SMJ 1.0 had put Sabah back on the right track. 'This is not just my opinion, but one acknowledged by professionals and credible parties who recognise that the current GRS-PH administration has placed Sabah where it should be and deserves the people's continued support,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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