Kota Kinabalu: Local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must be part of Sabah’s economic growth and benefit directly from investments coming into the state, said Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Ewon said the Sabah First agenda places Sabahans and Sabah-based businesses at the centre of development planning, ensuring local companies benefit when industries expand and investments flow into the state.
“It means that when investments come into Sabah, when industries expand, and when projects are implemented, local SMEs must be part of the growth, not merely observers of it,” he said.
Ewon speech was delivered by Chairman of Invest Berhad, Datuk Roger Chin at the Chinese New Year Gala Dinner organised by Sabah Entrepreneur Transformation at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) on Friday.
He said the State Government, through the Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, continues to focus on strengthening Sabah’s industrial and entrepreneurial ecosystem, including increasing SME participation in supply chains, improving competitiveness and creating quality employment opportunities.
According to him, transportation and logistics remain key priorities as efficient connectivity is essential to support business growth and market access.
Ewon also noted that Sabah’s SMEs are increasingly expanding their reach to international markets.
In 2025, through the Ministry’s participation in international trade expos and business missions, more than 115 Sabah companies took part in 18 international expos, generating a potential sales value of about RM95.9 million.
Building on that momentum, the Ministry is expected to participate in 13 international expos in 2026 with a targeted potential sales value of RM80 million.
Among the expos scheduled from March to June are FHA–Food & Beverage in Singapore, Thaifex Anuga Asia in Thailand and Seoul Food & Hotel in the Republic of Korea.
The Ministry is also pursuing strategic partnerships to facilitate market entry for local products, including collaboration with China-based CAIQ Biosecurity to assist 20 Sabah entrepreneurs in meeting regulatory and biosecurity requirements to export their products to China.
In addition, products from 20 Sabah entrepreneurs will be promoted across AEON Mall outlets to provide retail exposure and strengthen brand visibility for Sabah-made goods.
Ewon said Sabah also recorded RM7.6059 billion in manufacturing investments in 2025, positioning the state as the sixth highest recipient of manufacturing investments in Malaysia, compared to RM2.4696 billion recorded in 2024.
He said the achievement reflects growing investor confidence in Sabah’s policy stability, governance and investment ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has also introduced an interim action plan to address congestion at the Sepanggar Bay Container Port as an immediate measure while the port expansion project is being completed.
The plan includes establishing temporary container yards, revising deterrent charges, enforcing regulations on overstaying containers, reducing free storage periods during peak seasons and implementing a Vehicle Booking System (VBS).
Ewon said the measures are expected to improve logistics efficiency and support smoother business operations.
He also encouraged industry players to participate in the upcoming Anugerah Kecemerlangan Industri Sabah (AKIS) 2026/2027, which recognises excellence across the state’s industrial sector.
Also present at the event were members of Sabah’s business community and entrepreneurs under the Sabah Entrepreneur Transformation platform.
