Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is among the top five states that have the highest approved investments in the country from January to June this year, in which the State recorded RM9 billion in investments.
State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Phoong Jin Zhe said Sabah has even overtaken Penang and is just behind Selangor, Johor and Kedah which has a high-tech park.
“Latest statistics shows Sabah has achieved RM9 billion in investments for the first half of 2023, ranking the State in the fifth place. This is in comparison to the whole of 2021 during which Sabah recorded RM8.6 billion in investments.
“Our investment performance is getting better and better, which shows a positive sign about our business environment, as more and more businesses with big names and big brands are coming to Sabah to do business.
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A national media report on Sept 19, this year stated that five states recorded the highest approved investments - Kuala Lumpur (RM31.7 billion), Selangor (RM29.7 billion), Kedah (RM14.6 billion), Johor (RM14.2 billion) and Sabah (RM9 billion) - based on Malaysia Investment Performance from Jan until June 2023.
It also quoted Phoong as saying that Sabah had successfully attracted RM11.5 billion in investments last year (2022), but in just the first six months of this year, the State has achieved 79 per cent of the total investments in 2022.
On the event, Phoong said the State Government and the people of Sabah were thrilled and honoured to have Harvey Norman open its first superstore in the State here.
“This auspicious occasion is remarkable and a new chapter for Sabah as we have more and more international brands coming to the State which is a good sign and a positive development.
“We are open and welcome any investor to set up operations in the State. Harvey Norman Asia Managing Director Kenneth Aruldoss reiterated the commitment to recruit local people and create more job opportunities, and I believe that they are going to open more stores.
“If the market is good here, they are going to open more stores,” Phoong said.
Asked on any special treatment for Sabahans in conjunction with the opening of the superstore, Kenneth said Harvey Norman has a one-price policy whereby the prices are the same everywhere in Malaysia.
“We do not mark up our prices because of shipping as we have our vendors to pay for the cost, it is the same price policy.
“Another thing I would like to share with you…like I mentioned in my speech that we will not be beaten on prices. Everything in our store is negotiable. You come and negotiate in line with our theme - that everything is negotiable in Harvey Norman,” he said.
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