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FORMER Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has claimed that the state’s economy has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, despite assertions by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government that it is showing signs of growth.
Citing official data, the Warisan president said Sabah’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 stood at RM83.2 billion — still short of the RM85.6 billion recorded in 2019 during Warisan’s administration.
“I refer to the statement by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, claiming that Sabah’s economy is growing. That claim does not reflect the true situation faced by ordinary people, who continue to struggle with daily pressures,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Shafie noted that the 2019 GDP figure was the highest in the state’s history, up from RM79.7 billion in 2017 — a marked increase during Warisan’s two years in office.
“After the change in government in 2020, the economy declined sharply, with GDP dropping to RM77.8 billion. As of 2023, it still has not recovered to its previous peak, remaining RM2.45 billion below our administration’s record,” he said.
The Semporna MP further claimed that during Warisan’s rule from 2018 to 2020, the state registered consistent economic growth despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In just over two years, we achieved measurable economic progress. Meanwhile, GRS has governed for more than four years without delivering comparable results,” he said.
Shafie added that one of Warisan’s key strategies was to strengthen downstream industries so that Sabah would no longer rely solely on raw material exports but move towards value-added production.
“This was part of our long-term plan to restructure the state’s economy around value creation and quality job opportunities,” he explained.
He also said that despite fiscal constraints, the Warisan-led government managed to repay a RM1 billion bond issued under the Barisan Nasional administration ahead of schedule on 9 December 2019.
The Senallang assemblyman criticised GRS for allegedly continuing to depend on extractive industries without strong initiatives to develop processing industries and a more resilient economy.
“While there are frequent announcements about federal allocations and plans, the data still shows that Sabah’s economy remains sluggish. Youth are struggling to find employment and many families are living in hardship,” he said.
He urged Sabahans to assess leaders based on measurable outcomes rather than promises or political rhetoric.
“Real economic success means more job opportunities, better incomes, and a brighter future for the next generation — not stalled projects or repeated announcements,” Shafie added. - May 2, 2025