Kota Kinabalu: The longstanding relationship between Sabah and the United States has been strengthened through generations of people-to-people ties, from Peace Corps volunteers and students to educators, businesses and humanitarian teams working alongside Sabahans.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the relationship has extended beyond government cooperation, with students, entrepreneurs, researchers, conservationists and communities playing an important role in building closer links between Sabah and the US.
“Sabah-US relations are not only about governments. They are also about students, entrepreneurs, researchers, conservationists and communities working together,” he said.
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister II and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun at the Freedom 250 Sabah Reception marking the 250th anniversary of US independence at the Sheraton Hotel, on Wednesday.
Hajiji said relationships could also be seen through cooperation in conservation and security, including efforts involving the Tun Mustapha Park, Danum Valley and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, as well as regular ship visits and exercises such as Pacific Partnership.
“The Americans who came to Sabah more than a hundred years ago could not have imagined the Sabah of today. Neither can we fully imagine Sabah going forward into the future.
“Still, the values that have carried this partnership across three centuries will carry it forward with trust, mutual respect and a shared commitment to Sabah and our people,” he said.
US Embassy in Malaysia Chargé d’Affaires, David Gamble, said generations of Sabahans had studied at American universities, while young Americans had come to Sabah to teach English, participate in sports and learn from its cultural and natural diversity.
He said such interactions might not always make headlines, but they helped transform professional relationships into friendships and, ultimately, trust.
“That work rarely makes headlines, but it’s how a training relationship becomes a friendship, and how a friendship becomes trust,” he said.
US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Cate Dillon said the people-to-people relationship had a long history, highlighting American writer Agnes Newton Keith, who made Sabah her home in the 1930s and wrote Land Below the Wind.
Cate said US exchange programmes were intended to create lasting relationships rather than simply short-term interactions.
She said these relationships could subsequently open doors for American businesses, strengthen security cooperation, bring talented students to US universities and give people a better understanding of each other’s societies.
Dillon also announced an American delegation would visit Sabah next month on the sidelines of the Kota Kinabalu International Mayors Dialogue, including Mayor Greg Ostertag of Mount Vernon, Texas, for sports diplomacy clinics.
She said the initiative would add another chapter to the longstanding people-to-people relationship between Sabah and the United States.
Meanwhile, Hajiji wants cooperation between Sabah and the US, shaped by mutual respect and shared interest to be further strengthened, particularly in areas that can support sustainable growth and benefits for Sabahans.
He said Sabah’s engagement with the US, as part of the broader Malaysia-US partnership, created opportunities in trading, education, environmental conservation, tourism, innovation and maritime security.
“Sabah-US relations are not only about governments. They are about students, entrepreneurs, researchers, conservationists and communities all working together.
“By building partnerships based on sustainability, opportunity and mutual respect, Sabah and the US can contribute to a more prosperous and secure future” he said.
“From our rich natural resources and vibrant tourism sector to renewable energy, agriculture, manufacturing, digital innovation and the blue economy, Sabah offers meaningful opportunities for sustainable growth,” Hajiji said.
He said Sabah is ready to work with investors in high culture agriculture, downstream processing, eco-tourism, clean energy, logistics, digital services and sustainable resources development.
Hajiji added that progress could not be achieved by any one government or organisation, but required partnerships, involving the public and private sectors, local communities, international investors and industries.
“Strong partnerships create jobs, transferable knowledge, strengthen supply chains, and ensure growth benefits for people across Sabah. We therefore invite genuine investors to be part of Sabah’s journey,” he said.
He said the Sabah State Government is committed to improving connectivity, facilitating investments and creating conditions for businesses to grow with confidence, while welcoming partners committed to responsible development, local talent, innovation and protecting Sabah’s natural heritage.
“Investment in Sabah is not simply an investment in a market, it is an investment in a shared future, one that is inclusive, sustainable, and full of potential,” he said.
