KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has secured RM35.38 billion in investments across 420 projects between 2021 and 2024, according to the state legislative assembly.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, revealed that domestic investments accounted for RM20.61 billion, while foreign investments totalled RM14.77 billion.
Additionally, 52 projects worth RM17.42 billion have been realised. “In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Sabah recorded RM10.9 billion in approved investments, reflecting strong investor confidence,“ Nizam said during the assembly session.
The breakdown shows RM5.37 billion in domestic investments and RM1.08 billion in foreign investments for 2024. In 2023, domestic investments surged to RM11.21 billion, far exceeding foreign investments of RM130 million.
Foreign investments were concentrated in specialised sectors like copper foil manufacturing, solar panels, and oil and gas, while domestic investments covered a broader industrial spectrum.
To sustain this growth, Sabah plans to establish three new industrial parks: the Blue Economy Industrial Park in Kudat, an Integrated Industrial Park in Kota Belud/Kota Marudu, and another in Beaufort, Kimanis.
Trade performance remained robust, with RM107.8 billion recorded in 2024, marking the third consecutive year above RM100 billion since 2022. Tourism also thrived, with 7.85 million visitors from 2021 to 2024, including 5.44 million domestic and 2.4 million international tourists. From January to May 2025, arrivals reached 1.4 million (848,420 domestic, 559,150 international).
Under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan 1.0, 94% of 467 initiatives have been implemented, with 366 fully completed as of May 2025.
