By Mohd Khairy Abdullah
KOTA KINABALU, Sabah, April 29 — The Sabah government is intensifying its economic transformation agenda by prioritising the development of three new industrial parks expected to serve as key drivers of strategic investment, manufacturing growth and high-impact job creation across the state.
Sabah Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives, as well as Deputy Chief Minister III, Ewon Benedick, said the projects involve the Kudat Blue Economy Industrial Park, Kota Belud Industrial Park and Beaufort Industrial Park, which are regarded as crucial initiatives in expanding Sabah’s industrial development corridor beyond major urban centres.
The move is seen as part of Sabah’s broader effort to strengthen its economic resilience through manufacturing, logistics and maritime-based industries at a time when competition for foreign investment across Southeast Asia continues to intensify.
“The development of the manufacturing sector is an important driver of Sabah’s economic growth and serves as a foundation for creating more employment and business opportunities,” he said during his ministry’s winding-up session at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting in Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday.
He said the state government would continue strengthening efforts to attract high-impact investments through an integrated approach involving relevant agencies to ensure Sabah remains competitive as an investment destination in Malaysia and the wider region.
According to Ewon, the Kudat Blue Economy Industrial Park is currently at the master plan preparation stage under SEDCO, with a focus on developing blue economy industries encompassing marine resources, modern fisheries, logistics and related downstream maritime activities.
For the Kota Belud Industrial Park, which is being developed under KKIP Sdn Bhd, he said the master plan has already been approved, with current priorities centred on infrastructure and utility development to accelerate the area’s readiness for incoming investments.
Meanwhile, the Beaufort Industrial Park has completed its land suitability study, while land acquisition and master plan preparations will proceed in the next phase.
Economic observers view the development of the three industrial parks as a strategic move by the Sabah government to reduce development imbalances between the west coast, interior and northern regions of the state, while extending economic spillover effects into semi-rural areas.
At the same time, MINDET is also strengthening small and medium enterprise (SME) development through expanded market access for local products and strategic collaborations with supermarket chains domestically and abroad.
Ewon said the ministry would also organise programmes with Perbadanan Harta Intelek Malaysia to enhance awareness and compliance regarding intellectual property protection among local entrepreneurs, an increasingly important factor in improving the global competitiveness of Sabah-made products.
He added that Sabah would continue participating in international trade expos to expand export reach and introduce local products to global markets.
“The export value of Sabah’s manufactured products increased to RM8.78 billion in 2025 from RM8.31 billion in 2024, reflecting the strong potential of local entrepreneurs in the global market,” he said.
To further strengthen domestic demand for Sabah-made products, the Buy Sabah-Made Products Campaign will continue through SME Entrepreneur Carnivals in several districts, including Tenom, Tawau and Kuala Penyu this year.
Beyond industrial and entrepreneurial development, the state government is also focusing on transport modernisation, with MINDET scheduled to commence the Sabah Sustainable Transport Master Plan (SSTMP) study this year.
The study is expected to serve as a long-term framework for developing a more efficient, integrated and sustainable transportation system aimed at supporting economic growth, strengthening supply chains and enhancing inter-regional connectivity across Sabah.
