Can't bet only on agriculture, tourism

Daily Express

28-04-2025

Published on: Monday, April 28, 2025
Published on: Mon, Apr 28, 2025
By: Crystal E Hermenegildus Text Size: Phoong visits one of the booths and receives a souvenir from the owner at SIFEX 2025. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah must urgently transition from a consumption-driven economy to a producing and manufacturing powerhouse, said State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe. He said Sabah can no longer rely heavily on agriculture and tourism alone to grow and secure its future in an increasingly uncertain global landscape. 'We must produce what we consume and export what we produce. We can no longer depend entirely on importing raw materials or finished products. Sabah must urgently become a manufacturing and producing state,' Phoong said. He told reporters during the Sabah International Food Expo 2025 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Saturday. The call comes amid rising global uncertainties, including tariff wars, export controls, and supply chain disruptions, which Phoong warned could threaten Sabah's economic stability if not addressed. Despite the challenges, Sabah's manufacturing sector has already shown positive signs. Phoong said Sabah recorded the highest manufacturing GDP growth in Malaysia in 2023 at 4.4 per cent, driven by major investments such as Kibing's RM3 billion solar glass manufacturing plant and SK Nexilis's RM5 billion copper foil project. However, Phoong said this success must not breed complacency. He outlined the state's strategic push to upscale Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), encourage exports, and improve food security through new initiatives. 'We are not just giving machinery grants anymore. We are tying assistance to performance and outcomes. Recipients must show they can scale their businesses and reach international markets,' he said, citing the SME Up programme, which provides branding support, packaging improvement, and capacity-building training. Phoong also said Sabah's efforts to strengthen its food industry as an export sector, noting that food products, beyond traditional commodities like palm oil, are beginning to play a bigger role in Sabah's export portfolio. 'Trade wars teach us that food security is national security. Sabah has the natural resources to feed not just itself but the region – but only if we industrialise and build a full value chain,' he said. Phoong said the ministry is working closely with agencies like the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Exim Bank, and private associations such as the SME Association to prepare local entrepreneurs for regional and global markets. He said future-proofing industries would also involve equipping businesses with AI tools and digital marketing capabilities. 'It is no longer about competing locally. Sabah's entrepreneurs must be digital, must export, and must be able to brand and market themselves internationally,' he said. Phoong acknowledged that global competition and supply chain volatility are here to stay, particularly with developments like U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, which indirectly impact Southeast Asian markets. 'We have no choice but to be proactive. We must build our industries to withstand these shocks. Sabah cannot afford to wait anymore,' he said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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