SIPITANG: Sabah’s first scheduled waste management facility, involving an investment exceeding RM1 billion, started construction at the Sabah Oil and Gas Industrial Park (Sogip), here, Saturday.
Deputy Chief Minister III cum Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transportation Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick officiated the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility, which is being developed by E-Concern (Borneo) Sdn Bhd.
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Ewon said the strategic project would create new employment opportunities for Sabahans while supporting sustainable, safe and competitive industrial growth.
“The construction of this facility aligns with the Sabah First vision I introduced at the Ministry, which is to develop more income-earning Sabahans, either as business owners or as workers in the industrial sector,” he said.
He said the scheduled waste management facility is a critical requirement to support industrial growth, particularly as scheduled waste management will eventually be taken over by the State Government.
“Among the main benefits of this project are reducing dependency on facilities outside Sabah, lowering logistics costs, ensuring compliance with environmental standards, reducing pollution risks and attracting new investments to Sogip, KKIP and POIC,” Ewon said.
He added that the facility is projected to generate some 270 job opportunities when fully operational, with priority given to Sabahans.
Ewon hopes all relevant agencies and departments, including the Department of Environment, Sabah Environmental Protection Department, SOGDC, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Local Authorities and the Public Works Department, would continue to collaborate to ensure smooth project implementation and compliance with established standards.
He said his Ministry is committed to strengthening the investment ecosystem in line with Sabah Maju Jaya aspirations through three main focuses, namely, increasing investor confidence through clear policies and efficient agency coordination, empowering local entrepreneurs to participate in investor supply chains and strengthening logistics and transportation ecosystems, including port capacity, industrial facilities and utility support.
On investment performance, Ewon said according to the MIDA, Sabah’s manufacturing sector recorded approved investments totalling RM24.98 billion over a five-year period from September 2020 to September 2025.
This comprised RM19.55 billion in foreign direct investment and RM5.43 billion in domestic direct investment, involving 91 projects and creating more than 8,000 new job opportunities.
“The Sogip continues to emerge as a key catalyst for the State’s industrial growth with major investments from companies such as Esteel Enterprise Sabah, Petronas and E-Concern (Borneo) Sdn Bhd, reflecting investor confidence in Sabah’s economic potential,” he said.
Present were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Thomas Logijin, SOGDC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Mohd Azmir Datuk Ramli, E-Concern (Borneo) Sdn Bhd Director Tang Siong Hee and Sipitang District Officer Abdul Karim A.M. Zahari.
