KOTA KINABALU: Youth, Sports and Creative Economy Development Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan (
pic) described 2026 as the start of an important phase as the state moves into the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 agenda following the conclusion of the 17th Sabah Election.
He said the mandate given to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) reflected voters’ preference for political stability, continuity and a government with a clear direction for the state’s future.
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Nizam said the unity government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor carried not just electoral victory but a responsibility to deliver consistent policies and steady administration focused on the people.
He said 2026 would mark the rollout of SMJ 2.0 (2026–2030), which builds on economic growth, human capital development and sustainable infrastructure as the state’s core development pillars.
Within his ministry, Nizam said the focus would be on nurturing proactive and competitive youth, strengthening leadership skills, future-ready competencies and volunteerism to ensure young people become contributors rather than spectators in Sabah’s development.
He said efforts to position Sabah as a sporting state would continue alongside a push to grow the creative and digital economy as a new, sustainable driver of jobs and income.
Nizam said the state government would continue to assert Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) while maintaining constructive ties with the Federal Government, calling on Sabahans to work together in building a more stable and progressive State in 2026.
