Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy Minister Datuk Nizam Titingan said the mandate given to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the recently concluded 17th Sabah State Election reflected the people’s desire for political stability, unity and clear direction for the state’s future.
In his New Year 2026 message, Nizam said the victory of GRS under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was not merely a political win, but a clear signal that Sabahans wanted continuity in governance and leadership focused on the long-term interests of the people.
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“This mandate clearly proves that the people chose stability, political maturity and a government with a clear direction to bring Sabah towards sustained progress and success,” he said.
Nizam, who is also Gagasan Rakyat’s Information Chief, expressed his appreciation to Hajiji for entrusting him with a ministerial role, saying he accepted the responsibility with full commitment to serve the people and advance the state’s development agenda.
“I accept this appointment with a strong sense of responsibility and a commitment to work together with the state government team to ensure that every policy and initiative truly benefits the people and contributes to Sabah’s overall progress,” he said.
He said 2026 marked the beginning of an important phase with the implementation of the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 agenda for 2026 to 2030, which would continue to strengthen three main development pillars: economic growth sectors such as agriculture, industry and tourism; human capital development and public wellbeing; and the expansion of sustainable, green-based infrastructure.
Under his ministry, Nizam said efforts would focus on cultivating proactive, competitive and high-impact youth through leadership development, future skills, innovation and volunteerism.
“Our youths must not only be recipients of opportunities, but value creators and active contributors to the state’s development and community wellbeing,” he said.
He added that initiatives to position Sabah as a sports state would be pursued holistically, covering high-performance sports, sports for persons with disabilities and mass participation sports to promote a healthy lifestyle among the people.
At the same time, he said the state would intensify efforts to empower the creative economy, particularly in creative and digital sectors, through skills development, innovation, marketing and better management to ensure it becomes a sustainable and competitive new economic driver for Sabah.
On state rights, Nizam said the Sabah government would remain consistent in safeguarding Sabah’s interests under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, through principled and prudent engagement within the federal framework.
“This struggle is carried out to ensure Sabah’s rights continue to be strengthened, while maintaining close and constructive relations between the Sabah government under Sabah Maju Jaya and the Federal Government based on Malaysia MADANI,” he said.
He called on Sabahans to continue supporting and working together with the state government, stressing that building a more advanced and successful Sabah was a shared responsibility.
“May 2026 bring new hope, lasting stability and more meaningful progress for Sabah and its people,” he said.
