Kota Kinabalu: A 9,403-acre forest preservation area is being planned for inclusion in the upcoming Kudat Blue Economy Industrial Park (KBEIP), helping Sabah attract eco-friendly investors while boosting ocean-based economic growth.
The KBEIP, designed specifically for blue economy industries, is among three new industrial parks approved by the State Cabinet last year to attract investment and create jobs. The other two are the Integrated Industrial Park in Kota Belud and the Beaufort Industrial Park.
“A key strength of the KBEIP lies in its integrated sustainability framework,” said the Industry, Entrepreneurship and Transport Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Datuk Thomas Logijin, at the 3rd International Business Events Forum, here, Wednesday.
The forum, themed “Global Collaboration Through Business Events”, is jointly organised by the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers and the Sabah International Convention Centre.
Daily Express is among the media partners.
Among delegates include mayors from Pakistan and the Philippines including Sarawak Deputy Speaker.
“The KBEIP reflects a holistic development model where industry, environment and community coexist,” Thomas said.
“By anchoring blue economy principles with green energy, carbon management and port-centric logistics, the park is set to become a catalyst for northern Sabah’s economic transformation and a benchmark for sustainable industrial development in the region,” he added.
Thomas said the 9,403-acre area will serve as a carbon capture zone, preserving forests that naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the air.
“This shows Sabah’s commitment to fighting climate change while allowing the State to participate in carbon credit programmes and attract companies focused on environmental responsibility.
“The KBEIP is envisioned as a next-generation coastal industrial hub that integrates sustainable industry, green energy and marine-based economic activities,” he said.
Located in Kampung Limau-Limauan, Kudat, the KBEIP will be Borneo’s northern gateway, facing major shipping routes across the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region.
The park, covering about 13,737 acres, will be divided into zones with different purposes.
“At its core is a 1,205-acre industrial zone, planned to accommodate downstream processing, blue economy industries, logistics and supporting infrastructure.
“This zone is complemented by a dedicated Ports and Jetties Zone (100 acres), providing direct sea access for bulk handling, export-oriented industries and marine logistics … reducing transportation costs and enhancing supply chain efficiency,” he said.
A 3,129-acre feedstock zone will provide raw materials, green energy production and bio-based resources for companies in the park.
The KBEIP is about 50.8 km from Pekan Kudat and 173 km from Kota Kinabalu, providing access to workers and markets while offering space for large factories.
The strategic location gives investors easy access to Asean and East Asian markets.
“Infrastructure at the KBEIP is planned to meet industrial-grade performance standards, with scalable utilities capable of supporting high-load, continuous operations,” Thomas said.
“This allows investors to meet ESG requirements, attract sustainable financing and comply with international environmental and governance standards … an increasingly critical factor for global investors.
“As one of Sabah’s earliest large-scale blue economy industrial parks, the KBEIP offers first-mover advantages to early investors,” he added.
For the record, Sabah currently has four existing industrial parks, namely the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park, Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park, POIC Lahad Datu and the Sawit Kinabalu Sandakan Industrial Park.
The three new industrial parks are the KBEIP, a dedicated Blue Economy Industrial Park, the Integrated Industrial Park in Kota Belud, focusing on green-tech products, semiconductors, low-energy industries, medical devices, and electronics and the Beaufort Industrial Park, focusing on petrochemicals, manufacturing, heavy industry and general industry.
