KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia) has completed nine master plan and feasibility study reports to guide Sabah’s development under the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026–2030).
Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, who chairs Sedia, said the plans focus on accelerating development in lagging regions.
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Among them are the Sabah Border Economic Development Study proposing four catalytic and 27 additional projects, and the Sabah Interior Food Valley Master Plan covering Keningau, Tambunan, Tenom, Tongod and Nabawan across 2.3 million hectares.
Since its establishment, Sedia has received RM3.7 billion in federal allocations, including RM646.3 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
Hajiji said corridor development and specialised production hubs will continue under 13MP to unlock local economic potential.
Among key achievements under the Sabah Development Corridor from the 9th to 11th Malaysia Plans are the RM64.1 million Keningau Integrated Livestock Centre, producing 2.5 million litres of milk annually and contributing 29.6 per cent of Sabah’s milk output in 2022, and the RM932 million POIC Lahad Datu, which has generated RM4.1 billion in investments and 3,099 jobs.
Infrastructure highlights include the 16.1km Tanjung Aru–UMS pedestrian and cycling path, the UiTM–Sepangar Bay Container Port dual carriageway with a 600m tunnel, and the 48.5km Tongod–Pinangah road, cutting travel time from four hours to one.
Sedia has also set up the RM100 million Sandakan Education Hub and implemented 1,230 Madani initiatives worth RM102.3 million under 12MP, covering poverty eradication and people-centric programmes.
Hajiji said balanced development is crucial to narrowing regional gaps, stressing that long-term social and economic returns should outweigh short-term ROI considerations.
