Sabah Formulates Enactment for Sabah Youths

The State Government is formulating an enactment - the Sabah Youth Development Enactment - to strengthen the management of youth organisations, expand recognition of youth activism and put in place a more structured program for youth development. The State Ministry of Youth and Sports / Kementerian Belia dan Sukan Sabah (KBSS) and the Sabah Youth Council / Majlis Belia Sabah (MBS) are handling this transformation including the youth age transition policy issue.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said that the government will continue to prioritise youth development in Sabah and especially in education, skills, and leadership. “Political stability has opened up opportunities for continuous development and people-centric policies, including in the aspect of youth development,” Hajiji said on 17 May 2025 at the state-level National Youth Day celebrations at the Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex.

With this enactment, youth leadership will be able to contribute to the state without being sidelined due to policy changes.” The Chief Minister said that the State Government has launched several initiatives and educational assistance programmes that have benefited students in this state including the following:

• Sumbangan Mahasiswa Pengajian Tinggi dalam Negeri (SENTOSA).
• Sumbangan Kegiatan Sekolah Secara One-Off (SUKSES). These initiatives are among the 13 educational initiatives provided to students, schools, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), and Sabah undergraduate associations: domestic and abroad, totalling RM75.5 million.
• One-Off Cash Assistance for IPT Registration (BUDI).
• Computer Assistance Programme (BAIK).
• Special Cash Examination Assistance (BAKTI).
• the State Education Fund Assistance (BISTARI).
• Sabah Malaysia University Student Secretariat (SEMESTA).
• the Sabah Student Flight Ticket Assistance (GRSSUBFLY).

The skills training program was encouraging, with 35,000 enrolments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in 179 courses in the fields of science, technology, innovation, and languages in 2024. The government has also encouraged youths to venture into Sabah’s growing oil and gas industry to enhance their skills and to meet the future demands of the energy sector.

The government and the Sabah Youth Council has initiated high-impact programmes such as the Sabah Maju Jaya Fellowship (Felo SMJ) and the Sabah Youth Leadership Incubator (IKEBS) to provide platforms for youths engage in leadership and governance roles. For youth development in the sports sector, Hajiji said that the government has constructed and upgraded sports infrastructure in the rural areas and will continue to expand and upgrade the facilities.