Government Focusses on Infrastructure, Blue Economy, and People’s Well-being

The Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 roadmap’s core focus is human capital development, people’s well-being, infrastructure, and green sustainability. During the Chief Minister’s “Keynote Address to Sabah Civil Servants and the Launch of SMJ 2.0” on 30 January 2026 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Kota Kinabalu, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said that human capital development - with an allocation of RM164.01 million - is top priority.

This includes the expansion of scholarship; increase educational assistance; enhancement of TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education) ecosystems; agricultural training, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy. SMJ 2.0 will continue educational aid worth RM203.4 million. In addition, the Sabah State Government Scholarship (Biasiswa Kerajaan Negeri Sabah) has been increased from RM55 million in 2021 to RM145 million in 2025. A total of 480,000 student has benefited from government educational assistance.

"The Rumah Mesra SMJ program has benefited 7,482 recipients and will continue in 2026, targeting the poor, the hardcore poor, and newly married young couples. The Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (SYUKUR) program has also been expanded from 100,000 to 140,000 recipients, with an allocation of RM339.16 million for 2026, complementing federal assistance such as the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah,” Hajiji said.

The Infrastructure and Green Sustainability thrust has a RM6.8 billion allocation for the development of infrastructure, utilities, and sustainable energy including the financing of the Pan Borneo Highway, the construction and upgrading of water treatment plants, the strengthening of the electricity grid, and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) projects, hydroelectricity, blue energy generation, and digital infrastructures. Green sustainability gets a RM672.05 million allocation for biodiversity protection, environmental conservation, and climate change response. The SMJ 2.0 has designated the Blue Economy as a strategic driver for the development of marine biotechnology, smart fisheries, modern mariculture, logistics, and sustainable tourism.

The government has introduced Blue Financing through Maybank for the issuance of a RM1 billion Blue Sukuk, with an initial instalment of RM300 million, to provide financial facilities for companies. The Chief Minister stressed that the success of SMJ 2.0 is a shared responsibility and that leaders and civil service employees must manage funds and allocations efficiently and transparently.