KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor emphasized human capital development, people’s well-being, infrastructure, and green sustainability as the core tenets of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 roadmap.
He stated human capital development is top priority, with an allocation of RM164.01 million. This includes the expansion of scholarships, educational assistance, TVET, STEM, agricultural training, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy.
According to the Chief Minister, SMJ 2.0 will continue providing 14 types of educational aid worth RM203.4 million. Furthermore, the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) has seen a significant increase, rising from RM55 million in 2021 to RM145 million for 2025.
He noted that a total of 480,000 students have benefited from government educational assistance, which includes the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for scholarship applications and entry into the civil service.
“The Rumah Mesra SMJ program has already benefited 7,482 recipients and will continue this year with 50 units per state constituency, specifically targeting the poor, the hardcore poor, and newly married young couples,” he said.
“The Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (SYUKUR) program has also been expanded from 100,000 to 140,000 recipients, with an allocation of RM339.16 million this year, complementing federal assistance such as the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah,” he added during the Chief Minister’s Keynote Address to Sabah Civil Servants and the Launch of SMJ 2.0 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) on Friday.
Under the Infrastructure and Green Sustainability thrust, RM6.8 billion has been allocated under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) for the development of infrastructure, utilities, and sustainable energy.
This includes strategic projects such as the Pan Borneo Highway, the construction and upgrading of water treatment plants, the strengthening of the electricity grid, and projects involving Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), hydroelectricity, and blue energy generation.
The government is also expanding digital infrastructure through e-Desa centers, VSAT, and Starlink, in line with an AI-driven digital government agenda.
On green sustainability, RM672.05 million has been allocated for biodiversity protection, environmental conservation, and climate change response, with a target of achieving 30% Totally Protected Areas (TPA) by 2030.
The Blue Economy has been designated as a strategic driver of SMJ 2.0, encompassing the development of marine biotechnology, smart fisheries, modern mariculture, logistics, and sustainable tourism, as well as utilizing rivers as economic lifelines for rural areas.
Hajiji announced that the government has introduced Blue Financing through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maybank for the issuance of a RM1 billion Blue Sukuk, with an initial installment of RM300 million, to provide financial facilities for involved companies.
The Chief Minister stressed that the success of SMJ 2.0 depends on civil servants, who serve as the heart of policy implementation. He noted that efficiency, integrity, and discipline will determine the extent to which development is translated into tangible results for the people.
He also emphasised that the state government would not return to old approaches, asserting that decisions are made in the long-term interest of Sabah, even if they are occasionally unpopular.
“The success of SMJ 2.0 is our shared responsibility – ensuring job opportunities are created, strategic investments continue, and state revenue is managed efficiently, transparently, and accountably for the people now and future generations,” he said.-pr/BNN
