SANDAKAN: The National Jom Beli Produk Malaysia (JOM MALAYSIA) Movement is expected to serve as a catalyst in elevating Sabah-made products and brands to the international stage, in line with the “local to global” aspiration, one of the key focus areas of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 Roadmap.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the aspirations championed by JOM MALAYSIA are well aligned with the State Government’s economic development agenda, which emphasises sustainable, inclusive and competitive growth through the empowerment of local entrepreneurs and expanded market access.
He said JOM MALAYSIA is more than just a sales festival or a platform to promote local products, but a strategic movement that brings together entrepreneurs, the government, industry players, financial institutions and consumers in building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“SMJ 2.0 and JOM MALAYSIA share the same objective of empowering local entrepreneurs, increasing the value of products and services, and expanding market access to create more economic opportunities for the people.
“This synergy will establish a comprehensive development chain, beginning with entrepreneur empowerment, followed by product development and market expansion, in line with the ‘local to global’ aspiration,” he said when officiating the JOM MALAYSIA Festival 2026 at the Sandakan Sports Complex here today.
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister III cum Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Hajiji said Sabah’s selection as one of the festival venues reflects recognition of the State’s economic strengths and the Federal Government’s confidence in Sabah’s potential as a key driver of economic growth in East Malaysia.
He said Sabah is not only rich in cultural diversity, heritage and natural resources, but is also home to a growing community of entrepreneurs producing a wide range of locally branded products with high commercial value, including food, handicrafts, fashion, and creative and innovative products from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
With an estimated population of 3.8 million last year and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of RM88.8 billion, which recorded a growth of 5.1 per cent, Sabah has emerged as one of the largest and most dynamic consumer markets in East Malaysia, he added.
Commenting on the international potential of Sabah products, Hajiji said the achievements recorded by local entrepreneurs last year demonstrated that the State’s products are capable of competing in global markets.
He said 124 Sabah small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs participated in 18 international trade expos in 2025, generating potential sales worth RM95.9 million, an increase of 37.12 per cent from RM60.4 million the previous year.
“This achievement proves that Sabah-made products possess the quality, uniqueness and competitiveness to penetrate global markets. That is why JOM MALAYSIA should be viewed as a platform capable of creating greater opportunities for local entrepreneurs to grow and expand their markets,” he said.
To further strengthen the State’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, he said the Sabah Government, through SMJ 2.0, has introduced various initiatives, including the SME-UP Assistance Programme spearheaded by the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR), with an allocation of RM15 million to develop 600 MSMEs.
In addition, the Sabah Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Programme has been introduced to help commercialise local food products through development grants, retort machine assistance and halal certification support to enhance product marketability.
Hajiji said both initiatives complement the aspirations of JOM MALAYSIA in developing competitive entrepreneurs and products that are ready for both domestic and international markets.
Meanwhile, he said the tourism sector also plays an important role in realising the local-to-global aspiration, particularly in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Sabah Year 2027.
He said Sabah recorded 3.79 million visitor arrivals and generated RM8.74 billion in tourism receipts last year, highlighting the sector’s significant potential as a catalyst for promoting local products and services.
“Every festival, expo and promotional programme not only encourages the purchase of local products but also provides an avenue to introduce Sabah’s identity to tourists from within the country and abroad.
“When tourists enjoy our local cuisine, purchase handicrafts, use our services or take home Sabah-made products, they become ambassadors who introduce the Sabah brand to the international stage. This is the true ‘local to global’ aspiration that we seek to achieve together,” he said.
In this regard, he proposed that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), together with the State Government, consider organising JOM MALAYSIA in more strategic destinations across Sabah during Visit Sabah Year 2027 to expand the programme’s reach to local entrepreneurs while strengthening the promotion of Sabah products to both domestic and international tourists.-pr/BNN
