PADAWAN: Sabah aspires to replicate the economic success of Sarawak said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister and Papar MP Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
He pointed out the stark gap in state revenue between the two Borneo states that has widened significantly over the past five years.
Speaking during a ‘Sentuhan Kasih’ programme at Kampung Bratan on Monday, Amirzan recalled that when Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor assumed office in 2020, the state’s annual revenue stood at a mere RM4 billion, a figure that had remained virtually unchanged for more than a decade.
“I am not ashamed to say that we in Sabah want to follow the footsteps of Sarawak,” he said, underlining the frank admiration Sabah’s leadership holds for its neighbour’s governance model.
In contrast, Sarawak had already reached RM10 billion in state revenue in the same year — more than double that of Sabah.
By 2025, Sarawak’s revenue has grown further to RM13.5 billion, the highest among all Malaysian states.
Armizan acknowledged the progress made under Hajiji’s five-year tenure.
Sabah’s revenue has risen from RM4 billion to nearly RM7 billion — a gain of roughly RM3 billion. Yet he conceded that the gap with Sarawak remains considerable.
The minister also raised concern over the current global economic climate, warning that the ongoing energy crisis and rising costs of imported goods — factors largely outside Malaysia’s control — could push consumer prices higher in the coming months.
Against that backdrop, Armizan praised Sarawak for being the first state in Malaysia to announce additional subsidies to shield residents from rising costs of diesel, petrol and liquefied petroleum gas — a move made possible, he said, by the state’s strong revenue base.
Closing his remarks, he issued a direct appeal to Sarawak voters not to disrupt the state’s momentum, urging continued support for stable and effective governance.
“With increased results, we will be able to help more people,” he said.
