Masidi (third left) with Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Arifin (second left) and Sheng (third right) at the opening of the Summit.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah welcomes serious investors who are prepared to forge win-win partnerships that deliver both economic returns and meaningful social and environmental outcomes, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.
He said Sabah’s economic transformation has been remarkable, evolving from an economy largely dependent on primary sectors into a more diversified and multifaceted economic powerhouse.
“As we align with Malaysia’s broader economic objectives, our commitment to growth remains unwavering. Sabah is open for business,” he said when officiating at the opening of the Sabah Asia-Pacific Impact Investing for Sustainable Development Summit at The Magellan Sutera Resort here today. His speech was read by Deputy Chief Minister II cum Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
Hajiji said the Summit was timely as it provided a platform for thought leaders to discuss impact investing as a crucial pillar of sustainable development.
“We recognise that impact investing, at its core, means deploying capital into investments that generate measurable social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns.
“Sabah looks forward to investors who can blend expertise, experience and funding to advance inclusive social and ecological development with real results,” he said.
He said the Summit marked an important step in Sabah’s journey to become one of the Asia-Pacific region’s leading laboratories for sustainable development and impact investing.
Recalling a Sustainability Summit held here two months ago, Hajiji said Sabah had been protecting its forests, oceans, wildlife and rich ecosystems long before sustainability became a global agenda.
“Sabah has contributed not only in words but through policy, land stewardship and real sacrifice.
“Today, we are proud that almost 30 per cent of Sabah’s landmass is under Totally Protected Areas. We also maintain our status as a net carbon sink, or carbon-negative state, based on greenhouse gas inventory data, supported by our extensive forest cover that strengthens the nation’s carbon absorption capacity.
“Our inclusive forest management approach, built with local communities, enables us to balance environmental conservation with the socioeconomic wellbeing of our people. Step outside and you will feel it. Sabah’s heart and soul are rooted in our natural heritage. It is who we are,” he said.
At the same time, Hajiji stressed that Sabah’s development needs remain real and urgent.
“We need better roads, more reliable electricity, cleaner water and greater economic opportunities. Our people require tangible improvements in their livelihoods.
“We are clear that we cannot pursue growth that sacrifices the environment on which we depend in the long term.
“The question before us is not sustainability or development. It is how we build and practise an unexplored model where sustainability becomes the engine of real economic growth.
“That is the theme of this Summit and it is both the central challenge and the central opportunity for my administration,” he said.
Hajiji said the Asia-Pacific region is poised for significant growth, driven by dynamic economies, rapid urbanisation and expanding market opportunities, making it an increasingly attractive destination for investment.
“The world is looking to the Asia-Pacific not only for economic potential but also for thought leadership in key sectors such as technology, green energy and sustainable development.
“Forums like this Summit provide the ideal platform for industry leaders to forge global collaborations and introduce transformative solutions,” he said.
The Chief Minister also thanked Chairman of the George Town Institute of Open and Advanced Studies (GIOAS) at Wawasan Open University Tan Sri Andrew Sheng and his team for jointly organising the Summit with the Sabah Government through the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry.
