JOM MALAYSIA Platform Set To Boost Sabah Products In Global Markets
SANDAKAN, July 25 (Bernama) -- The National “Let's Buy Malaysian Products” Movement (JOM MALAYSIA) is expected to catalyse the promotion of Sabah-made products and brands to the international market, in line with the "local to global" aspiration, which is one of the key focuses of the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 development agenda.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the aspirations of JOM MALAYSIA are aligned with the state'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 not merely a sales festival or a platform for promoting local products, but also a strategic movement that connects entrepreneurs, the government, industry players, financial institutions, and consumers to build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem.
"SMJ 2.0 and JOM MALAYSIA share the same objective of empowering local entrepreneurs, increasing the value-added 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 ultimately market expansion, in line with the 'local to global' aspiration," he said at the officiating of the JOM MALAYSIA Festival 2026 at the Sandakan Sports Complex today.
His speech was delivered by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Hajiji said the selection of Sabah as one of the festival's host locations recognises the state's economic strength and reflects the federal government's confidence in Sabah's potential as a driver of economic growth in East Malaysia.
Commenting on the potential of Sabah products, Hajiji said the achievements recorded by local entrepreneurs over the past year demonstrated that the state's products were capable of competing in the global market. He noted that 124 Sabah small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs participated in 18 international trade expos in 2025, generating RM95.9 million in potential sales - an increase of 37.12% compared to RM60.4 million the previous year.
He added that the state government has implemented various initiatives, including the SME-UP Assistance Programme under SMJ 2.0, led by the Department of Industrial Development and Research, with an allocation of RM15 million to develop 600 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
He said the Sabah Ready-to-Eat Programme was also introduced to help commercialise local food products through development grants, retort machine assistance, and halal certification support to improve product marketability.
According to him, both initiatives complement the aspirations of JOM MALAYSIA by developing competitive entrepreneurs and preparing products for both domestic and international markets.
Hajiji said the tourism sector also plays an important role in realising the "local to global" aspiration, particularly in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026 and Visit Sabah Year 2027. He noted that Sabah recorded 3.79 million visitor arrivals and generated RM8.74 billion in tourism revenue last year, highlighting the sector's significant potential as a catalyst for promoting local products and services.
Therefore, Hajiji proposed that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living consider collaborating with the state government to expand the JOM MALAYSIA programme to more strategic destinations across Sabah in conjunction with Visit Sabah Year 2027.
-- BERNAMA