KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Government is reinforcing its commitment to human capital development through the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 Roadmap, with the aim of producing a highly skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of emerging industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology and other high-impact strategic sectors.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said developing local talent remains one of the State Government’s foremost priorities to ensure Sabahans are well-positioned to take up high-quality employment opportunities created through new investments and the expansion of strategic industries.
He said the Government aspires to see more Sabahans excel as engineers, technologists, skilled technicians, data scientists, AI specialists and industry leaders who can compete confidently on the global stage.
“The State Government remains steadfast in implementing its people-centred development agenda through the SMJ 2.0 Roadmap, with the objective of building a prosperous, competitive and inclusive Sabah where the benefits of development are shared by all,” he said.
His speech was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Datuk Ewon Benedick during the presentation ceremony of the 2026 Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS) assistance for Sabah at the Magellan Sutera Resort here on Monday.
The ceremony was graced by Sabah Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima (Dr.) Musa Haji Aman.
Hajiji noted that rapid advances in digital technology, automation and artificial intelligence are fundamentally transforming the global labour market, creating new career opportunities while requiring workers to acquire new knowledge and skills.
He said trade unions must evolve alongside these changes by embracing digital transformation, strengthening organisational capabilities and equipping members with relevant competencies through continuous upskilling initiatives.
He also stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between trade unions, employers, training institutions and government agencies to cultivate a culture of lifelong learning while expanding access to reskilling and upskilling programmes for the workforce. Hajiji said these collective efforts are essential to ensuring Sabah remains economically competitive and possesses a future-ready workforce capable of supporting sustainable growth under the SMJ 2.0 development agenda.