Kota Kinabalu: Industry experts at the recent SME Sabah 2025 Conference attempted to confront the difficult truth that Sabah is bleeding talent as the state grapples with low wages and high living costs.
With average wages in the state hovering around RM2,000, far below the national average of RM3,000 and Kuala Lumpur’s RM4,000, many young Sabahan workers are seeking opportunities in Peninsular Malaysia or in Singapore.
The exodus is particularly visible in the food and beverage sector, where Sabahans fill a large number of lower-tier jobs far from home.
“We’re facing a talent drain not because people want to leave Sabah, but because they feel they must,” said Dato’ Javern Lim, founder and Managing Director of VKA Financial Group, during his keynote address.
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