Kota Kinabalu: Sabah became Malaysia’s top achiever in the manufacturing sector, last year, with growth topping 4.4 per cent, surpassing the national average of 0.8 per cent.

“This is Sabah’s highest growth in the sector last year,” State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe told the inaugural FMM Sabah Luncheon and Dialogue on Thursday.

“We still have a lot more work to do. We need to build our industries and expand our manufacturing industries. I urge young entrepreneurs to venture into manufacturing,” Phoong said, adding his mission is not only to attract foreign direct investments , but also domestic, which he described as lagging behind other states in the past. 

There is need to boost growth beyond 4.8 per cent per annum to at least maintain the momentum of industrialisation in the state.