Sabah Government Launches Bold Youth Initiatives to Empower Future Leaders and Drive Development

11 October 2025

KOTA KINABALU: Two new initiatives aimed at enhancing youth development programmes have been announced, which will have a greater impact on young people.

The Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, stated that the two programmes, to be implemented in collaboration with the Sabah Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Sabah Youth Council, are the establishment of the Sabah Youth Action Council and the Young Thinkers of the Chief Minister.

He explained that the Sabah Youth Action Council is an executive body responsible for the inclusive and integrated development and well-being of youth.

“The second initiative, the Young Thinkers of the Chief Minister, is a new platform for young people to directly express their views, ideas, and aspirations to the state government.

“So, Sabah’s youth should be prepared to share what they want the government to implement for the benefit of youth and the people of Sabah as a whole,” he said.

He made these remarks during the Tamu Suara 360: Sabah Youth Aspirations 2025 programme at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Saturday.

Regarding the Tamu Suara 360 programme, Hajiji emphasised that it highlights the need for more opportunities and suitable spaces for Sabah’s youth to showcase their talents and potential.

“This Tamu Suara 360 is not just a programme; it is a platform that instills confidence that the voices of youth will not end here."

"I want every criticism, suggestion, concern, and dream expressed during this programme to be translated into a living document—refined, interpreted, and defended—until it becomes policy,” he said.

During the event, he also shared with young people the efforts undertaken by the government to assist the youth sector, particularly in terms of human capital development and education.

He noted that over the past four years, his administration has spent RM1.3 billion on developing human capital and education through various aid programmes and related initiatives.

“Scholarships have also been increased, and we will add more next year. This year, we provided 12,000 scholarships, each worth RM5,000 for Bumiputera Muslims, RM5,000 for Bumiputera non-Muslims, and RM2,000 for the Chinese community.

“However, this is still not enough, which is why we established the Sabah Education Fund, through which Sabah children from less-privileged families who have not yet received scholarships can be assisted. More than 10,000 have already been helped so far,” he said.

Hajiji also shared the journey of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government, which faced various challenges before successfully stabilising the government and the economy over the past five years through the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Roadmap.

He urged young people to help the government explain what has been done and the achievements made to the people, so they receive accurate and clear information to counter misinformation from opponents.

“I'm asking young voices to explain to the people what the government has done; it’s unfair for us, who have worked hard to generate high revenue and return it to the people, to be slandered in various ways by the opposition,” he said.