KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s digital transformation must translate into higher productivity, quality jobs, stronger local businesses and greater investment rather than adopting technology for its own sake, says Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
The Deputy Chief Minister II and state Finance Minister said emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, cloud computing and data analytics should ultimately be judged by the economic value and opportunities they create for Sabah and its people.
“Technology is a means to an end. It is not the end itself. The real question for Sabah is what these technologies can do for our economy and for Sabahans,” he said when officiating the 10th Malaysia Digital Economy Forum 2026 (MDEF2026) at ITCC, Penampang, Tuesday.
Masidi said Sabah should leverage technology to improve Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) productivity, create higher-value employment, strengthen public and business services and manage the State’s natural resources more sustainably.
He said this was particularly relevant as Sabah expands its Blue Economy, where digital technologies could support fisheries, aquaculture, marine resource management, logistics and sustainable tourism.
“The ocean economy of tomorrow will increasingly depend on data, artificial intelligence, automation, digital platforms and smart logistics. These can help us improve productivity, strengthen supply chains and connect Sabah businesses to markets beyond our shores,” he said.
Masidi also stressed the importance of developing local talent, saying Sabah should not remain merely a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.
He urged investors and technology companies to provide training, knowledge transfer and greater opportunities for local SMEs, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
“When you invest in Sabah, invest also in Sabahan talent. Investment should leave behind something more valuable than the investment itself - capability,” he said.
Masidi added that greater digitalisation must also be accompanied by stronger cybersecurity, data protection and public trust, while forums such as MDEF2026 should ultimately lead to concrete outcomes such as investments, business partnerships, training programmes and new opportunities for Sabahans.
