Kuala lumpur: The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) in Sabah has successfully completed more than 60 percent of the enumeration process for the nearly 90,000 business establishments targeted under the 2026 Economic Census (EC2026) in the state. This significant progress reflects the strong cooperation from various stakeholders throughout the census exercise.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, DOSM expressed satisfaction over the achievement and noted the importance of continued collaboration to meet the census targets. To further enhance response rates, DOSM Sabah recently organized an EC2026 engagement session with professional bodies and business associations at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC).
The session was officiated by Sabah Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives, Datuk Dr Jonnybone J. Kurum, and was attended by representatives from professional bodies, business associations, government agencies, and industry players. The event was centered around the theme 'Data: The Pulse of the People's Economy' and highlighted the significance of EC2026 in collecting comprehensive data to support effective policy planning and evaluation.
Meanwhile, Jonnybone emphasized the critical role of EC2026 in supporting Sabah's development agenda under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 roadmap for 2026 to 2030. He noted that the SMJ 2.0 focuses on high-value economic growth, human capital development, people's well-being, and environmental sustainability, all of which require accurate and up-to-date data for successful implementation.
The state government aims to increase Sabah's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to RM100 billion by 2030. In 2024, Sabah's GDP was recorded at RM84.3 billion, with the services sector being the largest contributor, followed by mining and quarrying, agriculture, manufacturing, and construction.
According to the findings of the 2023 Economic Census, Sabah had 68,267 business establishments, generating a gross output of RM182.5 billion and a value added of RM96.9 billion. These businesses employed 610,058 workers, with salaries and wages totaling RM14.6 billion, while the value of fixed assets stood at RM120.3 billion. The services sector continued to dominate, accounting for over 90 percent of the state's business establishments and contributing significantly to gross output and employment.