Sabah’s 2025 trade hits RM105.5bil

 Total trade crossed the RM100 billion mark for the fourth consecutive year.

Sabah exported palm oil worth RM16.8 billion last year, second only to crude petroleum.

KOTA KINABALU:

Sabah’s total trade stood at RM105.5 billion in 2025, crossing the RM100 billion mark for a fourth consecutive year despite global economic uncertainties, according to the statistics department.

The department said the state’s total trade slipped 2.1% from the previous year but remained resilient.

Sabah’s total trade reached RM118.0 billion in 2022, then declined to RM105.0 billion in 2023, rebounded to RM107.8 billion in 2024 and eased to RM105.5 billion in 2025.

“Despite ongoing global economic uncertainties, the state’s trade performance continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience,” it said in a statement.

Sabah recorded a trade surplus of RM9.9 billion in 2025, a 33.3% decrease from RM14.9 billion in 2024.

Exports fell 5.9% to RM57.7 billion from RM61.3 billion, weighed down by weaker global demand for several key commodities.

Imports, however, rose 2.8% to RM47.8 billion from RM46.4 billion.

Crude petroleum remained Sabah’s largest export at RM17.1 billion, accounting for 29.7% of total exports, followed by palm oil at RM16.8 billion.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports rose 2% to RM4.6 billion, while refined petroleum products were the state’s largest import at RM4.8 billion.

Peninsular Malaysia remained Sabah’s largest trading partner, accounting for RM49.6 billion, or 47.1%, of the state’s total trade.

China was the second-largest trading partner at RM10.4 billion, followed by Thailand (RM4.4 billion), the Republic of Korea (RM4.2 billion) and Japan (RM4.0 billion).

Exports to Asean countries totalled RM11.2 billion, with the Philippines as the largest destination at RM3.9 billion, accounting for 34.5% of Sabah’s exports to the regional bloc.

By sector, mining was the largest contributor to exports at RM23.2 billion, followed by agriculture at RM22.1 billion and manufacturing at RM12.3 billion.

By end use, intermediate goods accounted for the largest share of imports at RM17.5 billion, while imports of consumption goods and capital goods grew 13.2% and 9.1%, respectively. - FMT