Armizan Mohd Ali said Sabah’s revenue stood at about RM4 billion in 2020 and remained unchanged for more than a decade, before increasing to nearly RM7 billion within five years under chief minister Hajiji Noor’s administration.

In comparison, Sarawak’s revenue reached RM10 billion in 2020 and increased to RM13.5 billion by 2025, the highest among Malaysian states, he said.

“I am not ashamed to admit that we in Sabah want to follow Sarawak’s path,” the Papar MP was quoted as saying by Dayak Daily.

Armizan said that to emulate Sarawak’s achievements, Sabah would need to ensure political stability and continue its focus on development.

The domestic trade and cost of living minister also praised the Sarawak government’s response to the global economic and energy-related uncertainties sparked by the Iran war, which has led to higher import costs.

He said the federal government increased subsidy allocations for diesel, petrol, and liquefied petroleum gas to help cushion the impact on consumers.

“But which state government was the first to announce additional allocations to help the people? It was none other than the Sarawak government.”