# Sabah human capital and leadership development

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sabah-human-capital-and-leadership-development
> Updated: 2026-10-29T05:31:49.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 3.

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Haji Noor has focused on human capital development as a primary driver for the state’s economic and social growth. He has emphasized a balanced education system that combines religious instruction, such as Al-Quran education, with academic, technical, and vocational skills (TVET) to produce well-rounded professionals.

This focus has progressed into specific leadership and youth initiatives. The Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Fellow program, recently marked by the commissioning of the 5.0 cohort, is intended as an investment in future state leadership, with an emphasis on developing maturity, confidence, and networking capabilities. The Chief Minister has urged state-linked companies to integrate youth talent development into their core business agendas rather than treating it as a secondary corporate social responsibility initiative.

To support these goals, the state government has allocated RM98.06 million to the Ministry of Youth Development, Sports, and Creative Economy for 2026. This funding targets human capital development, youth association grants, and entrepreneurship through the Sabah Youth Entrepreneur Scheme (SYABAS). Further efforts to engage young people include the Chief Minister’s Young Thinkers platform for policy formulation and the SMJ Friendly House program for young families.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-29: Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor highlights youth role in economic development

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor announced RM98.06 million in funding for youth development in 2026 to drive the Sabah Maju Jaya economic plan.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sabah-chief-minister-hajiji-noor-highlights-youth-role-in-economic-development

### 2026-10-08: Sabah SMJ Fellow program to cultivate future state leadership

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Haji Noor highlighted the SMJ Fellow program as a vital investment in youth leadership to drive the state's future economic and administrative direction.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sabah-smj-fellow-program-to-cultivate-future-state-leadership

### 2026-10-02: Sabah Chief Minister emphasizes education for human capital development

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Haji Noor emphasized developing quality human capital through balanced religious and academic education, alongside collaborative funding initiatives for state students.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sabah-chief-minister-emphasizes-education-for-human-capital-development

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Cite as: Sabah human capital and leadership development. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sabah-human-capital-and-leadership-development