KOTA KINABALU: More organisations in Sabah are encouraged to adopt waste reduction measures and improve resource efficiency as the state moves towards a more sustainable economy.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor commended the Zero Waste to Landfill initiative highlighted at the Sustainable Action Conference 2026 (SAC 4.0), describing it as a practical step towards sustainability.
The initiative encourages participating organisations to divert at least 75 per cent of their operational waste from landfills within 12 months.
"I encourage more organisations in Sabah to consider how they can reduce waste, recover resources and improve efficiency in their own operations," he said in his speech.
His speech was read by Assistant Minister Datuk Ceasar Mandela Malakun at the opening of the conference at a hotel here.
Held in Sabah for the first time, the event was organised by Control Union Malaysia with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Malaysia.
The initiative is a flagship corporate social responsibility project held in conjunction with the conference. It focuses on sustainability education and peer-to-peer learning, empowering students to become sustainability champions in their communities.
Hajiji said the state government could not drive the transition to a more sustainable economy alone, stressing the need for collaboration among businesses, financial institutions, investors, researchers and communities.
"Sabah welcomes partnerships that can bring new investment, technologies and expertise to our state.
"At the same time, we want these opportunities to create meaningful employment, strengthen local capabilities and deliver tangible benefits to our people," he said.
He said the success of Sabah's sustainability efforts should be measured not only by the investments secured, but also by the long-term value they generated for the state and its people.
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