Exhibiting at Thaifex - Anuga Asia 2025

The Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR Sabah) operates as a strategic government agency under the Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, Sabah. Headquartered in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, DIDR serves as the backbone for industrial advancement and SME empowerment across the state of Sabah, playing a critical role in stimulating investment, enhancing export potential, and fostering innovation in local industries.

Organizational Mission and Functions

Established to propel Sabah’s industrial transformation, DIDR’s core functions include:

• SME Development and Support: Through targeted financing, training, and capacity-building programs, DIDR supports over 12,000 registered SMEs in Sabah.
• Export Promotion and Trade Facilitation: Assists manufacturers and agribusinesses in gaining international market access via branding, logistics support, and trade missions.
• Industrial Research and Advisory Services: Conducts sectoral research and provides consultancy to industries to improve competitiveness, particularly in food processing, aquaculture, handicrafts, and halal products.
• Certification Programs: Operates the Authentic Sabah certification scheme to validate and promote locally made products in domestic and international markets.
• Site and Infrastructure Coordination: Facilitates investor access to over 26 industrial parks and estates across Sabah, including the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) and Palm Oil Industrial Clusters (POIC Lahad Datu & Sandakan).

Leadership and Strategic Governance

Led by Helmi Bin Abdullah, DIDR’s focus under the Sabah government’s industrial blueprint is to align local development with Malaysia’s national policies such as the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 and the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP). The agency works in close coordination with federal counterparts like MIDA and MITI to channel investments and streamline policy implementation.

Unique Value Proposition

• Authentic Sabah Branding: Over 450 certified local products under the Authentic Sabah label, recognized across Borneo and exported to ASEAN markets.
• Integrated Trade Support: One-stop support for exporters, including advisory on HS codes, customs procedures, logistics, and FTA certifications.
• Cluster Development Focus: DIDR promotes sectoral clustering, especially in value-added timber, halal food, rubber downstream, and marine-based industries.

Industrial Impact and Economic Contribution

• Sabah’s manufacturing sector contributed RM 9.62 billion (approx. USD 2.1 billion) to the state's GDP in 2023, with DIDR instrumental in policy and infrastructure support.
• Through its development programs, DIDR has helped increase SME export participation by 28% over the last five years.
• Facilitated over RM 700 million in domestic and foreign investments in key manufacturing clusters since 2020.

Digital and Public Service Enhancement

DIDR has implemented several digital initiatives including:

• Online Product Directory: Catalog of Authentic Sabah products accessible by buyers, distributors, and trade bodies.
• E-Consultation Services: Remote industrial advisory services piloted in 2022, now supporting 1,000+ businesses annually.
• Facebook Engagement: Provides real-time updates, business calls, grant announcements, and industrial statistics via its social media handle.

Target Market and Beneficiaries

• Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Sabah
• Local manufacturers and artisan producers
• International buyers seeking authentic and halal-certified products
• Investors targeting Borneo and ASEAN production hubs
• Trade facilitators, logistics operators, and business chambers

Collaboration and Compliance

• Collaborates with MATRADE, SIRIM, MIDA, and HDC for trade fairs, certifications, and investment facilitation.
• Participates in ASEAN SME programs, including the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) initiative.

Achievements and Recognitions

• DIDR’s Authentic Sabah brand has been recognized by MATRADE as a key rural export success story.
• Selected as Sabah’s SME Development Excellence Agency in 2022 by the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC).
• Achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management systems in industrial advisory services.

Training, Outreach, and Empowerment

• Conducts more than 60 SME-focused training sessions annually covering export readiness, food safety, halal compliance, and digital marketing.
• Supported 3,500 entrepreneurs with business matching and funding access between 2021–2024.

Conclusion

The Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR Sabah) plays an essential role in shaping Sabah’s industrial future through innovation, certification, and strategic stakeholder engagement. With an inclusive development model and proven industrial impact, DIDR remains a catalyst in elevating Sabah's prominence on the regional and global economic map.