INGAPORE, 23 January 2026 – Sabah Trade & Tourism Office Singapore (STTOS) has been urged to intensify its efforts in promoting Sabah’s trade and tourism, particularly in the Singapore market, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, Datuk Ewon Benedick.

He said STTOS plays a crucial role as the Sabah state government’s frontline agency in promoting investment, trade, and tourism opportunities, especially in Singapore, which remains one of Sabah’s key trading partners and sources of investment.

According to Ewon, STTOS’s continuous efforts have yielded positive results by increasing the participation of Sabah-based companies in the Singapore market and stimulating greater investment interest from Singapore into the state.

“I appreciate STTOS’s ongoing initiatives in promoting investment, trade, and tourism in Sabah, which have contributed to the entry of local Sabah companies into the Singapore market and increased investment interest from Singapore,” he said.

He added that he had provided specific input on the promotion of newly developed industrial parks in Sabah under the purview of the Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport (MINDET), as well as on the promotion of community-based rural tourism, such as initiatives in Kadamaian.

“I also encouraged STTOS to promote products and services of Sabah’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly those recognised through the Sabah Industry Awards, to help them penetrate international markets,” he said.

Ewon made these remarks after visiting STTOS, an agency under MINDET, on the first day of his official working visit to Singapore.

During the visit, he received a briefing from STTOS Managing Director Wendy Clare Stephen on the office’s role and achievements in promoting Sabah’s investment, trade, and tourism in Singapore.

Beyond Singapore, Ewon also welcomed proposals to establish similar representative offices in other countries to further promote Sabah as an investment destination, while enhancing the quality and standards of Sabah’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in line with MINDET’s Sabah First vision.

He reiterated that STTOS’s sustained efforts have strengthened the presence of Sabah companies in the Singapore market and boosted investor interest from Singapore, expressing his appreciation for STTOS’s commitment and strategic role as a key bridge between Sabah and the international business community.

As part of the same working visit, Ewon held a bilateral meeting with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), led by its Director Tan Shu Yee. SBF is an apex organisation representing approximately 35,000 companies in Singapore with investment interests across Borneo, including Sabah.

During the meeting, Ewon shared updates on the expansion of industrial parks in Sabah and MINDET’s role in facilitating foreign direct investment (FDI) into the state.

“I will be hosting a meeting with SBF in Sabah during their delegation visit next month as part of our continued efforts to build an investor-friendly ecosystem aligned with the Sabah First vision,” he said.

He also met with Esteel Sabah to discuss potential expansion of the company’s investment in Sabah.

The working visit reflects the Sabah Government’s commitment to strengthening international networks, attracting quality investments, and expanding market access for local products and services.

Also present during the visit were Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Datuk Jonnybone Kurum and MINDET Permanent Secretary Datuk Thomas Logijin.