He said that based on preliminary figures from January until September this year, the manufacturing sector contributed 68% of the total investments, followed by the primary sector (19%) and services sector (13%).

“These investments are expected to create more than 4,500 employment opportunities,” said Awang Tengah, who is also the state international trade, industry and investment minister.

Winding up for his ministry at the Sarawak legislative assembly here today, he said the manufacturing sector was the largest contributor, attracting RM11.37 billion worth of investments from 73 projects.

“Newly-approved investments are related to manufacturing, mainly in non-metallic mineral products, which secured RM6.3 billion, chemical and chemical products (RM769 million), and basic metal products (RM62 million). These show domestic and foreign investors’ continued confidence in Sarawak,” he said.

Awang Tengah said existing investors were also taking advantage of the favourable business climate in the state to expand their investments, especially in basic metal products, with RM2.3 billion, electrical and electronics products (RM1.2 billion), as well as chemical and chemical products (RM154 million).

At the same time, he said Sarawak has been receiving new investment proposals from both foreign and domestic investors for the production of battery components for use in electric vehicles (RM5 billion), green metal (RM2.59 billion) and medical gloves (RM1.5 billion).

“Investment in mining was the main contributor of the primary sector with four main projects from oil and gas upstream activities worth RM2.7 billion. These projects are located offshore, off Miri and Bintulu,” he said.