by David E.
KOTA KINABALU: Sept 26, 2026 — Sabah must make downstream activities a culture and direction to produce high-value products, thereby raising the incomes of farmers, planters, smallholders and fishermen.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Haji Noor said the approach was important to maximise the value chain of the agro-food sector and strengthen food security.
“We need to change from a state dependent solely on exporting raw agricultural commodities to a producer and exporter of high-value finished products,” he said in a speech text read by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Datuk Jamawi Jaafar at the Lumi Borneo Latex Pillow launch at Suria Sabah here yesterday.
He said Sabah needed to shift to producing high-value downstream products that directly improved the welfare and living standards of farming, planting, smallholder and fishing communities.
The launch of the Lumi Borneo Pillow by the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) proved the ability of a local agency to optimise the state’s natural resources.
“Don’t stop at pillows. Step up efforts to diversify the production of high-quality rubber-based products,” he said.
He said downstream activities also opened job opportunities in production, packaging, logistics, marketing and quality control.
The rubber smallholder community was proud when their latex was processed into the final Lumi Pillow product. The product was not produced by another private company, but was the result of the expertise of the LIGS team.
He believed LIGS had the opportunity to explore other downstream products such as latex mattresses and rubber shoes. The state government would continue to support Sabah’s rubber industry and give returns to smallholders.
