Sabah Trade Statistics 2026 — Exports, Imports & Partners
Sabah’s total trade in 2025 was RM105.5 billion, down 2.1% from RM107.8 billion in 2024: exports RM57.7B, imports RM47.8B, a trade surplus of RM9.9 billion. Top exports: crude petroleum (29.7%), palm oil (about 29%) and LNG (about 8%). Top partners: Peninsular Malaysia (47.1% of trade), then China, Thailand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. Note that DOSM’s Sabah figures include trade with the rest of Malaysia, so this is not only international trade. (DOSM, released 30 July 2026.)
Three commodities (crude petroleum, palm oil and LNG) made up RM38.5 billion, about two thirds of Sabah’s RM57.7 billion exports in 2025.
Source: DOSM, Sabah External Trade Statistics 2026 (2025 data)
Trade profile and structure
Sabah's goods trade is dominated by commodities: crude petroleum, palm oil and LNG made up RM38.5 billion of its RM57.7 billion exports in 2025. It ran a trade surplus of RM9.9 billion, down 33.3% from RM14.9 billion in 2024.
Almost half of Sabah’s trade is with Peninsular Malaysia (RM49.6 billion in 2025). The largest foreign partners were China (RM10.4 billion), Thailand (RM4.4 billion), the Republic of Korea (RM4.2 billion) and Japan (RM4.0 billion). Exports to ASEAN totalled RM11.2 billion, with the Philippines the largest ASEAN buyer at RM3.9 billion.
Export structure and commodities
Total exports (2025): RM57.7 billion, down 5.9% from RM61.3 billion in 2024. By sector, mining (oil and gas) was the largest contributor at RM23.2 billion, 40.2% of exports.
Crude petroleum (29.7% of exports, RM17.1B in 2025)
Sabah’s largest single export, down from RM21.3 billion in 2024 (FMT, reporting DOSM).
Palm oil (about 29% of exports, RM16.8B in 2025)
Down from RM17.3 billion in 2024. See the palm oil page for planted area and output.
Liquefied natural gas (about 8% of exports, RM4.6B in 2025)
Up 2.0% on 2024. Produced from Sabah’s offshore gas; see the petroleum page.
Earlier versions of this page gave destination shares for each commodity and separate timber and seafood figures. We could not trace them to DOSM and have removed them.
DOSM counts Peninsular Malaysia as a trading partner, and it accounts for almost half of Sabah’s trade. China is the largest foreign partner.
Source: DOSM, Sabah External Trade Statistics 2026 (2025 data)
Imports and trade balance
Total imports (2025): RM47.8 billion, up 2.8% from RM46.4 billion in 2024.
The main import commodities were refined petroleum products (RM4.8 billion) and manufactured fertilisers (RM1.1 billion). By type, intermediate goods were largest at RM17.5 billion (36.7% of imports). Imports of consumption goods grew 13.2% and capital goods 9.1% (Bernama, reporting DOSM).
Trade trends and volatility
Sabah’s trade moves with commodity prices:
Both fell in 2025. DOSM’s chart of 2015 to 2025 shows exports peaked in 2022.
Source: DOSM, Sabah External Trade Statistics 2026
Earlier versions of this section gave total trade for 2019 to 2023. We could not match those figures to DOSM’s published values and have removed them until we can.
Trade challenges and opportunities
Commodity price volatility: Sabah’s trade and government revenues are at the mercy of global markets. A sustained commodity downturn would be economically disruptive.
Cabotage: since 1 June 2017, cargo between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, Sarawak or Labuan is exempt from cabotage, but shipping within Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan still requires Malaysian-registered vessels.
Limited export diversification: Dependence on three commodities (oil, palm, LNG) limits resilience. Building a manufacturing base for value-added processing would reduce vulnerability.
Trade facilitation: Sepanggar port is the main gateway; recent upgrades have improved throughput. Further improvements in port efficiency and logistics would reduce trade costs and support export competitiveness.
Frequently asked questions
Q What are Sabah's main exports?
Q Who is Sabah's biggest trading partner?
Q What does Sabah import?
Q Does cabotage still apply to Sabah?
Q What is the outlook for Sabah's trade balance?
Sources & References 12 sources
Last updated: 28 September 2026
Updated 27 September 2026
- DOSM: Sabah’s External Trade Statistics 2026 (released 30 July 2026) 2025 and 2024 totals, exports by product, partners (exports + imports), imports by category.
- Bernama: Sabah’s 2025 trade hits RM105.5 bln Report of the DOSM release, with partner values.
- Conventus Law: lifting of cabotage for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan Exemption from 1 June 2017 for Peninsular to East Malaysia cargo; intra-Borneo routes still covered.
Government — DOSM
- DOSM: Sabah's External Trade Statistics 2026 (2025 data, released 30 July 2026) Totals, top commodities combined RM38.5bn, partners, ASEAN, mining 40.2%, intermediate goods 36.7%.
- Bernama: Sabah's 2025 trade hits RM105.5 bln Crude petroleum RM17.1bn (29.7%), palm oil RM16.8bn, LNG RM4.6bn (+2.0%); Thailand, Korea, Japan; consumption and capital goods import growth.
- FMT, 4 July 2025: Sabah records more than RM100bil trade 3 years in a row 2024: crude petroleum RM21.3bn, palm oil RM17.3bn, LNG RM4.6bn.
- DOSM Malaysia International Trade Portal National and state-level trade statistics and analysis
Ports & Logistics
- SuriaGroup Berhad — container throughput by port Parent company of Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd. Publishes throughput per port in its annual and quarterly reporting.
- Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd Operator of Sabah's eight ports.
- Sabah Ports Authority (LPPS) State port regulator. Owner of the Sapangar Bay expansion project.