KOTA KINABALU, July 13 -- Sabah is pitching itself as an Asia-Pacific hub for impact investing, betting that its forests, biodiversity and natural resources can become drivers of economic growth as it seeks private capital for sustainable development.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said Sabah was positioning itself as one of the region's leading destinations for sustainable investment and invited investors to establish long-term partnerships that could deliver measurable social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns.

"Sabah's economic transformation has been remarkable. We have grown from an economy rooted primarily in the primary sectors into a multifaceted powerhouse," said Hajiji in his speech read by Deputy Ch...