Held at Sunway University on 13 – 14 January 2025, the 2025 ASEAN Workshop on Sustainable Development: Accelerating ASEAN Progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, involved several SDSN Malaysia Leadership Council members.

Day 1

Day 2

Imagine a world where losing everything doesn’t mean losing hope.

SDSN Malaysia Youth recently organised “Hope for Her”, a unique plant-potting fundraising campaign in support of Grace Home, a shelter focused on supporting women.

Recognizing the pressing issues of gender inequality and the plight of women facing challenging circumstances, the campaign sought to raise awareness while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 5 and 10: Good Health and Well-being; Gender Equality; and Reduced Inequalities.

A Seed of Hope

At the heart of “Hope for Her” was a simple yet powerful concept: every RM10 donated allowed participants to plant a seed of hope. By engaging in a fun and interactive plant-potting activity, donors not only contributed to a worthy cause but also took home a tangible symbol of their generosity. The act of nurturing a growing plant mirrored the spirit of the campaign – to cultivate a brighter future for the women of Grace Home.

Grace Home, a beacon of hope for countless women since its establishment in 1980, provides shelter, food, clothing, medical care, and emotional support to destitute women. The home’s unwavering commitment to restoring dignity and purpose to those in need aligns perfectly with the goals of “Hope for Her.”

A Blooming Impact

The funds raised through “Hope for Her” will directly support Grace Home’s operations, enabling them to continue providing essential services to their residents. It is a testament to the power of collective action and the compassion of the Sunway community that the campaign successfully raised RM424.88 in just two days.

Beyond the financial contribution, “Hope for Her” served as a platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by women in society. By engaging students and staff in a meaningful and interactive way, the campaign fostered empathy and understanding of the issues affecting women.

As the planted seeds grow and flourish, so too will the impact of “Hope for Her.” This initiative is a small but significant step towards creating a more just and equitable world for all women. SDSN Malaysia Youth remains committed to supporting causes that uplift marginalised communities and contribute to a sustainable future.

This project was framed, conceptualised and carried out by Sunway University students Thrishaalini Palani, Cherry Foo Sze Xing and Wennie Gotama.

For more information about Grace Home or to support their work, please visit https://www.gracehomeklang.org

Or contact them via
Email: gracehomeklang@gmail.com

Tel:
+6-03-3166 3500/3501
+6012-2978280 (Desmond Teo) or +6012-2967895 (Winnie Teow)

New Programmes

In the face of short term urgencies, Sachs emphasised the unique place of universities to “gather knowledge, to search for truth, to create innovations in technology and in social institutions, and to look ahead”. To support the training of students in creating the desired technologies and pathways, Sachs pressed for the setting up of new programmes to enable students to concentrate on sustainable development in their studies.

“Sunway University is one of the great pioneers of that in Asia and the world,” Sachs remarked, referring to the provision of a dual track option (in-person and online instruction) for students throughout the world to qualify for a Masters in Sustainable Development Management (MSDM).

Interdisciplinary Engagements

“We need interdisciplinary research, which bring together earth scientists, engineers, economists, psychologists, and other specialists in the behavioural scientists, ethicists, philosophers.” Sachs reported that, from his prolonged engagements in the past quarter century with researchers leading interdisciplinary efforts from Harvard University, Columbia University and Sunway University, a large number of researchers have now acquired the ability to speak in the languages of other disciplines.

Universities are setting up interdisciplinary research centres to convene experts for policy-oriented research. “The problems of sustainable development are so complex, so interconnected, so systems based, that we need the universities to engage in actual problem-solving research”. These solutions require researchers to consider particularities at various scales, that of a locality, of a country and of a region.

Regional Conveners

Academics naturally create knowledge networks as part of their research. These cross-country and domestic collaborative relationships can over time be harnessed to convene key experts for solutions building from multiple sectors. Sachs explained, “universities play an inimitable role in convening stakeholders across sectors, from the government sector, the academic, scientific and research sectors, the business sector and civil society.”

Sachs highlighted the work of the ASEAN Green Future project at Sunway University, which brings together research teams in the ASEAN countries to work on the individual national transformation to green energy, and on the unification of national electricity transmission systems, so that each of the countries and the region as a whole achieves decarbonisation of their power generation systems.

Learning and Networking for the SDGs

Sunway University hosts the SDG Academy of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN-SDSN), which has the largest global online repository of publicly accessible interdisciplinary high-quality courses on a wide-range of sustainable development issues.

Sachs also highlighted the work of the Networks Team operating out of the Asia Headquarters of the UN-SDSN hosted at Sunway University, which mobilizes universities in the Asia-Pacific region to initiate and collaborate on SDG-focused research projects, teaching programs, and policy activism.

Universities are Pivotal to Meet the Complexity of Current Times

“The complexity of our situation is beyond normal politics, beyond normal government …  [This extreme complexity requires] the universities to play a novel, innovative and central role [in problem solving].” He is much encouraged by that universities across Asia are embracing the challenge of achieving the SDGs in the near future.

Sachs ended his message by calling for the Summit of the Future, which would be held at the United Nations in September 2024, to set a common intellectual framework for collective wellbeing.

Sachs was speaking on the topic of Sustainable Development Goals in Asian Universities as part of the Times Higher Education Asia Universities Summit, which was held from April 29 to May 1, 2024 at Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur.

SDSN Malaysia Focal Points attended the launch. SDSN Member Focal Points play a pivotal role in identifying expertise within their institution to advance SDSN projects.

SDSN Malaysia is the country chapter for the Global SDSN, a network of universities and other knowledge-generating bodies. Collectively, SDSN has 1,700 members, as of December 2022. Each SDSN Chapter comprises members. In SDSN Malaysia there are 22 Member Institutions, as of December 2022. Within each Member Institution, a Focal Point serves as the link between the Member Institution and the Chapter’s Secretariat.

A Secretariat convenes this group of institutions and leads its members’ participation in SDSN initiatives. The Secretariat links members with opportunities for greater cross-institutional exchange, knowledge transfer, and relationship building.

SDSN Members are the backbone of the Malaysia Chapter, and globally SDSN Members are the ones mobilising knowledge to develop solutions practice for sustainable development.

Present physically were Focal Points from Universiti Malaya (Prof Nik Meriam Nik Sulaiman, Assoc Prof Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad, Mohd Fadhli Rahmat Fakri); University of Nottingham (Dr Matthew Ashfold); Penang Institute (Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng); Sunway University (Karen Chand, Kong Phui Yi). Representatives from Universiti Utara Malaysia (Dr Masnita Misiran, Dr Saadi Ahmad Kamaruddin) & Universiti Sains Malaysia (Dr Mohd Abd Muin Md Akil) attended online.

In addition, representatives from SDSN Malaysia members attended the networking photo session: Daniel Lee Lih Wei, Sunway University; Dr Aldrie Amir, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Dr Fong Chng Saun, Universiti Malaya.

The office in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur will serve as SDSN’s Asia Headquarters, one of only three such global centres, ranking it alongside Paris (overseeing Europe and Africa) and New York City (overseeing The Americas).

Launch speakers included Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of SDSN and world-renowned economist; Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah AO, SDSN Global Leadership Council member and Chair of SDSN Malaysia; Professor Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Executive Secretary-General of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); and former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. 

In a pilot study, the team reviewed major policy documents and select primary school textbooks and curricula, and conducted interviews with a range of education stakeholders across the country. Findings from this initial report show that, while ESD themes are present in policy documents and Ministry rhetoric, there are major barriers to implementation, particularly when it comes to teacher capacity and professional development.

Learn more about the Mission 4.7 Malaysia pilot study and its findings here.

To celebrate 10 years of SDSN, this year’s edition reflects on the growing global role of the SDSN and its achievements over the past decade. In less than ten years, SDSN has become the largest network of experts and scientists dedicated to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report focuses on the impact that our networks have had in the world over the past year – from their efforts to localize the SDGs in their countries, engage with knowledge institutions and youth, improve education for the SDGs, fight the Covid-19 pandemic and advocate for a sustainable recovery, promote viable solutions initiatives, and develop their publications, events, and actions.

The Networks program of SDSN launched its first network in 2013 and has experienced continuous growth ever since, reaching over 1700 member institutions this year and 50 networks across 6 continents. This report highlights the innovative and impactful solutions that our global network puts into practice.

Download the interactive report here.

ArcGIS Platform Presents Data Visually

Visual depictions of progress are available for SDG Indicators. Data is from DOSM and visualisations are powered by ArcGIS. Users can interact with the maps to gain insight into each state. The SDG Monitor is updated each time DOSM issues a new dataset.
Data Enhanced with Expert Commentary& Resource Materials

To aid policy makers, educators and the wider public, SDSN Malaysia has roped in over 27 expert commentators from public and private universities and think tanks. Collectively, these experts have written-up short 500-word research-backed commentary on individual indicators.

Commentaries allow non-experts to deepen understanding on the specific SDG Indicator. Resources are available for further engagement with subject matter.

SDG Monitor Benchmarks Global Sustainable Development Reporting

The SDG Monitor is formulated with close collaboration the global Sustainable Development Report (SDR) team in Paris. The SDR has been published annually since 2015. SDSN Malaysia is calling for partners to mobilise stakeholders for SDG-oriented implementation at the state and sub-state level.

Pre & Post COVID-19 Assessment

The SDG Monitor has a dedicated section to inform policy makers on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on key sustainable development issues in Malaysia.

Malaysia’s SDG Performance has Fallen Since 2017
Between the years 2017 and 2022, Malaysia’s position has declined 18 places from 54 to 72. This rank is tabulated by the global Sustainable Development Report (SDR), published annually by SDSN. In the 2022 edition of the SDG Index, a total of 94 indicators were selected to measure the achievement level of the 17 SDGs for 163 countries.

In contrast, Vietnam and China have surpassed Malaysia in the SDR rankings. In 2017, Vietnam and China ranked 71 and 68. They now rank 55 and 56 respectively, they have advanced 16 and 12 places and are now ranked where Malaysia had been back in 2017.  Indonesia is another example of similar improvement. Between 2017 and 2022, it has moved up 18 ranks, from 100 to 82. The advances in Vietnam, China and Indonesia demonstrate effective policy implementation towards sustainable development.

Access the Malaysian State-level SDG Monitor for free here [Use desktop for optimal experience]: https://sdg-for-malaysian-states-sdsn.hub.arcgis.com/

Contact Us for Briefings on the SDG Monitor
Danesh Prakash Chacko | daneshc@sunway.edu.my | +016-796 0571 | +603-7491 8622 (ext. 7521) | SDG Monitor Lead

Karen Chand | karensc@sunway.edu.my |+6016-258 0500 | SDSN Malaysia Network Manager

Kong Phui Yi | phuiyik@sunway.edu.my | +6018-661 4855 | +603-7491 8622 (ext. 7418) | SDSN Malaysia Network Manager

About the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) mobilizes scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector to support practical problem solving for sustainable development at local, national, and global scales. The SDSN has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. The SDSN is building national and regional networks of knowledge institutions, solution-focused thematic networks, and the SDG Academy, an online university for sustainable development.

SDSN Malaysia was founded in 2013 by Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, former science advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Since 2019, the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, in Sunway University, is the SDSN Malaysia secretariat, with Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, Sunway Group Founder and Chairman of Sunway Group, as chair.

On May 26th, 2022, SDSN Malaysia convened a virtual meeting to launch its state-level SDG Dashboard, called SDG Monitor, bringing together expert contributors from seven SDSN Malaysia member institutions.

Hosted on the Esri ArcGIS platform, SDSN Malaysia’s SDG Monitor is a state-level dashboard for SDG performance. The platform’s interactive maps utilizes data from the Malaysian Department of Statistics.  

This launch enables the Malaysian public, students, academics and policymakers to access localized SDG performance. Supplementing the existing data are over 40 expert commentary write-ups on goal level assessments for the country. References in academic and multimedia format are provided to spur in-depth learning on SDG issues.

Led by Danesh Prakash Chacko of the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, the SDG Monitor utilizes the same methodology as SDSN’s global Sustainable Development Report. Formulation of the Monitor was possible with guidance from the SDSN SDG Index team in Paris. A total of 26 expert commentators from the following institutions contributed to the selection of indicators: Sunway University, Monash University Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Penang Institute.

The SDG Monitor serves the following purposes:

• Public engagement to understand the SDGs
• To know which states are performing well or poorly for overall and specific SDGs
• To lay the basis for more policy briefs and working papers
• To lay the foundations of an ASEAN-level SDG Dashboard
• For educators and learners to engage with the SDGs at a local level

 SDSN Malaysia Network Manager, Kong Phui Yi welcomed the participants and gave the floor to Prakash who conducted a tutorial on the Monitor’s layout, navigation and contents. This included providing an overview of the methodology and the hybrid approach to its data collection process. One of the major challenges highlighted was finding local thresholds based on government document aspirations. Currently, the threshold used for the Malaysian states is the global benchmark.

“We want this website to be a launchpad for researchers and academics to study the gaps and progress on the SDGs at the state-level and to launch their next research.” – Danesh Prakash Chacko, SDG Monitor Project Lead.

During the Q&A session, participants enquired about how often the data would be updated, whether there are any plans to develop a local benchmark and the purpose of story maps. More than one participant suggested making this an interactive and open-sourced dashboard where members of the public can also contribute.

The SDG Monitor team is currently working on a second round of updates to add more commentary with one of the long-term goals being to develop state-level thresholds for the relevant SDG indicators. The team is also interested in documenting and featuring on the website, how people are using this tool. Viewers interested in learning about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on selected SDG indicators on the state-level in Malaysia can explore the dashboard online.

SDSN Malaysia has plans to conduct an iteration of this SDG Monitor presentation for interested SDSN members in the Asia-Pacific region in the future.

“I hope that everyone understands that we really want this (dashboard) to be used and help to inform research gaps and opportunities. Please reach out to us to get linked to people in other disciplines because we know that impactful research cannot be done without a multidisciplinary team.” – Kong Phui Yi, SDSN Malaysia Network Manager.

Malaysia’s inaugural National Solutions Forum (NSF) was held on 28th April 2022 to advance a whole-of-nation approach to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hosting the NSF were the Sunway Group, a leading Asian conglomerate, driven by its mission to be Asia’s leading corporation in sustainable development, and SDSN Malaysia, having the mandate to mobilize expertise for the implementation of the SDGs. This forum was modelled after the SDSN Global Solutions Forum, which has been carried out since 2019. SDSN Malaysia’s secretariat is the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Sunway University, Malaysia.

The call for submissions began in January 2022, which drew a total of 39 entries from all corners of the country. Participants were responding to this year’s theme, “Wellbeing,” in a wide variety of approaches and at different scales. Of the 39, nine shortlisted solutions were selected to be featured at the NSF and received grant funding courtesy of the Sunway Group.

A common theme of the solutions was the emphasis on the use of digital technology to address social issues. Technology became a great equalizer in enabling access across socioeconomic groups as marginalized communities and individuals can be connected with resources at a far lower cost than before.

Investors from start-up incubators, seasoned industry professionals, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the SDGs Secretariat (APPGM-SDG), academicians and a host of solutions-providers, graced the occasion.

 Each solution was presented in seven minutes, either in English or Malay.

The SDSN Malaysia Leadership Council featured prominently on the judging panel, comprising three of the four judges. The panel included the chair of Malaysia’s bourse, senior members of the Malaysian civil service, and the CEO of a prominent start-up incubator. The event was also facilitated by an independent scrutineer from BDO Malaysia:

• Tan Sri Wahid Omar, Chairman, Bursa Malaysia
• Datuk Dr Zunika Mohamed, Deputy Director General (Policy), Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department
• Dr Nagulendran Kangayatkarasu, Deputy Secretary General (Planning and Culture of Science), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
• Puan Rafiza Ghazali, Group CEO, Cradle Fund
•  Ms Pam Lee Wen Ai, Executive Director, Advisory BDO Malaysia

These thought-leaders in nation-building selected the NSF’s best solution, which received additional funds.

Supporting Multisectoral Partnerships to Deliver Sustainability at Scale

Start-ups struggle to create multi-sectoral partnerships to scale solutions. The NSF model provided the necessary cross-sectoral dialogue to bring together investors and government officials to enable solutions providers a more holistic start-up ecosystem. Further, organizing the event with an added online component widened public exposure, opening up segments previously unreached. The exposure not only linked solutions-makers with potential collaborators and investors, but also prompted a change in public mindset towards moving from awareness to solutions.

The low-cost electric vehicle charging station solution received the highest score, based on the judges evaluation of its solution approach, impact, scalability and financial sustainability. Kray Chong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Powered by RISE, reiterated the value of cross-sectoral platforms to start-ups, “This platform gives us support not just financially but with exposure as well. I’m very thankful to the organizers of the NSF for the opportunity, as some people wait a lifetime for an opportunity like this.”

Solutions ranged from agritech to single-use plastic waste reduction, from community education to NFC-chip embedded reusable bags, from interventions customized for migrant workers to school students without digital devices.

Supplementing Government Efforts to Achieve the SDGs

Supporting the event from the Malaysian government was YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy). He commended the nine finalists’ understanding of local issues, which enabled them to propose novel strategies to accelerate progress towards sustainable development.

Malaysia’s poverty rate is currently at 5.6%. Malaysia’s current five-year development plan has identified rural and indigenous communities for poverty alleviation efforts. The finalists’ knowledge of local communities allowed them to identify unique needs gaps. This is shown by three of the nine finalists’ solutions being targeted at rural indigenous communities.

Showcasing solution-makers is vital to implementing the SDGs within a local context. The NSF platform allowed recognition of solutions-makers as contextualizing agents of the SDGs. These organizations and individuals have stepped up to fill a needs gap in provision of resources for poverty alleviation.

SDSN Malaysia was supported by the APPGM-SDG Secretariat to inform their network of Solution Providers about the NSF opportunity. In essence, the APPGM-SDG has undertaken the role of identifying, building and linking on-the-ground actors with beneficiaries and relevant government entities. Beginning with 10 parliamentary constituencies in 2020 and an additional 20 constituencies in 2021, they have reached a total of 30 out of the nation’s 222, one in eight.

Private Sector Role in Supporting Cross-sectoral Partnership for the SDGs

The business community has a significant role to play in driving sustainable development transformations. Businesses can innovate across their value chains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and identify both risk and opportunity areas for human wellbeing.

The main event sponsor of the NSF is the Sunway Group, which apart from its own group sustainability efforts, has also pledged US$20 million to advance sustainability in the region. This fund pledged through the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has since financed the development of the Jeffrey Sachs Center for Sustainable Development at Sunway University, as well as the establishment of the Asia headquarters of the SDSN in Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur.

Driving A National Narrative of Solutions-Making

In addition to supporting knowledge-networks for sustainable development, making the solutions forum a public event serves as a launch pad for widespread public uptake of local sustainable development solutions.

Events like the NSF shift public mindset towards civic participation in solutions-making for local issues. “I applaud such innovative thinking, and I hope that the National Solutions forum can inspire more people from different walks of life to come up with solution-driven initiatives that are beneficial to society,” Mustapa said.