Malaysia’s path towards sustainable development: Moving the Nation Forward 

BANDAR BARU BANGI, Feb 29 (Bernama) -- Adhering to the SDG promised, the Sustainable Development Solution Network (SDSN) Malaysia Chapter organised the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Symposium and Workshop, convened from 29 February to 1 March, 2016 at the Hotel Bangi-Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur. 

The workshop was held back-to-back with a public symposium on the national implementation in Malaysia with some global and local participants from the private and public representing various sector. 

It was co-chaired by Prof Tan Sri Zakri, Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto, Director of and United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS).  

Prof Tan Sri Zakri said “Implementing the new agenda will require a new way of doing things that permeates across the whole of society. The transformative agenda will need to affect changes in governance, in the role of business, and in our lifestyle choices. While this is a tall order, the SDGs promote shared responsibility, and only through a collaborative partnership model can the goals and targets be achieved. In this spirit, I am happy to see participants from different backgrounds, not to mention different countries, present today to deliberate on how we aim to face this challenge”.  

The Symposium calls for a culture of shared responsibility, and this can be done through the Science to Action (S2A) programme. We have this big global sustainability agenda and we are committed to it, our pledge needs a follow through and concerted efforts from everyone at various level. We gathered here today to ensure that this global aspiration is being carried through nationally. The science for governance in sustainability policies should be carried out across all ministries to ensure integration of not just economic prosperity but also social inclusion, environmental sustainability and good governance.  

Professor Norichika Kanie from Keio University and United Nations University Institute for the Advances Study of Sustainability shared her experience and perspectives on SDGS implementation. Road to 2030 symposium also highlighted experience and perspectives from Indonesia, Switzerland, Cambodia, Germany, Australia and Malaysia on their national SDGs stories.   
 
Both the symposium and workshop aims to address several key issues such as mapping the current national preparedness for identifying and better delivering of SDGs in selected country case studies, and assessing how various stakeholders could contribute to the embedding of SDG ideas into national policy making strategies. 

The SDGs Symposium and Workshop is organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Malaysia and Japan Chapters. It is supported by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), the Office of the Science Advisor (under the Science 2 Action Programme), the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia (ISIS Malaysia), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and LESTARI, Keio Research Institute at SFC, and the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015.  
 
About 
 
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) 

SDSN is a global network of universities, research institutes, civil society organizations, international organizations and other institutions and agencies that have a deep expertise in sustainable development and a deep commitment to finding and implementing solutions for sustainable development challenges. SDSN aims to mobilize scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector in support of sustainable development problem solving at local, national, and global scales. The SDSN Malaysia Chapter is hosted by MIGHT. 
 

Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)    

The Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) is a not-forprofit company limited by guarantee under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department. MIGHT, the implementing agency for Science to Action (S2A) national agenda, plays a key role in developing Malaysia’s high technology for business through its role as a think-tank, private-public consensus building and business nurturing platforms. It is an organisation built on the strength of public-private partnership with more than 100 members, both local and international, from industry, government and academia.  (www.might.org.my) 
 
SOURCE : Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name : Fatin Asmida Asman 
Tel : +60-12-54-96-504  
Email : asmida@might.org.my 
 
MIGHT’s Official Website: www.might.org.my   
MIGHT’s Official Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/mightmalaysia   
MIGHT’s Official Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/mightmalaysia 

--BERNAMA