Global Institute For Tomorrow unveils policy recommendations to tackle M’sia’s major challenges

KUCHING (July 5): The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), Asia’s leading think tank, announced new policy recommendations aimed at addressing four major challenges in Malaysia, namely climate resilience, digital literacy, biodiversity and child malnutrition.

These recommendations were formulated by a diverse group from the Malaysia Stay & Build (MS&B) 2024 leadership programme and presented at a public forum held at the Borneo Cultures Museum auditorium here yesterday.

GIFT Asean managing director Pial Khadilla emphasised national development as a multifaceted endeavour that requires a collaborative and comprehensive approach.

“It is not a solo act but rather a complex symphony that demands strong, coordinated leadership across government, business and civil society.

“That is why our MS&B programme takes an immersive, outcome-driven and collaborative approach to equip Malaysia’s top talents with the thinking, skills, and networks needed to find solutions that drive sustainable national development,” she stated at the forum.

At the forum, representatives from the government, business and civil society sectors gathered to hear the policy recommendations from four MS&B programme participants, namely Amelia Rhosky Mohd Nasir from Kumpulan Wang Persaraan Diperbadankan (KWAP), Nurul Azilah Ahmad Kamil from Boustead Holdings Berhad, Imran Naziri from FGV Biotechnologies Sdn Bhd and Kishan Buxani from UN Global Compact Malaysia and Brunei.

Nur Izzati Rahimi from Sapura Secured Technologies also provided insights into the leadership programme they had undertaken.

Amelia presented a policy recommendation focusing on the establishment of a centralised data hub, supported by the mobile application MyMama, to combat child malnutrition.

The application allows expecting mothers to log pregnancy progress and dietary needs, and after delivery, to track their newborn’s food intake and health, with data managed by the Health Ministry for timely interventions.

Next, Nurul Azilah introduced a policy recommendation for the creation of a Digital Teacher Training Academy (DiTTA) aimed at empowering educators to lead Malaysia’s digital transformation in education.

DiTTA seeks to enhance digital skills among teachers through targeted training programmes and certifications, offering incentives for ongoing professional development and excellence in digital education.

Imran Naziri proposed the establishment of a National Data Repository to gather, process and analyse climate-related information, and designed to address climate change by leveraging mobile networks and public-private partnerships for early disaster detection, informed land use, conservation and food security.

Finally, Kishan presented a policy recommendation for the development of a World-Class Tropical Rainforest Biodiversity R&D Centre in Malaysia.

The centre’s objective is to study plant and animal species, ecological processes and climate change impacts, aiming to contribute to the global effort to preserve vital ecosystems for future generations.

These policy recommendations were developed through extensive consultations with stakeholders, including the state government, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Normah Medical Specialist Centre, Sarawak Eco Warriors, Chumbaka and many others.

The process also involved interactive classroom sessions, site visits, in-depth analysis and discussions with prominent Malaysian leaders, such as Malaysia’s Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Pusaka founder and director Eddin Khoo and MSM Malaysia Holdings Berhad group chief executive officer Syed Feizal Syed Mohammad.