INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR THE SDGs IN MALAYSIA

The recently released Malaysia's Voluntary National Review, the main document explaining the progress and challenges faced by countries in achieving the SDGs, is promising also because the civil society was engaged and involved and this counts a lot.

Amid growing concerns about the resilience of Covid and with the attention of policy makers on a new global taxation regime at the G20, few observers paid attention to the High-Level Political Forum that was organized in New York in July.

As the major platform to discuss about the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs, it also where governments periodically update the international community over their efforts to achieve them through a mechanism called Voluntary National Review or VNR.

On the 15th of July Malaysia presented its second report, the product of a more than two years of hard work coordinated by the Prime Minister Office, in particular the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and the Ministry of Finance.

There is no doubt that the document is a great improvement in relation to the previous one presented in 2017.

One the major differences between the two is that this time around there was a real consultative process in place and real attempts were made at institutionalizing the SDGs, putting them at the core of the highest levels of policy making and as consequence, a “National SDG Governance” has been finally created linking up all the interrelated goals.

While the foundations of such “infrastructure” was already laid, the preparation of the second VNR was a strong incentive to strengthen them so that the SDGs can really become the engine of any future policy consideration.

What is even more relevant is the fact that the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, 2021–2025 will be fully aligned to the SDGs.

In terms of institutionalizing the SDGs, the parliament has also stepped up with the creation of a special “caucus” focused on the SDGs, an All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia for Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM -SDG).

It is intriguing and innovative how this caucus forged a partnership with the Malaysian CSO SDG Alliance, the biggest advocate in Malaysia for the implementation of the SDGs.

Acting as Secretariat of APPGM -SDG, the Alliance helped the “caucus” better understand the importance of the SDGs by, among the others, conducting several consultations at grassroots levels, interacting with and discussing about the goals with locals.

“It is a timely and realistic especially what it has achieved and where it is facing major challenges especially during the corvid pandemic” shares Prof. Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria, an Emeritus Professor at the National University of Malaysia that as Coordinator of the Malaysia CSO SDG Alliance led the support work of the APPGM -SDG.

Prof. Denison is a real champion of the SDGs and he has worked assiduously to create new innovative bridges between policy making and civil society.

On many extents what is being trying in Malaysia could become an interesting model of cost effectiveness and collaboration among stakeholders without stifling independent thinking and bold proposals.

Indeed, the same partnership between The Malaysian CSO SDG Alliance and the APPGM — SDGs published an independent SDGs Score Cards Report that proposes eighty policy recommendations from “revamping the social welfare system to a long-term food security, a stronger national heath care and localization of the national economy” among others.

The 2nd VNR should be seen as a reference document because, in a balance way, reflects both the achievements but also the challenges ahead for the country. While there have been unquestionably many success stories, including in terms of poverty eradication, the report refers also to numerous challenges that Malaysia needs to deal with especially in consideration of the impact created by the pandemic.

From increasing gaps and disparity between the wealthiest citizens and the most vulnerable segments of the population to a more inclusive health system to the issue of transitioning a nation still too reliant on carbon fossils, these challenges are correctly framed in the report as opportunities to make profound changes in the economy and society.

Prof. Denison is satisfied with the level of institutional arrangements now in place but he also recognizes the possible challenges ahead in keeping such SDGs governance in place once the 2nd VNR process will be over.

That’s why he is strongly advocating for even stronger collaborations in future with quarterly basis meetings between the policy makers and the civil society.

What is evolving in Malaysia is worthy observing and it is certainly a work in progress.

The process of SDGs localization is moving ahead though too timidly.

The so-called Solution Projects being supported by the APPGM — SDGs following its national “tour” looks similar to the classic constitutional funds managed traditionally by the MPs.

Though the intent and overall aim is certainly positive, real localization of the SDGs requires a much stronger mainstreaming with the existing local governance mechanisms.

Such funding could ideally be fully embedded in the local policy making, empowering local administrators to drive the process of SDGs localization.

The House of Representatives should also develop internal analysis and research capacities and doing so will not mean doing away with the partnerships with the civil society but rather strengthening its entire policy making process.

The way forward will depend a lot on how strongly the upcoming Twelfth National Plan will really focused on turning the constraints and opportunities listed in the 2nd VNR in areas of new bold policy making.

Will the SDG Road Map, another key document being prepared, provide impetus to the process of localization of the SDGs without which real bottom-up lasting change won’t happen?

Such deliberations should not be just a work of few but rather be enlarged by involving and engaging the citizens. How doing this is certainly going to be a challenge.

The Author writes on social inclusion, youth development, regional integration and the SDGs in the context of Asia Pacific