OPENING REMARKS BY
H.E. DATO’ MUHAMMAD SHAHRUL IKRAM YAAKOB
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
at the Side Event at ECOSOC Youth Forum 2018
“Youth and Global Goals in Asia and the Pacific: The role of social innovation and entrepreneurship”
30 January 2018
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. At the outset, allow me to extend our utmost appreciation for your presence and support to this Dialogue. Indeed we are pleased to co-host this event with the Government of Thailand and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
2. Malaysia remains supportive of the youth entrepreneurship agenda. We recognize the potential of empowering the youth by providing the right eco-system and various initiatives for young entrepreneur in the community.
3. The youth makes up 46.5% of Malaysian population, has always been viewed as an important asset and is entrusted with the nation’s aspirations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
4. Malaysia recognizes the need to develop a youth economy through entrepreneurship, a more comprehensive exchange and collective commitment in terms of resources, network and partnerships, which are vital in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
5. In supporting social innovation and entrepreneurship, we remain engaged with the industry players and experts involved in the teachings, as well as learning of entrepreneurship at tertiary level. This will also -in one way or another- ensure local higher learning institutions to remain relevant. In addition, local institutions of higher learnings are focusing on increasing the number of job creators instead of job seekers.
Ladies and gentlemen,
6. I wish to share with you that in November 2017, Malaysia launched a project where top academicians, industry experts and industry players had started designing special entrepreneurship programmes in local universities and vocational colleges.
7. Among the most exciting project line-ups under the project, we will see 10 viable technologies from polytechnics and community colleges being commercialised and supported with USD 120,000 (RM500,000) research and development (R&D) grant from the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC).
8. We see this project would support young entrepreneur in the area of training and access to capital, in achieving their full potential.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
9. In 2014, our Prime Minister together with former US President Barack Obama launched the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre or MaGIC. MaGIC was established to further promote creativity and innovation through entrepreneurship for long-term nation impact.
10. I understand that a representative of MaGIC is here with us today, and has worked very closely with UNDP over the past several years in both entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship development impacting the Asia Pacific region.
Ladies and gentlemen,
11. I wish to also take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the UNDP under the Regional Youth Programme for Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. We believe that the initiative will empower youth to accelerate implementation of SDGs through leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.
12. In conclusion, let me assure you that we are ready to work together with Member States, private sector, civil society, UN and regional entities towards supporting social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Thank you.