ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Malaysia organised a webinar on the “Road to Net Zero: Energy Transition and Business Synergies in ASEAN” on 18 August 2022 moderated by ASEAN-BAC Green and Sustainable Economy (GSE) Working Group Chair Ms Jukhee Hong and attended by over 70 attendees.

Datuk Seri Takiyuddin bin Hassan urged the general public and the private sector to support the Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap (MyRER) and help translate its strategies into meaningful action. “The MyRER is a forward-looking document outlining strategies to accelerate Malaysia’s renewable energy deployment until 2035 and increase its renewable energy capacity with a balanced approach to fulfil the country’s climate change commitments. The roadmap is expected to generate an economic spillover of about RM20 billion by 2025 and RM33 billion by 2035. It is also projected to create an estimated 47,000 employment opportunities in the renewable energy-related field”, said the minister.

Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr Zaini Ujang, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Water outlined the ministry’s policies and initiatives to achieve Malaysia’s climate targets, including the Malaysia Climate Change Council chaired by The Honorable Prime Minister of Malaysia as well as the development of the National Low Carbon Cities Master Plan approved by the cabinet in 2021.

ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Council Member Mr Raja Singham, for his part, cautioned that SMEs face business challenges and that they need government support to transition to a low-carbon economy. He believes that greater awareness and education among smaller companies is critical to getting people on board and getting them to make lifestyle changes. “We need to be mindful that not all businesses are in a position to carry out the demands of climate actions and energy transition. Existing renewable energy alternatives cannot fill the gaps in energy demand and no single solution including regulation and digital transformation can get us to net zero. A multi-pronged approach is therefore needed considering the needs of the private sector”.

ASEAN-BAC Malaysia organised a webinar on “Public-Private Health Partnerships in ASEAN’s Post-COVID Recovery” on 11 August 2022 moderated by ASEAN-BAC Healthcare Working Group (HWG) Chair Dr Khor Swee Kheng and attended by over 50 attendees.

Minister of Health YB Khairy Jamaluddin emphasised the importance of accelerating Malaysia’s recovery from the effects of the pandemic in his keynote speech. He added that public-private partnerships are crucial in boosting the economy and propelling the health sector’s development during these difficult times. Such collaborations could engender innovation and improvement in the health sector and even in other industries, thus ensuring better public services and value for taxpayers.

ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Council Member Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, for his part, highlighted that the healthcare market in Southeast Asia was worth USD 420 billion with the private sector making up 53% of the market. Due to the economic slowdown, governments find their revenues diminished and they face increasing pressures to find avenues for tax collection, which subsequently reduces the government’s capacity to deliver healthcare services in the country. “Therefore, there is a very strong role for the private sector to support the public sector in delivering healthcare to its citizens,” according to Tan Sri Yong.