Strengthening district-level administration through multi-stakeholders SDG initiative: From vision & mission to implementation, the APPGM-SDG experience.

Abstract

Leaving no one behind is the key slogan of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the formation of APPGM-SDG, the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia for Sustainable Development Goals, has laid the foundation for implementing sustainable solutions towards ground needs. APPGM-SDG adopted a grounded research methodology, and through its issue-mapping process in 115 parliamentary constituencies from 2020 to 2024, it identified a strong need to strengthen local administration and adopt sustainable solutions involving multiple stakeholders. This paper focuses on the journey toward finding effective approaches for local administration and the implementation of the initiative in 2024. The district-level administrative offices, namely
district offices and local governments, are the focal points in delivering sustainable solutions on the ground. These offices have been prominent since the 1950s, when Tun Abdul Razak, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural Development, actively sought to strengthen district-level administration. He introduced the concept of the “operation room” to coordinate and deliver government development plans and launched the Red Book Program. The government’s continued commitment to this purpose is reflected in the 2021 Voluntary National Review (VNR) and its implementation in 2024. Malaysia recommended a multi-stakeholder engagement at the district administration level to resolve issues, and this 2021 VNR recommendation was implemented in 2024 by the government
through a joint policy solutions initiative between APPGM-SDG and Yayasan Hasanah. This paper includes case studies from APPGM-SDG grounded research methodology, which impactfully contributed to the formation of the policy solutions initiative, and covers details related to implementation and lessons learnt. The analysis combines APPGM-SDG grounded research, case studies, and secondary data to assess the impact of this multi-stakeholder initiative at the district-level.