Role of Parliamentarians in Localising SDGs in Malaysia

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) focuses on seventeen universal goals pertaining to economic, social and environmental concerns. It requires greater innovation in localising the agenda in order to impact the most vulnerable sections of our society and ensure no one is left behind. One new initiative in Malaysia, which is the focus of this article, is the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) role SDGs. This is a bipartisan, multi-stakeholder group that is identifying local development issues and finding local solutions. This is undertaken in a decentralised way with the participation of the local communities. This APPGM on SDG and the localising agenda reached out to ten parliamentary constituencies in 2020 and was funded by a special grant (RM1.6 million) from the Ministry of Finance. A total of 34 SDG solution-based projects are addressing poverty, education, inequality, environmental and waste management concerns. While these are short-term solution projects, it illustrates the potential of a decentralised, multi-stakeholder intervention process which is locally defined and implemented. The pilot phase has also demonstrated the dual role of Members of Parliament who undertook constituency work as SDG champions at the grassroots. They have a major role in giving voice in parliamentary discussions and debates on SDG perspectives to the development agenda, balancing economic, social and environmental concerns.