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STATEMENT BY  

 

MR. CHE KODIR BAHARUM

DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES

MINISTRY OF ECONOMY OF MALAYSIA 

 

FOR THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 2023 HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT  

“BUILDING MOMENTUM TOWARDS THE SDG SUMMIT”  

 

17 – 20 JULY 2023, UNHQ, NEW YORK  

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,  

 

1.      Malaysia has entered its eighth year, of SDG implementation, and despite challenges during the past COVID-19 pandemic, remains committed to stepping up efforts to achieve the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. 

 

2.      The concept of Malaysia MADANI or SCRIPT adopted by the current government supports the vision for a Prosperous Nation. It comprises six core values of Sustainability, Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity and Trust. This is also very much aligned with the SDG principle of Leaving No One Behind.   

 

3.      In Malaysia, the adoption of a whole-of-nation approach is imperative in bringing our goals closer to achievement. In view of that, we have established a governance body called the SDG Council chaired by the Prime Minister with inclusive participation by the public and private sector, civil society organisations and academicians. We believe that forging strong partnerships is important to ensure commitment from all relevant parties which begins with the highest level of the administration.  

 

4.      According to the report of the Secretary-General, localising SDG is crucial in propelling us toward greater inclusion and sustainability. Therefore, we are pleased to share that Malaysia is submitting four Voluntary Local Reviews and one Voluntary SubNational Review in this HLPF, with the aim to reach about 30% VLR by local authorities in 2025.  

 

5.      Additionally, our national development policies are harmonised with the SDG roadmap to ensure that the policies are designed in a way that facilitates the attainment of the SDGs. It is further supported by our progress in improving the data for tracking, and to date, we have achieved, 71% of data availability to track the SDG indicators. In addition, technical assistance in bridging the data gap will support and accelerate our collective actions in realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

 

Excellencies,  

 

6.      The recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to build a more sustainable and resilient future. We must seize this moment to transition towards greener economies, low-carbon infrastructure, as well as sustainable consumption and production patterns. It is also vital to mobilise investment in renewable energy, promote circular economy approaches, and protect biodiversity as integral elements of this shift.  

 

7.      In conclusion, we strongly believe that it is important to continue enhancing partnerships for mutual benefit and in support of global peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development. In this regard, we look forward to the exchange of best practices, knowledge, means of implementation including initiatives pertaining to capacity-building and technical expertise from fellow Member States.  

 

8.      With that, I thank you, Mr President.