The Festival IDEA@Kedah: Briefing on Social Innovation Grant under APPGM-SDG took place on 10 October 2025 (Friday) at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). The event, held in conjunction with the Academic Month Celebration organized by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), brought together academic leaders, researchers, and community innovators to explore the intersection between innovation, sustainability, and local impact.
Mr. James Ryan Raj, Deputy Executive Director of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG), was invited as a guest speaker to share his perspectives on the effectiveness of APPGM-SDG’s model in implementing community-based innovation projects across Malaysia.
In his session, Mr. James highlighted how the APPGM-SDG approach serves as a bridge between grassroots innovation and national policy, offering a framework that empowers communities while fostering collaboration between universities, local authorities, and civil society. He emphasized that the model aligns closely with Malaysia’s aspiration under MADANI and the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to create inclusive, sustainable growth through the Whole-of-Nation approach.
Drawing from APPGM-SDG’s nationwide experience, Mr. James elaborated on four pillars of Community Development Innovation:
Problem-Solving through New Ideas
The model focuses on designing innovative solutions to address long-standing social challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and community disempowerment. These initiatives encourage creative thinking and experimentation at the local level, where new ideas can be tested and adapted rapidly.
Community-Centered Approach
Each project is co-created with the community, ensuring that interventions remain inclusive, relevant, and culturally appropriate. This approach transforms beneficiaries into collaborators—ensuring local ownership and sustainability beyond the life of the project.
Cross-Sector Collaboration
APPGM-SDG actively promotes multi-stakeholder partnerships that unite government agencies, academia, civil society, and the private sector. Such collaborations leverage diverse expertise and shared resources, helping social innovation initiatives achieve greater depth and reach.
Sustainability and Scalability
Beyond immediate solutions, the framework aims to develop self-sustaining models that can be replicated across communities to drive broader systemic change. Continuous monitoring and impact assessment ensure that each project contributes meaningfully toward national development targets.
Mr. James also underscored the strategic role of universities like UUM in advancing social innovation. Through research, data-driven evaluation, and student engagement, universities can serve as knowledge partners in transforming community insights into actionable policy recommendations and scalable interventions.
He concluded by encouraging students, academics, and local changemakers to explore opportunities through the APPGM-SDG Social Innovation Grant — a platform that connects research, creativity, and community empowerment under the broader vision of Malaysia’s sustainable development agenda.
The session served as a valuable exchange of ideas between academia and national SDG stakeholders, reaffirming the importance of collaborative innovation in achieving inclusive and sustainable progress for all Malaysians.
Festival IDEA@Kedah: APPGM-SDG Perkukuh Inovasi Sosial Berasaskan Komuniti
Program Festival IDEA@Kedah: Taklimat Geran Inovasi Sosial di bawah APPGM-SDG telah berlangsung dengan jayanya pada 10 Oktober 2025 (Jumaat) di Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). Majlis ini dianjurkan bersempena sambutan Hari dan Bulan Akademia oleh Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi dengan kerjasama UUM sebagai tuan rumah.
Antara pengisian utama program ialah sesi taklimat khas yang disampaikan oleh Encik James Ryan Raj, Timbalan Pengarah Eksekutif All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia – Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG). Beliau berkongsi secara mendalam tentang bagaimana model APPGM-SDG telah berjaya mengarusperdanakan inovasi sosial sebagai alat pemerkasaan komuniti dan pemangkin kepada pembangunan mampan di peringkat akar umbi.
Encik James menegaskan bahawa kejayaan inisiatif APPGM-SDG berpaksikan empat prinsip utama dalam Community Development Innovation:
Penyelesaian Masalah melalui Idea Baharu
APPGM-SDG menumpukan kepada reka bentuk penyelesaian yang inovatif dan praktikal untuk menangani cabaran berterusan masyarakat, termasuk kemiskinan, pengangguran, dan ketidaksamaan sosial. Pendekatan ini menuntut keberanian untuk mencuba kaedah baharu dan keupayaan berfikir di luar kerangka tradisional pembangunan komuniti.
Pendekatan Berpusatkan Komuniti
Semua intervensi dirangka bersama komuniti sasaran bagi memastikan program yang dilaksanakan bersifat inklusif, relevan, serta mencerminkan realiti dan keutamaan tempatan. Pendekatan co-creation ini menjadikan komuniti bukan sekadar penerima bantuan, tetapi rakan kongsi utama dalam proses perubahan sosial.
Kolaborasi Rentas Sektor
Encik James turut menekankan pentingnya kerjasama pelbagai pihak — termasuk kerajaan, pihak berkuasa tempatan, universiti, sektor swasta, dan organisasi masyarakat sivil — bagi menggembleng kepakaran dan sumber secara bersama. Menurut beliau, “Inovasi sosial hanya dapat bertahan apabila setiap sektor melihat diri mereka sebagai sebahagian daripada ekosistem penyelesaian.”
Kelestarian dan Kebolehskalaan
APPGM-SDG berusaha membangunkan model intervensi jangka panjang yang bukan sahaja menyelesaikan isu segera, tetapi boleh diperluas ke komuniti lain bagi mewujudkan perubahan sistemik yang lebih besar. Inisiatif ini disokong dengan pemantauan berterusan dan penilaian impak bagi memastikan keberkesanan jangka panjang.
Dalam ucapannya, Encik James menekankan bahawa universiti seperti UUM memainkan peranan penting dalam menjayakan inovasi sosial di bawah kerangka APPGM-SDG. Penglibatan institusi akademik bukan sahaja memperkukuh penyelidikan berasaskan bukti (evidence-based development), tetapi juga membantu mempercepat pengkomersialan hasil kajian yang memberi manfaat terus kepada masyarakat.
Beliau turut menyeru mahasiswa dan penyelidik muda agar memanfaatkan geran inovasi sosial APPGM-SDG sebagai platform untuk memperkukuh jalinan antara ilmu dan tindakan (knowledge to action). Melalui pendekatan ini, komuniti universiti dapat menjadi pemangkin kepada perubahan yang inklusif, mampan, dan berimpak tinggi.
Taklimat ini mencerminkan komitmen berterusan APPGM-SDG dalam memperkukuh peranan masyarakat sebagai rakan pembangunan negara — sejajar dengan aspirasi Malaysia MADANI dan Rancangan Malaysia Ke-13 (RMK-13) yang menekankan kerjasama seluruh masyarakat (Whole of Nation Approach) dalam mencapai Matlamat Pembangunan Lestari (SDG).
