KUALA LUMPUR: The Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA)'s participation in the 2024 Malaysia Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit underscores their commitment to supporting a more inclusive and sustainable national development by 2030.
RECODA's Chief Executive Officer, Datu Ismawi Ismuni, stated that the summit provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and gain valuable insights from various economic corridors and international experts.
According to him, this is crucial for integrating SDGs into their development programmes and projects, especially in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) region.
"RECODA’s direction is clear, as we are determined to make a significant impact on Sarawak’s development towards becoming a developed region by 2030.
"In addition to fostering economic growth and attracting new investments into the SCORE region, we also ensure that the local communities benefit from these investments," he said.
He shared these comments during an interview with the media at the RECODA exhibition booth after participating in the panel discussion of session 8 at the SDG Malaysia 2024 Summit on Wednesday.
The panel, titled 'Advancing SDGs in Economic Corridors,' was moderated by Deputy Minister of Economy, Dato Hanifah Hajar Taib, and featured other panellists, including Dato' Baidzawi Che Mat, CEO of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), Datuk Seri Panglima Hashim Paijan, CEO of the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA), Dato' Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim, CEO of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), and Mohamad Haris Kader Sultan, CEO of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).
Further elaborating, Datu Ismawi explained that RECODA not only aligns its plans with SDGs but also with the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, focusing on economic prosperity, inclusive society, and environmental sustainability, which are aligned with the 17 SDGs.
"For example, when planning development programmes or projects, we involve local communities and seek their feedback, as they understand the grassroots needs better.
"Thus, their involvement is not just as beneficiaries of development projects; they also actively participate in planning programmes and development plans that relate to their lives," he added.
Additionally, Datu Ismawi emphasised the importance of socio-economic programs initiated by RECODA to increase household income in the SCORE region. One of their key strategies is forming partnerships with the private sector to help market local products, such as agri-food, more widely.
This approach, he said, has the potential to eradicate poverty among the local population and ensure no one is left behind in the development process.
Therefore, RECODA will continue to innovate and implement sustainable solutions that not only drive economic growth but also protect the environment and promote social inclusion, in line with their commitment to the SDGs.
The summit, themed 'Local Community Support in SDGs for an Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient Malaysia,' was organised by the Ministry of Economy in collaboration with the National SDG Centre (PSN) over two days, from 17 to 18 September 2024, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, running from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.-UKASnews
