25/06/2025

BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JUNE 25, 2025

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Malaysian Paper

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Taylor’s scales ESG across 10 regional schools, campuses

Digital platform launched to track natural rubber supply chain KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Sus tainable Natural Rubber Trace (MSNR Trace) system plays an important role in addressing environmental and social issues in the rubber industry by allowing stakeholders to track transactions from the plantations right to the end-product. Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the system is a digital platform developed to trace the NR supply chain, ensuring transparency, sustainability and account ability in rubber production. “Malaysia is now at the forefront in championing the rubber industry’s trans formation towards sustainability. “With technology and innovation like MSNR Trace, Malaysia is well-positioned to become a global leader in the production of NR and high-quality rubber products,” he said in his speech at the launch of MSNR Trace here yesterday. Chan said MSNR Trace integrates several internal digital platforms de veloped by the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB), including PAT-G, RRIM Geo Rubber, RRIMniaga, RRIMestet and MyLesen. To ensure the success of this initiative, all licensed MRB stakeholders involved are urged to fully cooperate with MRB in using traceability systems. “MRB will impose compound fines and licence revocations on licensees who fail to comply with licensing conditions on the use of RRIMniaga, RRIMestet and MSNR Trace. “In line with the Malaysian Rubber Board (Licensing and Permit) Regulations 2014, offenders may face fines of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both,” Chan said. He said one of the key challenges in the rubber industry is the lack of a comprehensive traceability system from upstream to downstream. He added that the implementation of the MSNR system is crucial in increasing Malaysia’s rubber and rubber product exports to the European Union (EU), which accounts for RM4.91 billion or 15.6% of total NR and rubber product exports, which stood at RM31.57 billion in 2024. “In this context, the introduction and enforcement of the MSNR system since January 2025 clearly demonstrates Malaysia’s readiness and commitment to meeting international market demands, particularly in terms of sustainability and traceability.” – Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is navigating a complex global environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, ongoing trade wars and the impact of tariffs across industries. Despite these challenges, the country is presented with significant opportunities in artificial intelligence, digital transformation and green technologies, requiring a thoughtful balance between risk and potential. Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association president Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai stated that Malaysia ranks 16th in global assembly production and 13th in assembly test capacity. “But alongside these challenges, we also see significant opportunities in AI, digital trans formation, and green technologies, requiring us to balance both risk and potential thoughtfully,“ he said during a panel discussion at the Malaysia Economic Forum 2025 yesterday. Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s Education Group (TEG) has institutionalised environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles across its three higher education institutions and seven international schools in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Chairman Datuk Loy Teik Ngan said this is a coordinated, group-wide push towards climate conscious learning and campus operations. “At Taylor’s, we see sustainability as a core responsibility of a future-ready institution. Our efforts are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 13 on climate action,” he said at the Taylor’s ESG Festival, themed “Embedding Impact: From Action to Culture”, held at Taylor’s Lakeside Campus. Loy added “By embedding ESG into our campuses and daily operations, we are well positioned to strengthen our resilience to climate-related risks, contributing to the global net-zero movement, and nurturing a culture of sustainability in our students, staff, and leadership. “Sustainability isn’t just a target to meet; it’s a mindset we nurture, a behaviour we model, and a culture we live every day. Our goal is not just to create sustainable campuses, but to inspire a generation that sees sustainability as second nature, wherever they go and whatever they do.” Loy shared that initiatives such as 360 o Strategy focuses on three pillars – delivering measurable impact, building sustainable learning environments and embedding principles into everyday operations Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com

From left: Taylor’s Education Group Sustainability Office head May Wong; Taylor’s Education Pte Ltd president and ESG co-chair Karl Engkvist; Pos Malaysia sustainability reporting and ESG strategy senior manager Chook Yi Jean; CIMB Bank Bhd corporate responsibility head Ng Tsu Mae and ESGpedia co-founder and managing director Benjamin Soh posing for a picture after the ESG leadership panel session on Shaping a Regenerative Future through Mindsets, Metrics and Movements.

aimed at providing quality education for families seeking affordable international education. Taylor’s ESG strategy focuses on three pillars – delivering measurable impact, build ing sustainable learning environments, and embedding ESG principles into everyday operations. The first pillar strategy includes the deployment of a centralised impact measure ment dashboard, designed to track carbon emissions and sustainability performance across all its institutions.

natural ventilation, energy-efficient lighting and a no single-use plastic policy; the Sustainable Transport Plan, which aims to electrify shuttle fleets by 2030, expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, promote carpooling and optimise commuting sche dules using transport data; and Net-Zero Energy Campus pilots, such as British University Vietnam’s EDGE-certified buildings alongside, solar panel installations, and Taylor’s University’s thermal energy storage system to reduce peak energy demand. The third pillar involves operational integration of ESG values through the rollout of the Green Procurement Policy, which prioritises low-emission, ethically sourced products and services.

degree leadership appraisals and staff welfare improvements which were initially implemented without an ESG label are now recognised as part of TEG’s broader social governance framework. “We realised many things we were already doing like fostering transparency and launching affordable quality education through Lexel International School are in fact aligned with ESG. Knowing this, we can now be more intentional.” Loy said Lexel within Gamuda Gardens is ‘Malaysia navigating global challenges in digital transformation’ The festival gathered over 230 participants in a dynamic celebration of climate action, featuring corporate sustainability leaders, student-led initiatives, and social enterprises – marking a bold step in embedding ESG into campus culture and inspiring the next generation of changemakers across Southeast Asia. “This system enables each institution to take ownership of its sustainability journey— using data to guide decisions and track progress,” Loy said, adding that the dashboard also enhances transparency towards the group’s net-zero goals and enables student-led research through “living lab” opportunities. The second pillar focuses on turning campuses into living examples of sustainability, aligning with Unesco’s Education for Sustainable Development Framework. Key initiatives include the Green Classroom Initiative, featuring recycled furnishings,

Wan Suhaimie added that if the conflict escalates in the Middle East and oil prices rise above US$80 per barrel – or even reach US$100 per barrel – this would compel governments to incur additional costs. FCA Capital Sdn Bhd chairman Dr Mazlan Ahmad said looking at the current state of globalisation, Malaysia must focus on leveraging and capitalising on its strengths, areas where the country already excel and have the potential to do even better. “Although we face numerous crises globally, such as recent events in Iran and Ukraine, I choose to view these challenges as opportunities. Malaysia has the potential to become a haven for investment, business dealings, and education, as well as a destination for training and more. “By fully exploring and utilising these abundant resources, I am confident that Malaysians will be able to secure a prosperous future – one where financial hardship and reliance on bank loans are minimised,“ he said.

invoicing – is vital to strengthening business confidence and positioning Malaysia as a leader within Asean. Wong said the semiconductor, electronics, and electrical industry in Malaysia, while representing about 1% of specific industry segments, contributes about 6% to the country’s gross domestic product and supports employment for around 630,000 people, making it a significant sector in the national economy. Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd head of economic research Wan Suhaimie Wan Mohd Saidie said considering the current state of the economic system, it is clear that inflation is not just a temporary phenomenon. “But rather a structural problem, resulting from a monetary system that is fundamentally engineered to produce inflation – where central banks respond to insufficient money in circulation by printing more, thereby per petuating this inflationary environment for decades,“ he shared.

In contrast, the global semiconductor market, valued at about US$600 billion (RM2.5 trillion) in 2023, is projected to grow rapidly and reach US$1 trillion by 2030, primarily driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. Echoing this sentiment, eCouldvalley Technology Malaysia country director Sandy Woo emphasised that technology, especially digital and ICT, should be seen as a pervasive enabler that shapes lives, conducts business, and protects national interests. “Digitalisation is not just a trend – it is transforming public sector services and driving economic reform. “We must continue to innovate, embracing tools like e-invoicing and adapting to new taxation landscapes, to strengthen business confidence and position Malaysia as a leader within Asean,“ said Woo, who is also the National Tech Association of Malaysia councillor. Both agree that innovation – from digital public services to new taxation tools, such as e