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THE 2 ND ASEAN EDUCATION FORUM Vietnam’s Vice-Minister of Education and Training Prof Banh Tien Long with ASLI CEO Dato Dr. Michael Yeoh. The ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan with the Joint Organisers of the Forum. Speakers at the Forum with the ASEAN Secretary General. In 2007, following ASEAN’s adoption of ASEAN Charter on its 40th Anniversary, the 1st ASEAN Education Forum was held and had gallantly taken the first step in a journey towards the development of ASEAN education space. Following the success of the inaugural forum, the ASEAN Education Forum was held for the second time on 19 November 2008 at the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU). This year’s forum took place amidst a challenging time in the global economic landscape - a time when the need for ASEAN to retain its economic resilience cannot be further emphasized. With education being seen as key to continuous progress, development and competitiveness of ASEAN, the education community had decided to take on a more proactive role in furthering regional cooperation and alliance in education development. As such, ASLI had the opportunity to jointly co-organise this forum with 2 key stakeholders from the industry - VNU and the Vietnam University Network. The forum also enjoyed the support of the Vietnamese government via Vietnam National Council of Education (VNCE) which acted as one of the supporting organisations, alongside the Hanns Seidel Foundation. Themed “Bridging the Gap within the ASEAN Community: Education for All”, the forum called for more result-orientated efforts to develop new education partnerships in ASEAN with the objective to promote closer collaboration in Education, Human Capital Development and Training among both the Public and Private education sectors in ASEAN countries. In his Opening Address, Professor Dr Mai Trong Nhuan, President of VNU stressed on the importance of enhanced cooperation, exchange and integration for improved education quality and coming together to overcome poverty and backwardness to advance together towards common prosperity of the ASEAN region. An educationfor-all system can help to diminish and eradicate the disadvantages in education From Left: Prof. Dato Hassan Said, Mr. Thai of Hanns Siedel Foundation, Dr. Nantana of the Asean University Network, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Mr. Andrew Crow of Oracle and Prof. Robin Pollard of Monash University. opportunities, in order to shorten the knowledge gap that currently persists within various groups and communities of each nation. At the Closing Keynote Address, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN Secretary-General, reiterated the importance of the education space development for ASEAN as reflected the in ASEAN Social-Cultural Community - one of the three main pillars of ASEAN community. He also remarked that it is only through education that pride and spirit of ASEAN-ness can be effectively inculcated in its citizens. Other distinguished speakers and moderators who participated at the forum were Prof. Dr Banh Tien Long - Vice Minister, Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam (MOET), Mr. Karl-Peter Schoenfisch - Director, Hanns Seidel Foundation, Prof. Dr Nguyen Hoa - Rector, College of Foreign Languages, VNU, Prof. Dato’ Dr Hassan Said, Vice Chancellor & President, Taylor’s University College, Malaysia, Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Thi Phuong Nga - Director, Center of Quality Assurance and Education Development, VNU, Assoc. Prof. Nantana Gajaseni - Deputy Executive Director, ASEAN University Network, Prof. Alan K. L. Chan - Associate Provost, National University Singapore, Prof. Nguyen An Ninh - Director General, Department of Examination & Accreditation, MOET, Assoc. Prof. Pham Hong Tung, Vice Director, R&D Department, VNU, Mr. Peter Ng - President & Vice Chancellor, UCSI University, Malaysia, Prof. Robin Pollard - Pro Vice Chancellor & President - Malaysia, Monash University, Prof. Dr Vu Minh Giang - Vice President, VNU, Prof. Dr Cao Van Sam, Vice Director-General, Department of Vocation Training, Ministry of Labor, Dr William Wan - Managing Director, Talent Plus Asia Pacific, Prof. Dato’ Dr Ansary Ahmed, President/CEO, Asia e-University, Prof. Dr Srisakdi Charmonman - Chairman and CEO, College of Internet Distance Education, Assumption University of Thailand, Mr. Andrew Crow - Education Industry Director - ASEAN, Oracle Corporation, Asia-Pacific, Prof. Dang Ung Van - Rector, Hoa Binh University, Hanoi and Mr. Thai Quang Trung - Regional Programme Coordinator, Hanns Siedel Foundation. UCSI University President and Vice Chancellor Dato Peter Ng with Dato Dr. Michael Yeoh. Prof Ian Pashby, CEO/Vice President Nottingham University Malaysia Campus addressing the Forum. 18
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY BUSINESS CONFERENCE Datuk Shahrir Samad presenting a memento to Siemens Malaysia CEO Tan Sri Rainer Althoff for sponsoring the conference. Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Shahrir Samad with ASLI Director Puan Sri Susan Cheah and Dato Dr. Michael Yeoh. Puan Sri Susan Cheah presenting a memento to Datuk Peter Chin Minister of Plantation Industry and Commodities. Businesses today around the world, as well as their stakeholders, are becoming increasingly aware of the need for socially responsible behaviour especially in addressing the greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Business community’s adoption of CSR practices is in step with the global trend towards more responsible and responsive corporate behaviour. Companies now clearly have come to view that climate change mitigation as the most important social and environmental issue confronting our global community. A sustainable environment is essential for achieving and sustaining economic growth, poverty eradication, and human development. Equipped with the apt and timely theme “Accelerating CSR Practices beyond Boundaries”, ASLI was privileged to organize the CSR & Sustainability Business Conference on October 23, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur. The conference was officiated by Dato’ Shahrir Abdul Samad, Minister of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs and Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui delivered the Special Luncheon Address. In his Opening Keynote Address, - Dato’ Shahrir Samad stated that as we are faced with the increased pressure from internal and external stakeholders, more organizations are measuring and reporting on their social and environmental performance as well as the usual financial reporting measures. He added that the worldwide growth of socially responsible investment funds, investment rating systems such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and investment policy disclosure requirements have put pressures on companies to make these non-financial disclosures. Dato’ Shahrir also added that it has become increasingly clear that businesses, governments and citizens all have an interconnected stake in the health and well-being of the planet as well as its people. Sustainability necessarily involves many interconnected issues, from the acquisition and use of energy to fuel productive economies, to the impact of economic growth on local and regional environments and living conditions, to access to clean and abundant water and other natural resources. These issues, together with questions about how best to build healthy economies that can equally support burgeoning populations in high-growth regions, as well as aging populations in others, are all part of the dialogue on sustainability. Thus, as he concluded, CSR and sustainability have become increasingly intertwined. Datuk Shahrir Samad with sponsors of the Conference. In his Special Luncheon Address on “Sustainable Business for Sustainable Development”, Datuk Peter Chin stressed that corporate social responsibility is part of the wider sustainable development strategy, which emphasises the long-term economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection. Sustainable development is becoming ever more important for companies, both in their business activities and in their activities as corporate citizens. Acting sustainably ensures a competitive advantage. He added that due to the increased importance of this fact, CSR or CR (corporate responsibility) should be a core part of a company’s business culture and feature in planning, implementation, staff policy and day-to-day decisions. He concluded that we need to ensure that in times of global financial crisis, we do not sway from the commitment we have pledged in social accountability. Globalization in itself has created new opportunities for enterprises. It has also increased their organizational complexity and the increasing extension of business activities has led to new responsibilities. In order for us to remain competitive, it would be in good faith to abide by both internationally and locally accepted standards of CSR. Among the distinguished role-players who spoke at the conference were Tan Sri Rainer Althoff, President / CEO of Siemens Malaysia Sdn. Bhd; Y.A. Dato’ Ranita Hussein, President of Advisory Council of Jurists, Asia Pacific Forum; Julian Wynter, Chief Executive Officer / Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad; Rasila Hamzah, Managing Director of Russ Consulting Sdn. Bhd; Gurmit Singh K.S., Chairman, Centre for Environment of Technology & Development (CETDEM); Ralph Dixon, Director of Environmental Investments of YTL Corporation Bhd; Surin Suksuwan, Technical Officer - Peninsular Malaysia of the WWF-Malaysia; Rajan Moses, Managing Director, of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Kuala Lumpur; Datuk Vinod B. Sekhar, Founder / President & Group Chief Executive of The Petra Group; Dato’ Ghazali Dato’ Yusoff, Executive Chairman of Nusantara Technologies Sdn Bhd; Adelina Iskandar, General Manager - Customer Services Division of SYABAS; Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President, Malaysian AIDS Council & Head, Infectious Disease Unit of UM Medical Centre (UMMC); Dr Geoffrey Williams, Managing Director of OWW Consulting Sdn. Bhd; Jeff Zweig, Chief Guru - Southeast Asia of the Web Guru Asia and Gaurav Rai, Hotel Manager of the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur. The CEO Roundtable with Mr. Julian Wynter CEO Standard Chartered Bank, Tan Sri Rainer Althoff CEO Siemens, Dato Ranita Hussein President Asia Pacific Advisory Council of Jurists and Mr. Andrew Chan Executive Director PricewaterhouseCoopers 19 Dato Shahrir Samad having a word with Mr. Thai of Hans Siedel Foundation and Mr. Julian Wynter CEO Standard Chartered Bank.
Page 1 and 2: Vol 1 2009: January - June PP 8307/
Page 3 and 4: NATIONAL SUMMIT ON URBAN POOR & LOW
Page 5 and 6: THE 13TH MALAYSIAN CAPITAL MARKET S
Page 7 and 8: WORLD SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL CONFEREN
Page 9 and 10: THE 4TH ASIA ECONOMIC SUMMIT Countr
Page 11 and 12: MALAYSIA-INDIA STRATEGIC DIALOGUE T
Page 13 and 14: EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS Dato Sri Mohd Naj
Page 15 and 16: NATIONAL TOURISM FORUM 2008 Dato Sr
Page 17: NATIONAL PROPERTY & HOUSING SUMMIT
Page 21 and 22: Strategic Issues Forum (SIF)/Corpor
Page 23 and 24: THE 5TH NATIONAL UTILITIES SUMMIT D

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