SDG 11.4.7

Tan Sri Professor Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd. Nur has been appointed as a member of Pahang State Economic Advisory Council (MPEN)

Image

Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) has been named as the Secretariat for the Pahang State Economic Advisory Council (MPEN), which is chaired by Tan Sri Mohamed Nazir Abdul Razak. Notably, Tan Sri Professor Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd. Nur, a Professor of Practice in the fields of public administration, public policy and political science at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia and the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Sunway University serves on MPEN as one of its prominent members, alongside other key figures; Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, Tan Sri Krishnan Tan Boon Seng, Honorable Dato' Mohamad Nizar Dato' Sri Mohamad Najib, and Low Ngai Yuen.  

MPEN will play a vital role in leading the development of the Pahang State Economic Master Plan and its implementation strategy. It will also offer strategic guidance on economic opportunities, challenges, and emerging developments. Key areas of focus include industrial growth, innovation, attracting investments, trade, regional development, and workforce enhancement. 

Sunway University's Sunway Centre for Planetary Health involvement with Ipoh City Council (MBI) in Ipoh Doughnut Economics Programme

Image

In recent years, economist Kate Raworth’s concept of the Doughnut Economy has gained recognition as a model for sustainable development, offering a framework that seeks to balance human needs with the planet's ecological limits. This model envisions a world where societal well-being is aligned with environmental sustainability.

The Doughnut Economy is visually represented by a doughnut shape: the inner ring signifies the social foundations necessary for human well-being—such as health, education, and equity—while the outer ring represents the ecological ceiling, beyond which environmental harm occurs, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The area between these two rings is where a fair and sustainable society can flourish.

Launched in March 2023 with funding from Yayasan Hasanah, the Ipoh Doughnut Economics Programme is a collaborative initiative involving Sunway University’s Sunway Centre for Planetary Health (SCPH), Institut Darul Ridzuan (IDR), People of Remarkable Talent (PORT), and Ipoh City Council (MBI). The program seeks to transform Ipoh into a "Doughnut City" focused on sustainable development, an approach endorsed by Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah of Perak and other senior state leaders who see the framework’s principles as aligning with Perak’s broader vision. The initiative also includes clean energy and energy-efficient technology policy development as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability, as in the doughnut’s outer ring.

SCPH Executive Director Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood noted that this achievement reflects Sunway University's commitment to planetary health and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring the university's role as a “Campus with a Conscience” that actively promotes sustainable solutions and cultivates responsible global citizens.