Resident Coordinator's speech: Malaysia SDG Summit 2024

Yang Berhormat Dato Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib, Deputy Minister of Economy 

Yang Berbahagia Dato' Nor Azmie Diron, Secretary General, Ministry of Economy 

Head of Departments, Representative of Ministries and Agencies 

Excellencies Ambassadors, Head of Missions, and members of the diplomatic corps

UN colleagues and Representatives of International Organisations 

Ladies and gentlemen 

Good morning,

At the outset I congratulate the Ministry of Economy on this SDG Summit 2024

It is a privilege to have been part of Malaysia’s journey towards the SDGs, and I feel particularly honoured to address this esteemed audience and to have attended the regional SDGs summits organized throughout Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

This event comes at a pivotal time for Malaysia as it embarks on the 13th Malaysia, 3rd Voluntary National Review of SDG Progress, and as we, at the UN, identify key priority areas for our new Cooperation Framework with Malaysia.

As I will make clear in my presentation, we face serious SDG challenges at global, regional, and national levels.  My message today is one of a call to action, to double down on Malaysia’s SDG successes but also to address any gaps. 

I begin by offering reflections on SDG progress overall. I will then run through each of 17 goals tracing the position from global to Asia-Pacific to Malaysia, and where possible, at subnational level. 

I will close by offering some pointers on how we might enable accelerated performance. 

With just a little over six years to 2030, the UN Secretary-General Report 2024 paints a very grave picture.

SDG achievement is at serious risk, and it is not a coincidence that the Pact for the Future, which will be adopted during next week’s Summit of the Future, starts with a strong renewed commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

As you can see on the screen, out of 139 SDG targets with trend data, only 15% are on track to be achieved by 2030. Nearly half (49%) are off-track (20% indicating moderate progress and 29% showing marginal progress and). Alarmingly, progress on over a third of the targets has stalled (17%) or even regressed (19%) below the 2015 baseline level.

The picture for the Asia Pacific region is equally alarming. Analysis undertaken UN ESCAP earlier this year suggests that only 5% of SDGs targets are on track, 83% are off track, and 13% show regression.  

Moving to Malaysia, analysis carried out by my team in 2023 suggested that some 64% of SDG targets where data is available, were on track, and 36% were off track.  This is considerably better than elsewhere, but we must recognize that as an Upper Middle-Income Country approaching High-Income status, Malaysia could perform better.

I now offer a goal-by-goal analysis.

Beginning with SDG1 and SDG2, in the current global context, ending poverty by 2030 appears increasingly out of reach. If current trends continue, 590 million people will still live in extreme poverty by 2030. Hunger persists for nearly 1 person in 10 globally; and 2.4 billion people experience moderate to severe food insecurity.

In Asia and the Pacific, the picture is more encouraging, although full and decisive elimination of poverty is in question. Resilience to income shocks is a special area of concern, alongside significant food and nutrition weaknesses.

Malaysia’s impressive long-run development record and income level has almost eradicated extreme poverty. However, the national poverty rate of 6.3 per cent masks much higher rates in some states, reaching a poverty headcount of 19.7% in Sabah.

SDG2 is also problematic as we increasingly see a double nutritional challenge of stunting alongside obesity, with important spatial dimensions: the better off states generally see lower stunting but higher obesity, and the less well-off states, the reverse.

Global progress on SDG3 has slowed down since 2015 in areas like maternal mortality, premature deaths from major noncommunicable diseases, and access to essential healthcare.

Asia Pacific data shows mixed performance: reduced mortality but with most targets lagging. Troublingly, we see static to worsening outcomes on substance abuse, and the level of health coverage. 

For Malaysia, progress on SDG3 trends towards the positive. Outcomes, especially for headline targets, are improving, but there are several off-track targets too.  The health system, while comparatively solid, appears stretched, especially in terms of preparedness for emergencies. 

Coming to SDG4, after decades of positive trends in education, learning outcomes have stagnated, and for some countries, they are moving backwards, particularly in lower secondary education. Early improvement in completion in upper secondary has also slowed down.

Asia and the Pacific faces similar weaknesses, and our analysis suggests that while there is progress on education, none of the SDG4 targets are on track. Critically, performance on reading and mathematics are getting worse. 

For Malaysia, the aggregate data for SDG4 is positive. However, we note challenges below the target level, with a major gap between high levels of reading versus lower mathematical attainment. This is also reflected in Malaysia’s declining PISA score.

SDG4 is about ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, and this means that no child or young person should be excluded from mainstream schooling. Access to education for refugee, migrant, stateless and undocumented populations remains a challenge.     

Globally, progress towards gender equality (SDG 5) is very clearly off track.  At the current rate, achieving gender parity in managerial positions will take an estimated 176 years. Progress in addressing discrimination is also far too slow.  

The picture for Asia Pacific is less stark and more nuanced, with both on-track and off-track targets. Problematically, there is a lack data for 6 of the 9 targets, and this clouds the real position.  

Disparities between men and women are a serious challenge for Malaysia too. Our in-house analysis suggests that most of the targets are off track, including on discrimination, violence against women, forced marriage, and representation in public life and in business.

Moving on to Water and sanitation (SDG 6), at the global level, none of the targets are on track. Water stress is rising, and around 2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water. Some 3.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation. 

For Asia Pacific, again none of the targets are assessed as on track, and water ecosystems are scored as regressing. 

Progress in Malaysia is strong on the headline targets. A few targets, however, exhibit conflicting indicator trends (domestic wastewater treatment is on-track, while industrial wastewater treatment shows regression). For SDG6 also, the positive aggregate picture masks challenges, notably in access to clean water and sanitation in Sabah, Sarawak, but also Kelantan. 

Referring to SDG7, access to electricity globally has declined for the first time in ten years. At the current rate, 660 million people will still lack electricity by 2030 and 1.8 billion will not have access to clean cooking. 

The Asia-Pacific region has seen slow progress on SDG7 with most indicators scored as lagging. Problematically, the share of energy sourced from renewables has actually fallen back.  

Malaysia’s position shows a strong performance on the headline measures on access. We see only minor subnational variations. However, given its income status, Malaysia’s performance on renewables could be much better. 

SDG 8 is not on track globally. The UN’s global analysis foresees a worsening global labour market outlook, and sluggish growth in 2024. 

These troubling trends, which impact the trajectory of other SDGs, are mirrored in the data for Asia Pacific. Per capita and per worker economic growth has slowed considerably, and the associated targets are judged as off-track. Employment levels have also fallen back. 

Encouragingly, Malaysia’s SDG8 progress is on track in terms of economic growth, innovation and productivity, adoption of job creation policies, youth employment, rights and safe work environments, and access to banking services.  Concerning issues include the size of the informal sector, decent work, and equal pay. 

Subnational data reflects the core-periphery pattern of Malaysia’s economic geography. More remote, and rural states have lower levels of employment and weaker economic growth.

For SDG 9, the global position is more balanced.

The analysis for Asia Pacific reveals similarly mixed trends, with resilient infrastructure and access to ICT on track, and the remaining targets lagging. 

This is a pivotal goal for Malaysia. Policy efforts on industry, technology and diversification and access to technology demonstrate a commitment to SDG9. Off-track targets include access to financial markets, infrastructure upgrading, R&D, and employment in the manufacturing sector, and as with SDG8, there are major spatial variations.

SDG 10 seeks the reduction of inequality between and within countries, yet global analysis suggests that the reverse is happening. 

For Asia Pacific, progress, outcomes, and policy measures to deliver equality, have been insufficient, notably on fiscal and social protection policies and safe and orderly migration.  

For Malaysia, SDG10 is an important goal and a longstanding challenge. The main equality target is off-track, as are targets for social inclusion and supportive fiscal and social policies. There are widening gaps between low- and high-income groups and a static wage-labour share. The position is exacerbated by significant missing data on non-discrimination measures and policies related to specific groups, such as migrants.  Subnational data also shows considerable spatial inequalities on incomes and relative poverty.

SDG 11 is vital as nearly 70% of the global population is projected to reside in cities by 2050, and will require critical infrastructure, affordable housing, efficient transport and essential social services. Yet very significant challenges remain. 

For Asia Pacific we see divergent trends. For Malaysia, three key headline targets-- access to housing, waste management and green open spaces-- show real progress. Policy frameworks are also track, but less so on disaster resilience, for example. Like with other SDGs, the quality of urban development across states varies significantly.

I come now to SDG 12. The global trends are very troubling. Domestic material consumption and material footprint continue to rise. Some one billion meals worth of edible food are wasted every day in homes around the world. Stockpiles of e-waste grow.  

These challenges are somewhat mirrored in the data for Asia and the Pacific, with progress at the policy level and in business practices, but targets for waste generation and fossil fuel subsidies remain lagging. We even see regression on natural resources exploitation.  

For Malaysia, on-track SDG12 targets include waste management, disposal and generation, civic awareness, and public procurement. Yet targets for natural resource management and sustainable tourism are off-track. Subnational data also show that hazardous waste is a particular issue in industrialized areas. Like many countries that are trying to fulfill their environmental obligations, ongoing public funding of fossil fuels impedes the transition to net-zero in Malaysia.

Moving to SDG 13, on Climate Change, the only way out of a very concerning situation is to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C, requiring radical reductions in emissions, and the achievement of net zero by 2050.

The situation in the Asia Pacific is problematic, with emissions and loss and damage heading in the wrong direction. There is a clear divergence between commitments, policy intentions and actions, a challenge echoed in Malaysia as well. Yet we note increasing attention to policy and means of implementation to take climate action forward, with some states driving promising initiatives.

For SDG 14, global data shows targets to be either off track or regressing. From declining fish stocks, marine pollution, ocean acidification to habitat destruction, current trends suggest devastating consequences ahead.

For Asia-Pacific, progress on this goal is particularly weak, with marine pollution and conservation targets off track and data gaps in 7 out of 10 targets.   

Turning to Malaysia, progress also leans towards the negative, particularly on subsidies to the fisheries sector, coastal and marine conservation, and research into technology. However, there are efforts to reduce acidification, support small-scale fishers and enforce international conventions.  

The state of SDG 15 paints a bleak picture globally with the relentless depletion of forests, faster species extinction and stagnation in safeguarding key biodiversity areas.

The story is a little more positive for Asia and the Pacific, with improved resources and policy commitments to reverse the damage done to the land environment. Nevertheless, biodiversity data shows evidence of deterioration on the 2015 base.

In contrast, SDG 15 data for Malaysia shows strong overall performance on the protection front. The policy targets are also on track. Nevertheless, missing data is an issue – degraded land, ecosystems, and natural habitats, all lack indicator disaggregated data at state and local levels.   

I turn now to the pivotal goal of SDG16, an enabler of progress on all other SDGs. The global picture is depressing. Large swathes of the world’s population live in conflict affected areas. Global forced displacement has passed the 110-million bar and continues to increase.  

Analysis for Asia-Pacific highlights significant weaknesses, with many targets lagging, notably those related to crime, corruption, justice, and anti-discrimination.

Malaysia’s progress on SDG16 is nuanced. Three important targets – reduction of violent crime, reduction of corruption and bribery, and promotion of transparency, accountability, and institutional effectiveness – are assessed as on track. Four others related to abuse and trafficking of children, access to justice, combating of organized crime and illicit financial flows, and responsive and inclusive decision making – are off-track.

Finally, I come to goal 17 on Partnerships, crafted to gauge global and multilateral progress. The 2024 report of the UN Secretary-General highlights an SDG financing gap estimated at US4 trillion annually. 

In Asia and the Pacific region, virtually all the targets where data are available are off track. Highly troubling is debt sustainability, which shows significant and continuous deterioration.

For Malaysia, a partial review focused on the domestic aspects shows an evident commitment to data, technology, financing and multi-stakeholder partnerships for the goals. 

This completes my review of the goals but before closing, I would like to mention four insights as Malaysia translates its renewed commitment to actions.

First and foremost, is the need for policy alignment and coherence with and within the SDGs.  This should be signaled within national and sectoral plans and cascaded to state and local levels.

Second is the importance of political will and strengthening coalitions that enable SDG implementation. 

Third, it is vital that effective decentralization is achieved via both devolution of authority, and/or where appropriate, the de-concentration of administration. This is particularly pertinent for countries like Malaysia where “national” SDG challenges often have complex local causal drivers.

Fourth and finally, is the importance of partnership building to deliver the goals – across government and different levels of government, with the business community, with civil society and ultimately with citizens. 

I also acknowledge the government of Malaysia and its strategic approach to SDG financing. Malaysia-UN SDG Trust Fund is a pioneering initiative to drive progress through an innovative approach that supports sustainable development solutions all over Malaysia. With our partner Yayasan SDGs, we are proud to launch today the second call for proposals and invite you to our exhibition booth to learn more about it.

With that, YB Deputy Minister, Dato’, ladies and gentlemen, I conclude my remarks and thank you for your attention.