eat to live...safe and nutritious food, and to be free from hunger. this is in line with the united...

B E R I TA

ISSUE 68 | APR - JUN 2020KDNPP 5365/10/2012 (031031)

EAT TO LIVELIVE TO EAT?OR

– An analysis on food insecurity in Malaysia

Educator Extraordinaire

A profile on Sunway Education Group CEO Dr Elizabeth Lee

Developing Digital Talents

What is the future of digital talents in the country?

GBMC-JL-082-20 Berita Sunway Issue 68-FA_2.indd 1GBMC-JL-082-20 Berita Sunway Issue 68-FA_2.indd 1 05/05/2020 2:58 PM05/05/2020 2:58 PM

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ISSUE 68 | APR - JUN 2020DID YOU KNOW?03 | Facts and FiguresFast figures on food insecurity ON THE COVER04 - 05 | Eat to Live or Live to Eat? Malaysia ranks 23 out of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index 2019. We analyse food security in Malaysia HEROES OF SUNWAY06 - 07 | Educator Extraordinaire A profile on Sunway Education Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elizabeth Lee AWARDS & VOICES OF SUNWAY08 | Winning WaysHighlighting Sunway’s big wins in Q2 08 | An Analysis on Food Security How it impacts rural and urban students FEATURES09 | Developing Digital Talents What is the future of digital talentsin the country? 10 | Seeing Green Sunway Nursery plays a pivotal role in environmental conservation and building of green townships 11 | Quarry-ty over QuantityBeing the backbone of the country’s growth, Sunway Quarry is looking for a more sustainable growth.

ADVISORSTan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. HashimOng Pang Yen

EDITORIAL BOARDYap Shi Han | [email protected] Lim | [email protected] Shakirah Mohd Muslimin | [email protected] Lee | [email protected] Shaowen | [email protected] Revi | [email protected]

PUBLISHERSunway Group Brand Marketing & Communications

REGISTERED ADDRESSSunway Management Sdn BhdLevel 16, Menara SunwayJalan Lagoon Timur, Bandar Sunway47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaTel: +603 5639 8889URL: www.sunway.com.my

THIS IS A QUARTERLY PUBLICATIONThe views and opinions expressed or implied in Berita Sunway are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Sunway Group. Unsolicited transparencies and articles are sentat owner’s risk and the Publisher accepts no liabilityfor loss or damage.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©Copyright 2020by Sunway Group Brand Marketing & Communications.

Wish to be on our mailing list? Contact us at:

SUNWAY GROUP BRAND MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONSLevel 18 Menara SunwayJalan Lagoon Timur, Bandar Sunway47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaTel: +603 5639 8793/8198

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B E R I TA

04

06IN CASE YOU MISSED IT12 | Bringing joy to the underprivileged, one book at a timeSunway Group contributes to the establishment of a community library at Desa Mentari 13 | Savouring Sweet Success Four Sunway University students win gold and silver at the 25th IKA/Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany 14 | Transforming for a Better FutureSunway Group partners with Google and Deloitte Consulting to launch their Go Transform program PEN & PAD 15 | AnalysisSunwayians share their thoughts with us!13


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FACTS AND FIGURESon food insecurity


ON

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E very person has the fundamental right to access adequate, safe and nutritious food, and to be free from hunger. This is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development

Goal No 2, which is to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, as well as promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.

With the global population estimated to exceed 9 billion people by 2050, ensuring food security will be essential in achieving a sustainable development and a sustainable world.

The United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security defines food security as “all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.”

WHY FOOD SECURITY MATTERSAmong the benefits of having secure access to food are economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, trade opportunities, increased global security and stability, improved health and healthcare as well as social stability.

“A country can never go wrong investing in food. The benefits in food sector development are multi-dimensional,” said Datin Paduka Professor Dr Fatimah Mohd Arshad, director of the Institute of Agricultural and Food Policy Studies at Universiti Putra Malaysia and visiting senior fellow at the Khazanah Research Institute.

Other advantages of food security are nutrition security, growth of the food industry, export earnings, and reduced foreign exchange outflow, said Fatimah, who was appointed as a member of the National Agriculture Advisory Council last year to help the government raise the level of national food security and agricultural exports.

The lack of food security can have drastic consequences - malnutrition, hunger and even conflict. In 2007 and into the first half of 2008, sharp increases in global food prices resulted in social unrest and riots in developing and developed economies.

AGRICULTURE IN FOOD SECURITY“At the heart of a country’s economic structural transformation is agriculture. No country has made a transition to high-income

status without successful agricultural transformation,” said Firas Rad, the World Bank country manager for Malaysia, as quoted in the World Bank report, ‘Agricultural Transformation and Inclusive Growth: the Malaysian Experience’ launched last November.

Agricultural development plays a major role in improving food security and nutrition by increasing the quantity and diversity of food, as well as driver of economic transformation.

Agriculture is also the main source of income for many people living in extreme poverty. An estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide make their living in the agriculture sector, according to a 2016 report on sustainable agriculture development by the UN Committee on World Food Security.

“Agriculture and the industry are highly interrelated. Agriculture provides food for the industry and the latter creates demand. The close interaction between the two makes the economy expand and become more dynamic and achieve faster growth, as seen in the US, China, France and other developed economies,” said Fatimah.

Malaysia’s food imports have been rising by an average of 6.5% annually from RM30 billion in 2010 to RM50 billion in 2018. Fatimah believes that it is far-fetched for Malaysia to achieve zero food imports, given the low adoption of agriculture technology and high production costs compared to neighbouring countries.

“We have a lot to catch up. Most countries do import food that they can’t produce domestically. For example, Malaysia imports cheese, wine for the hospitality sector as well as powdered and fresh milk for children and the elderly. Open trade allows countries to exchange in food commodities. A 100% dependence on food import can be fatal to a very poor country but not a rich country like Singapore. The nation imports most of its food requirements due to limited land area but it topped the

EAT TO LIVE or LIVE TO EAT?

Although Malaysia is generally "food secure" at the national level, ranking 23 out of 113 countries

in the Global Food Security Index 2019, food insecurity still exists at the household level. Here’s our analysis.

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ON

THE COVER

Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2019 ranking due to its strong fundamentals,” she said.

Malaysia was recently ranked No 28 out of 113 countries in the GFSI 2019, an annual assessment measuring food security through affordability, availability, quality and safety metrics. Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, last year’s Global Food Security Index was topped by Singapore, Ireland and the United States for the second consecutive year, followed by Switzerland, Finland and Norway.

ADDRESS THE RICE MONOPOLY

When it comes to poultry meat, eggs and pork, Malaysia is self-sufficient, Fatimah said. “Our self-sufficiency level for rice hovers around 65% to 70% in the last decade or so. The other food commodities did not show significant improvement in production,” she added.

While it is possible for Malaysia to achieve a 100% self-sufficiency level in staple food such as rice, the cost is very high due to the highly subsidised rice industry that is protected from international market vagaries, Fatimah said.

The industry is subsidised to the tune of RM2.2 billion in 2012 and about RM1.1 billion in 2019, according to Fatimah.

She noted that there was a wealth divide between paddy farmers and private companies, big millers and wholesalers, with 90% of paddy farmers coming from the B40 income group.

“The government should push for more cooperatives for small farms to improve their bargaining power and income,” she said.

MORE FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE R&DThere is a need to diversify resources and refocus on food commodities, as the oil palm-centric policy adopted by the government in the 1970s has resulted in a slower growth for food in agriculture, she said.

“Oil palm accounted for 75% of agricultural land in 2015 with food commodities taking up 10%. R&D for food is inadequate — yield is very low for most commodities. We need a food first policy,” she said.

R&D in agriculture needs to be prioritised as this is currently lacking in Malaysia - this was also highlighted in the recent GFSI where Malaysia scored low in ‘public expenditure on agricultural R&D’.

Unfortunately, a thriving ecosystem does not exist for food commodities, as Malaysia imports most of the food commodities that are cheaper, hence removing the incentive to produce locally. “Even labour is imported because it is cheap. This has discouraged innovation. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention,” said Fatimah.

Malaysia would do well to have more agricultural R&D institutions and higher learning institutions focused on agricultural sciences,

as practised in neighbouring countries.

“Currently we only have the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and University Putra Malaysia. 24 out of the 74 public universities in Thailand offer agricultural sciences as of 2005. Vietnam has four agricultural universities while Indonesia has 114 agricultural universities,” she said.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN LAB AND FARMSmall-scale farmers often lack the innovative technology to improve their farming and to resolve their problems.

“We need effective extension services to transfer technology to farmers. Extension agents are employed by the government to work with farmers to increase crop yields, prevent erosion, eliminate blights or pests. We need to bridge the gap between technological innovations from the labs to the farm,” Fatimah said.

The problem in Malaysia is that there are too few extension agents and they lack the required expertise. To resolve this, more participatory research between researchers and farmers is essential. Closer private sector collaboration would also benefit both industry and academia, she quipped.

Academia should also focus on encouraging applied research that addresses local issues and problems, rather than be fixated with a “publish or perish” culture that prioritises research papers geared towards international publications to boost university rankings, said Fatimah.

The government could provide fiscal incentives to encourage more public-private partnerships in food businesses and production from the private sector since the latter is profit-driven, Fatimah added.

SUNWAY’S JOURNEY TOWARDS FOOD SUSTAINABILITY

Last year, Sunway repurposed 40 hectares of undeveloped land in Sunway City Ipoh for food and agriculture by establishing the Sunway Organic Farm. Located at The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, the farm produces pesticide-free fruits and vegetables using freshwater from the mountains for resort guests, staff and the surrounding community.

Sunway Group will also be launching the FutureX Farm, an urban farm innovation hub in the third quarter of this year. Located in the heart of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, the 30,000 sq ft building will feature indoor and outdoor smart farming areas, an R&D centre, collaborative space for events, cafe and al-fresco area. FutureX Farm will serve as a skills-building hub for urban farming professionals, tech companies, researchers and young talent to collaborate and create transformative solutions focused on food and agritech. [For more information on coding school 42, turn to Page 9]

Sunway Group will also be hosting the Thought For Food (TFF) Summit, in partnership with the global non-profit Thought For Food, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI).

The TFF Summit aims to catalyse entrepreneurship and technological innovation for food and agriculture by bringing together entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, investors, policymakers and creative thinkers from around the globe.

“Sustainable food production and consumption is crucial in any environment, be it outskirts or the city, they need to be done responsibly. Sunway's vision is for our cities to be a living laboratory where ideas are generated to address the challenges facing humanity. This is in line with our vision to be Asia’s model corporation in sustainable development, innovating to enrich lives for a better tomorrow,” said Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO, Sunway Group Founder and Chairman.

EAT TO LIVE or LIVE TO EAT?

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Having obtained her Honours degree in Multi-Cultural Education in the UK and read her Master of Philosophy in Education at the University of Cambridge, Elizabeth also serves on the EXCO of the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia, of which she was their first female President from 2003 to 2006.

Growing up with a mother who was a teacher and a father who worked in the publishing industry, Elizabeth said education runs in the family. An avid reader, her earliest childhood memories involved recreating the classroom environment in her bedroom with her dolls and teddy bears, and marking books with a red pen.

Her father was a key influence in her decision to become an educator, she said.

“From a young age, my father would get me to write simple children stories, which he would then print into small black and white booklets that he would sell to school children for 10 cents at school canteens during recess time. He sold the books cheaply so that more children could afford to read. His passion was to instil the love of reading in children,” she said.

EDUCATION OF THE FUTURE

Technological advancement may change the traditional role of educators, Elizabeth said. “The school of the future may actually be devoid of teachers, as we learn more from peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. While the yearning to impart knowledge to the next generation remains, the traditional role of top-down knowledge sharing could become irrelevant,” she said.

However, Elizabeth is confident that universities will not disappear. “Teachers are facilitators and knowledge is not confined to a textbook alone. Young people are becoming more aware of what goes on out there in the world and there is a lot more questioning and hence thinking. You cannot look to the teacher as a ‘know-it-all sage’,” she said.

With the rising popularity of short courses online and monthly subscription models at universities overseas, how is Sunway University keeping abreast with digitalisation?

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Berita Sunway speaks to Sunway Education Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elizabeth Lee as part of International Women's Day

Much like the hot cups of rose tea she serves to guests in her office, Dr Elizabeth Lee, Sunway Education Group (SEG) Chief Executive Officer, exudes warmth.

A self-professed people person, Elizabeth is ever ready with a smile; her eyes lighting up at the mention of her students, and she proudly enthuses about their recent accomplishments at the SEA Games and the IKA Culinary Olympics.

University is not about studies alone! It’s more about more wholesome development of the person, where students hone their talents and sharpen their skills. It is so heartening to see them win in sports, culinary arts, dance and all kinds of things they do. They are winners for competing – not just getting the trophies. It’s important for them to learn how to compete. That’s how they become better and improve otherwise they become complacent and rest on their laurels,

Besides spending the past 28 years with SEG, Elizabeth is synonymous with higher education in Malaysia as she is actively involved in various education-related capacities. She is a 2nd-term council member of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Council (MQA) and chairs both the MQA Investment Committee as well as Disciplinary Committee. Previously, Elizabeth served on the board of advisors of the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), the Ministry of Education’s premier research arm.

Beyond the education orbit, Elizabeth sits on the Board of Trustees of MERCY Malaysia, supporting their humanitarian work, and also shares her leadership experiences as a mentor for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) global programme for specially selected female corporate leaders.

“

” - Dr Elizabeth Lee

EDUCATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE


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Elizabeth lists the Victoria University MBA programme offered at Sunway as an example of offering flexibility in education since more than 15 years ago.

“For the longest time I have believed that one should be able to study for a degree bit by bit. Our Victoria UniversityMBA programme offered at Sunway was launched many years ago to offer working adults the chance to complete the whole master’s degree in modular phases,” she said, adding, “Nowadays, they call it micro-credentials.”

Sunway has also been striving to improve their online capabilities to support students’ learning, especially as contingency measures in facing recent public health hazards such as COVID-19 and haze.

Sunway Education Group’s partnership with French-based École 42 — a teacher-less coding school — to open the first École 42 campus in Malaysia is a nod to the education of the future. Established in Paris in 2013, École 42 now has 23 partner schools globally and is the first digital training centre that is tuition-free and open to 18-year-old students with or without academic qualifications. Students will be selected based on an online aptitude test, followed by a month-long project challenge. Teaching methods are based on peer-to-peer learning without the aid of teachers and classes, allowing students to learn creatively through projects. The 42 KL campus is set to launch in Sunway in September, with the first assessment slated for December this year.

“The whole idea is to ensure that future generations are not disadvantaged. I love the idea that we don’t need

to have pre-requisite qualifications to pursue education. People develop at

different stages of their lives. Every person should have the right to be educated,” said Elizabeth.

The mark of a LEADER

WOMAN AT THE TOP

In every workplace, there will be people who are difficult to get along with but the key is to be constructive about it, she said. “We need to inspect ourselves - is there something that I need to change about myself to improve at my work? What does another colleague have that I lack or what can I bring to the table that others can’t? Have a chat with your boss and ask about what you can do to learn or achieve greater things. Make plenty of allies not enemies,” she said.

When it comes to leadership, she looks up to her father for his humility, and as a Christian, Jesus Christ for his servant leadership. “I know it sounds religious and cliché but servant leadership appeals to me because you cannot lead if you do not have followers. Leaders have to command the respect and following of a group of people. You have to be dependable, trustworthy and you need to have values that cannot be compromised. Being a leader is a great responsibility - you cannot let your following down because they have entrusted you to lead them. You owe it to them,” she said.

Was it challenging to juggle a demanding career with her role as wife and mother to her three daughters growing up? Elizabeth said she made it a point to never miss any major event of her children’s growing up years such as school concert performances, and she travelled less for work when the children were younger. “They need to feel you are a part of their major milestone-moments,” she said.

As part of her job involved entertaining business partners, Elizabeth would host them at her house to expose her children at a young age to be part of mum’s official life. “It helped to actually foster closer working relationships with some partners too.” Keen to give her young children the best while working saw her doing teleconference calls in private while expressing breastmilk for her babies, in the workplace.

“I believe it is much easier today as corporations are a lot more conscious of supporting women at work. Back then, nursing rooms were non-existent! Women are given more flexibility too these days. But it ultimately comes back to the person herself. You have to be creative and make do with what you have. You have to be determined to find a way and believe when there’s a will there’s a way. If a man can be a father and work at the same time, why can’t a woman?” she said.

However, Elizabeth is quick to credit her husband, her parents, in-laws and her domestic helpers for her success as a full-time working mother. “You must establish a support system. I depended on people I could trust and who were supportive of me. My husband worked from home when my youngest was born. My parents helped greatly with baby-sitting and in-laws would help pick-up my kids from school when needed. Marissa, my domestic helper has been with my family for 25 years, is like family to me — she runs my household!”

Elizabeth said she did not encounter gender discrimination at work, or at least, she never allowed herself to think that way. “Men and women need to learn how to work together, not threaten each other. Nobody would want to work with someone who constantly fights you. I stand for gender equality as I believe men and women bring different strengths to the workplace,” she said.


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AWAR

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integrated development Sunway GRID was recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records for its ‘First Property Customisation and Online Purchase System’ in Malaysia. Located at Sunway Iskandar in Johor, the Sunway Property residential project allows buyers to customise, book and purchase their preferred home anywhere, anytime on the GRID website.

For students, the level of food security varies based onseveral factors such as demographics (urban vs rural areas)

to the types of academic institutions, namely government or private and international schools.

Students in most private and international schools are food secure, meeting all of their basic food needs and daily calorie intake requirements. Same is the case for most public schools in urban areas. But it is still important to acknowledge that students living in ‘urban poverty’ may struggle with food security. Students living in rural areas, on the other hand, are more likely to experience severe food insecurity.

Families in rural areas may struggle with food security because of their B40 status, with some only having a single breadwinner. These families may also lack awareness on the importance of food security.

The side effects are chilling – children who grow up poor without proper nourishment, may later develop impaired brain functions and an unstable digestive system. Other associated

effects are obesity and lower academic performance, which may translate to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. These negative effects may prolong into adulthood as many behavioural characteristics and health habits formed during childhood and adolescence carry forward into adulthood.

Schools play a crucial role in providing students with the proper nourishment, especially because food choices are restricted within the school premises during school hours. It is the onus of schools to ensure that students have access to affordable, nutritious food on school grounds. An alternative would be for them to bring their own packed food.

In an effort to overcome food insecurity, schools should cut down on their unhealthy food options. They can also consider subsidising food at canteens, running awareness programmes such as a Health Week, participating in government initiatives like giving out free milk cartons and educating students on the importance of healthy eating.

AN ANALYSIS ON FOOD SECURITY –How it impacts rural and urban students

WINNING WAYSChampion for UNITY

Regional BEST

A MALAYSIA FIRST for Sunway PropertyFounder and Trustee of Jeffrey Cheah

Foundation Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO received the honour of being the first and only non-Muslim to receive the Hunayn Ibn Ishaq Unity Award at the Islamic Excellence Awards 1441H/2020AD. The Islamic Excellence Awards recognises outstanding excellence of individuals and organisations in various fields, as well as reflects the importance of the enduring values of Islam in promoting inclusivity and equitability.

Sunway Group proved to be among the top corporations in Asia, winning across three categories in FinanceAsia’s 2020 Asia’s Best Companies survey, as ranked by investors and analysts. Sunway was ranked first in ‘Best Investor Relations’, and third place in ‘Best Managed Company’ and ‘Most Committed to Social Causes’ respectively. FinanceAsia magazine covers corporate finance across the Asia-Pacific region.

By Sharon Thangaraj

Food security is achieved when people have access to various choices of affordable, quality and nutritious food.

Highlighting Sunway’s big wins in Q2


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Decoding digital TALENTSThe World Economic Forum believes that the ASEAN digital economy will contribute an estimated US$1 trillion to the regional GDP over the next 10 years. Berita Sunway speaks to Sunway Group Chief Innovation Officer Matt van Leeuwen, director of the non-profit start-up incubator and accelerator, Sunway iLabs, on the future of digital talents in the country.

What is the future of digital talents in the country?

Good digital talent is hard to come by in Malaysia — one of the 10 cities in Asia facing acute digital talent shortage, according to the Asian Digital Transformation Index 2018 study released by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

This is worrying, considering that the nation risks losing out on opportunities in the booming ASEAN digital economy. But the apparent dismal sentiment from employers towards the hiring of good digital talents from our talent pool in Malaysia is echoed across different industries, said van Leeuwen. In the tech industry, it all boils down to potential candidates demonstrating real world competency and skills. For instance, most companies prefer to hire talents with three to five years of experience, as firms lack the time to train new hires to ‘unlearn’ what they know and ‘relearn’, van Leeuwen said.

REAL SOLUTIONS TO REAL PROBLEMS During Sunway iLabs’ ‘Make It Challenge’ event last September, a total of 20 students from Sunway University, Sunway College and Lancaster University went on a field trip to Kuala Sepetang fishing village, a charcoal factory, paddy fields and Free the Seed — a Malaysian biotech company that converts rice straw into compostable food packaging — in Taiping, Perak, as well as in Pendang and Gurun in Kedah.

Organised by Sunway University and Sunway iLabs in collaboration with Lancaster University in the UK and in partnership with United Nations Technology Innovation Labs (UNTIL), the Make it Challenge 2019 called on students from different fields of study to build solutions to tackle responsible consumption and production, by focusing on re-imagining the food supply chain.

“When you talk about Industry 4.0 to paddy farmers, they’re like, ‘It’s interesting, but we actually need better irrigation systems. This is a classic example of how any entrepreneur needs to go about getting towards so-called problem-solution fit, which always starts by understanding the problem in detail before pitching a solution” said van Leeuwen.

First place winner in the ‘Make It Challenge’ was ‘Meal in a box’, a systematic meal service that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and data to create meals for families and reduce food wastage. Meanwhile, first runner-up was ‘Optimeal’, an online platform that connects hotels and F&B outlets with customers, to sell excess edible food and prevent food wastage.

UNCONVENTIONAL EDUCATION FOR A DIGITAL ECONOMY

To foster better industry engagement, Sunway iLabs will also launch the Start-up Foundry, a free elective course in Sunway University, in August this year. It is a structural programme that aims to help students manoeuvre through the challenges of getting people to understand the value of their product or services, and to avoid the early pitfalls of a company. The

start-ups that will come out of the Start-up Foundry will also be granted a chance to participate in the iLabs Accelerator Programme that prepare the student start-ups to scale. The course is only open to Sunway University students.

Through the Start-up Foundry, the ultimate aim is to inculcate three main skillsets among students — problem-solving using a “growth mindset”, collaboration and communication. “People often talk about these as ‘soft skills’ but I would argue that these are ‘critical skills’ we need in every sector. It’s not about being a specialist when it comes to digital talent, but it’s how you are able to use technology as a tool in your toolbox to solve problems,” he said.

Sunway iLabs will also be collaborating with Sunway Education Group, who has partnered with French-based École 42 — a 24/7 teacher-less coding school — to open the first École 42 campus in Malaysia, to be named 42 KL. Established in Paris in 2013, École 42 now has 23 partner schools globally and is the first digital training centre that is tuition-free and open to any student with or without academic qualifications. The 42 KL campus is set to launch in Sunway in September, with the first assessment slated for December this year.

“Interestingly, companies we have spoken to say they might want their existing staff to enrol in 42 to upskill, which is another big need from the industry side to be prepared for the digital economy,” he said.

Van Leeuwen, who was in Paris last year to observe how École 42 was being run, said École 42 education was a departure from traditional learning.

“Project-based learning allows students to work on real-life problem statements. Teacher-less or peer-to-peer learning means that students have to sort themselves out and learn from each other, rather than being spoon-fed the answers by a teacher. The 42 education system is also gamified (incorporating game-like elements) where students need to solve increasingly more difficult challenges to progress to the next level.”

The curriculum at École 42, unlike traditional educational institutions, are constantly updated. Another outstanding feature of École 42’s brand of education is its 100% employability rate among graduates around the world — 70% who are hired by companies during their internships as the graduates are in that much demand by industry.

We all want a better talent pool and this is how we make it sustainable — turning around the business model of education. In other words, we believe this will be a real game changer for tech education and recruitment” he said.


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Sunway City Kuala Lumpur is a good example of the remarkable transformation that can be achieved through landscaping. Previously, the soil surrounding the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park was sand-based, which are less efficient at absorbing water due to its large particles.

“Nothing could grow at that time. After we built the theme park, we planted thousands of trees, created a rainforest, and today it has transformed into a mini jungle,” said Uthaya Soorian, assistant general manager of Sunway Nursery.

Through the transplantation of trees across the nation, Sunway is able to conserve the environment and its ecological state. Trees reduce soil erosion, increase fertility and help soil obtain moisture, according to Soorian. It also contributes to the fight against climate change, acting as a natural air conditioner by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.

Besides reducing soil temperature and preventing the loss of soil moisture, decayed tree leaves are also the catalyst for tree growth and microorganism development.

From a commercial perspective, improved land conditions have helped increase the value of property in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur. “Initially in the 1980’s, people were skeptical of buying houses in Bandar Sunway,” Soorian said.

“Being an ex-miner meant the city had a lot of pot holes, no stability and could sink easily. But these perceptions have since changed, especially because of the large landscaping surrounding our properties. Nowadays, before buying a property, investors look at the surrounding environment. Landscaping has added remarkable value to properties,” he added.

But like many other businesses, Sunway Nursery faces many challenges within the industry. One such challenge includes shortage of workers. “The landscaping and nursery sectors are very much depended on unskilled labours. Currently, all the workforce are foreigners. Government regulations such as work permits, levy, number of working years very much effect our industry.”

On the ground, tight regulations such as the restriction of certain species of trees pose

a serious challenge for Soorian and his colleagues. “If we had a large number of a particular species, we might end up having to destroy them.” Plants and trees also have high rates of mortality, if not kept well, resulting in higher cost of maintenance.

Moving forward, Soorian says Sunway Nursery hopes the economy will pick itself back up following uncertainties stemming from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He also hopes Sunway will continue to develop more properties. “We have a large land bank in the southern region, which we hope to grow further. Sunway Nursery will continue its efforts to propagate and supply 30,000 to 50,000 trees in the next five years.”

IMPACT OF LANDSCAPING

Seeing GREENLandscaping does more than give your backyard an eco-makeover, it can even be sustainable.

Sustainable landscapes add more value to mother nature by cleaning the air and water, increases energy efficiency and restore habitats, according to The American Society of Landscape Architects Funds, characteristics needed in a green sustainable city.

One Sunway business unit is playing a pivotal, though discreet, role behind Sunway’s push to build sustainable green cities across the country.

Founded in 1988, Sunway Nursery facilitates Sunway’s tree-planting programme, on top of other services like landscaping, landscape design, building minor projects and consultancy services for instant trees transplanting.

Sunway Nursery is playing a pivotal role in environmental conservation and building of green townships.

Under the tree-planting programme, the selected trees are fast-growing, canopied and require little maintenance. In total, there have been 31,779 native and 142,291 adaptive plant species in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur since the programme started in 1989. The company spent RM5 million on landscaping and the beautification of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur.

By Anis Shakirah Mohd Muslimin

Number of trees planted according to Sunway Nursery projects records and information

Sunway CityKuala Lumpur 30,0001

Sunway developments in Klang Valley 25,0002

Sunway City Ipoh & Sunway Penang 11,0003

Sunway Iskandar Johor 10,5004


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OVERBeing the backbone of the country’s growth, Sunway Quarry is looking for a more sustainable growth.

One of the definitions of ‘sacrifice’ is to ‘give up something valued for the sake of other considerations’. While some end up in despair, some could turn out to be favourable.

Sunway Quarry is one of the few quarry operations in Malaysia that bounced back after after plummeting from its perch.

Established in the 1970s, the then Sungei Way Quarry was once a major player in nation building and development. However, its business took a hit during the financial crisis in 1999, which led to the disposal of Sungei Way Quarry to Hanson Quarry.

“Without Sunway (Sungei Way) Quarry, Sunway Group would not be the conglomerate it is today. Without the disposition or selling of assets to our competitor like Hanson Quarry, we would have been out of jobs,” said Sunway Quarry Industries Chief Executive Officer Lee Chuan Seng.

Just like a tin mine, Mother Earth gave Her precious minerals for a greater purpose, necessity and good.

How and what we do next after Her sacrifice is key. Whether to abandon Her or restore Her beauty it lies solely on us.

That being said, Sunway Group Founder and Chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO, made the difficult decision to sell off Sungei Way Quarry. But it was a necessary move to ensure all his staff continued to receive their income and fend for their families.

“Today, we are one of the major contributors in the industry,” said Lee, on Sunway Quarry’s achievements over the years.

THE IMPORTANCE OF QUARRYINGWith the ever growing population and the rapidly changing world, quarrying has become a necessity. “It has become essential for the world to use raw materials from quarry mines to build skyscrapers, townships and modern transportation systems like the Light Railway Transit (LRT) and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). Without these mines, we will probably still be living life backwards,” said Lee.

Being a pioneer and major player in the market did not come easy for Sunway Quarry; and continuing that legacy will not be easy, with more competitors, development of society, difference in demographics, technology, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, as challenges to Sunway Quarry.

BATTLING ONGOING CHALLENGESOne of the challenges faced by Quarry is managing housing and township developments nearby.

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“These developments are now encroaching into quarry territories. We get complaints that we are close to housing areas, when in fact, it is just the opposite,” Sunway Quarry Industries General Manager of Production Chew Kiew Mow.

He added that blasting technology has evolved so much that it is safer to conduct a blast compared to before. The advancement of technology has reshaped the quarry industry, making it safer and more sustainable. To date, Sunway has a zero accident rate across all quarries.

BEING SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYWith quarrying being a necessity for nation building, Sunway Quarry is continuously finding ways to operate in a socially responsible and sustainable manner.

“Light fuel oil to liquefied petroleum gas initiative will be implemented at more quarry sites around the country, from Kemaman, Sg Bakap to Gebing,” said Lee.

Hydro seeding is also a key component of Sunway Quarry’s landscape rehabilitation plan. It is an extremely cost-effective and successful method of establishing new vegetation.

Sunway Quarry also plants Eugenia trees along the access road and lemongrass near its quarry offices. These efforts do not only make the quarrying site a beautiful place to work in, but it also maintains the natural state of the site.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR SUNWAY QUARRY?With nine quarries (Selangor (four), Perak, Melaka, Kedah, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan) in Malaysia, Lee forecasts more expansion and growth in market share in the future.

“After we are done with quarrying, the area will be turned into an integrated development. In short, this will be another ‘wasteland to wonderland’ transformation.

“We are confident in rebuilding the ecosystem, and plan to start with our Semenyih quarry, and then shift out attention to the Dolomite quarry site. Although it is a long term plan, we are confident as how we had succeeded with Sunway City Kuala Lumpur,” said Chew.

When asked about Sunway Quarry’s 10-year projection plan, Lee’s answer was simple.

“We aim to be the No. 1 quarry company in Malaysia, to complement our existing status of being the No. 1 Premix operator in the country. On top of that, we also want Sunway Quarry to be a fun, and safe workplace.”

By Alex Kishen Raj


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F rom the outside, Desa Mentari 1 looks like any other ordinary apartment, but tucked inside a section of its community hall is a community library featuring about 5,000

books kept nicely infront of beautiful murals painted by students of Sunway University together with Zazen Design & Production.

Officially launched by YAM Tunku Zain Al-’Abidin Tuanku Muhriz, the library is the 10th community library established by Friends to Mankind, in a collaborative effort with Sunway Group and MyPJ to instil the joy of reading and the love of books to over two thousand residents of Desa Mentari. The library is also part of Friends to Mankind’s Book Effect project, a year-long effort to raise 10,000 books to build libraries for underserved children.

“We decided to partner with Sunway Group because we believe it very much embodies social responsibility and sustainability, we really respect its business practices. When we came to see Desa Mentari, we immediately knew that Sunway would be a great partner to make this happen,” said Apshy Vimal, Friends to Mankind Youth Ambassador and Project Lead.

For this project, Sunway Group donated RM10,000 to Friends to Mankind and had collected more than 2,000 books amongst Sunway employees across all regions from 19 September 2019 to 1 November 2019 through the Book Donation Drive.

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Yap Shi Han, Sunway Group’s assistant general manager of Corporate Communications & Special Projects, who was at the event with the Sunway Group team shared his thoughts about the event.

“Sunway’s CSR is encapsulated in our #SunwayforGood initiatives, which is our pledge to continue to do good and to support the underserved communities for good. The collaboration between Sunway Group and Friends to Mankind is aligned to Sunway’s drive to create a sustainable future that leaves no one behind,” he said.

“Since 2000, we have reached out to more than 420,000 beneficiaries nationwide. We are pleased to partner with Friends of Mankind to build this beautiful library to foster a conducive learning environment for the B40 community in Desa Mentari. We trust this inspiring project by Friends to Mankind will make a real difference to the community here.

THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY

were the famous words of Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the importance of literacy. Literacy is critical to economic development as well as individual and community well-being. Currently, the literacy rate among the population aged 15-24 years stands at 96.85% in Malaysia. Effective literacy skills open the doors for youths to more educational and employment opportunities, and may help people pull themselves out of poverty and chronic underemployment.

Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society“ ”

JoySunway Group contributes to the establishment

of a community library at Desa Mentari



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Y oung chefs Alicia Tay Xin Jie, Tsen Jun Yan, Pang Jin Yong and Amanda Cheah Pui Mun, alongside their

team manager Chef Soon Pau Voon, knew they were entering uncharted territory when they decided to incorporate local flavours into their entry dish at the 25th IKA/Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany. It was a move that earned the disapproval of many local chefs. “That was his (Chef Soon’s) game plan – to go all out with our Malaysian flavours, or nothing at all,” said Cheah. It was a bet that paid off handsomely – earning the junior chefs, who formed the Malaysia Junior (Youth) Culinary team, both gold and silver medals at the global culinary stage. The team also ranked sixth overall in the world at the competition.

For IKA Buffet, the team had four hours to prepare a 12-pax meal consisting of four types of finger foods, a festive seafood platter with three garnishes and three sauces, a hot main course of rabbit and a dessert combining warm and cold elements.

In Restaurant of Nations, they were required to prepare a three-course meal featuring a warm seafood appetiser, a hot main course and a dessert made both hot and cold for a pack of 60 under five hours. One of the oldest and most prestigious culinary competitions in the world, the IKA/Culinary Olympics is held every four years, organised by the German Chefs Association, with the first competition taking place in the 1900s. The team participated under the Junior National Team category, competing against

24 countries, four of which were from Asia: South Korea, Hong Kong, China and Malaysia. So far, the national senior team has participated in the 1988, 2004 and 2012 competitions. This is the first time Malaysia was represented by both senior and junior teams.

THE ROAD TO SUCCESSDedication, ruthlessness and perseverance are just some of the adjectives to describe the team, who started training for the Olympics in December last year. Training an average 10-14 hours a day, six days a week, it was no walk in the park for the team, as time constraints and classes posed some serious challenges for them. Some of the young chefs had to defer their studies to commit full time for training sessions.

Besides their hard work, the young chefs also attributed their success to the support given by multiple groups which include the Ministry of

Agriculture, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Professional Culinaire Association, Sunway University, fellow mentors, their senior and alumni Queeny Cheong, and industry partners.

CULINARY AS A CAREERDespite the appeal and rising demand of tech or science-based courses, the decision to pursue culinary as a major – and most likely a career – stems from more personal reasons for all four budding chefs. “My mum is my inspiration. When I was little, I always helped her in the kitchen – which sparked my passion and interest in cooking,” said Tay. “The culinary industry gives me a chance to explore both my scientific and artistic sides.”

The more adventurous Jin Yong said this

is an opportunity to learn about different cultures around the world through culinary and food. The lure of an entrepreneurial career in culinary motivates Jun Yan to take a leap of faith in culinary. “Culinary programmes are more skill-based, which suits my preference of learning,” he said. “At the same time, I can learn about managing a restaurant, and perhaps, run my own business in the future.” For Amanda Cheah, pursuing culinary means transforming her hobby into a real life career. “I always knew that cooking was my passion. Choosing culinary arts as a course to study means I can pursue a professional career in the culinary world,” she said.

SUNWAY UNIVERSITY – THE SILICON VALLEY FOR CULINARY IN MALAYSIA?

With its state of the art culinary facilities, Sunway University provides these young chefs an excellent platform to excel in their education. The thriving and growing ecosystem offered in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur via its hotels and well-known award winning chef mentors, also provide these budding chefs the proper resources needed to succeed. The team’s mentors include Chef Soon, Chef Lee Han Ying, Chef Chong Wei Tzeh and Chef Patrick Siau. Chef Chong credits the unconditional support from Sunway University as an important factor which helped Sunway University’s School of Hospitality achieve its recent successes on the world stage – besides the relentless team work among members. The future of culinary in Malaysia, like many other industries, said Chef Patrick, is heading towards a greener future – sustainability. “It is an important note to minimising food waste in any food production,” he said.

Four Sunway University students win gold and silver at the 25th IKA/Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany

Sunway University has become a household name when it comes to international success. The university has built a reputation for nurturing fledgling and established talents, boasting an impressive roster including award-winning Chef Patrick Siau, head chef and practice professor at the School of Hospitality and athletes from the 2020 SEA Games in the Philippines. Most recently, four of its students won gold in the “Restaurant of the Nations” category and silver in the “IKA Buffet” category at the 25th IKA/Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart, Germany. This was Malaysia’s first gold in 32 years.

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Since December 2019, Deloitte, Google and Sunway Group have organised, challenged, ideated, brainstormed, and collectively developed multiple business initiatives that would provide Sunway with a number of opportunities to explore and take steps towards being a digital native.

Moving forward, the Sunway Go Transform team is poised to take its first steps towards transformation through data consolidation, data mining, data training and data mastery while building a data culture at Sunway.

Transforming for aBETTER FUTURE

Google Duplex, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation from Google, uses natural language processing, an AI voice interface to make phone calls and schedule appointments on behalf of its users.

That simplified example is how AI and Big Data is being commonly incorporated into businesses – a rising trend observed across major industries.

This makes sense because AI helps us conceptualise an increasingly large amount of data in real time, especially as worldwide data is expected to grow by 61% to 175 zettabytes by 2025, according to International Data Corporation.

Closer to home, Sunway Group (via its, IT Shared Services Center and Group IT) has partnered with Google and Deloitte Consulting to launch their Go Transform program, aimed at transforming Sunway into an insights driven organisation through the incorporation of AI and Big Data across all Sunway businesses to multiply revenue growth through the use of data within each business unit.

The program, which ran from January to February this year, saw cross industry participation with teams from other divisions such as Corporate, Property, Theme Park, Hospitality, Healthcare, Education, Malls and Loyalty.

During the workshop, business units explored how trends in business, technology and culture change would impact the industry in the coming years.

said Sunway Group President Dato Chew Chee Kin at the opening speech of the event.

We want to become an insights-driven organisation at our core. We want to drive synergy across business units. We want to focus on the business challenges and partner with Deloitte and Google to tackle the technical challenges. There are no bad ideas, having tried before and failing is not a problem, and no idea is too big. This is an exploration,

Sunway Group partners with Google and Deloitte Consulting to launch their Go Transform program



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The end of a relationship can be complicated, distressing, and messy. In

fact, studies have shown that it could also be physically depleting. After having spent a period of your life with another person, getting yourself out of the physical, mental and emotional frame that you’ve grown so familiar with can take a toll on your well-being. Admittedly, healing can be quite a process and it may not be a linear one.

In efforts to building a community that recognises the normality of relationship breakups, the Sunway University Department of Psychology partnered with its in-campus Psychology Club to establish the Break Up Exhibition, the first ever event of its kind in Malaysia. Inspired by the Museum of Broken Relationships in Croatia, the platform, built for the local community, shares stories of broken relationships and the emotional turbulence

accompanying such experiences.

Individual stories of heartache were put on display during the exhibition, alongside a physical representation of the anecdote. From soft toys to handmade letters to a beer can, people from the community told their tales of heartbreak. Not only limited to romantic relationship breakups, submissions also included stories on friendships, broken families and even stories on parting from one’s beloved furry friends.

Titled the Breakup Exhibition 2.0, the 2019 event attracted up to 2300 visitors, a significant increase from the previous year that saw 500 visitors. The encouraging response from the community opens up the increasing possibility of candid and open conversations on relationship breakups and its impact on psychological health. As advocates for mental health, the organising

body recognises how breakups could lead to psychological pain.

The storytelling featured at the exhibition allows individuals to tap into emotional experiences more deeply and clearly. It enables individuals to feel their emotions without judgements, process them and reframe narratives of the experience in ways that promote resilience. We hope these tearful yet optimistic accounts from other individuals can act as a reassurance for people to overcome the obstacles that they face in their personal journey.

Whilst individuals have varying approaches to processing emotions, letting go by addressing your internal narratives could be one that serves you on your path towards healing.

By Amirah Farhana Abdul Fatah

Mr Saqib Sheikh is a certified coach, trainer, communication specialist and social innovator. Saqib works with executive leaders to improve their communication and team-building abilities to lead to transformational change in their organisational culture. He lectures on Media & Communication at the Center for American Education, Sunway University. Saqib is also the founder of several social enterprises, including Urban Hijau, a sustainable urban farm showcase, and The Rohingya Project, a grassroots initiative for financial inclusion of statesless people using Blockchain technology. He can be contacted at [email protected].

A Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology student from Sunway University, Amirah Farhana is an aspiring writer. Securing the reign as a recipient of Jeffrey Cheah Continuing Scholarship, she is also experienced as a Research Assistant under Sunway University Department of Psychology, in addition to the position as a team manager and editor for the Break Up Exhibition Book. With a passion for raising community awareness, she values contributing dialogues in various social issues with the aim of bringing about waves of changes in the community.

COACHINGWhen the word ‘coach’ comes up, we normally associate it

with the image of the voluble individual on the sidelines, directing the movement of players and instructing them on their specific techniques. Professional coaching has a much different style though. Coaching is a process that aims to help people achieve their specific goals, with a focus on overcoming obstacles to achieve results in terms of performance.

At its core, coaching is about maximisng the God-given potential in each of us. Everyone at any stage of their life journey can find coaching useful, as the process of powerful questioning can reveal aspects of ourselves that are beyond our normal levels of introspection. Our understanding of our potential comes through exploration when we test our abilities and our own intuition. But with coaching we are guided by a sounding board whom we can bounce our thoughts and insights on. The coach becomes the channel through which we discover our inner capabilities.

As I experienced my own life transition in my mid-30s, personal self-development became more critical to me than ever before. I was fortunate enough to attend a one-day coaching introduction workshop which was my first exposure to professional coaching. Following that workshop, I went through the rigorous certification process under the International Coach Federation (ICF) guidelines

to become a Certified People Coach.

At the beginning of my coaching journey, it was very important to learn the distinction between coaching and other disciplines such as counselling (which focuses on mental well-being) and mentoring (which focuses on imparting skills through advice). Coaching is primarily about improving performance and helps realise the latent possibilities in our life. In other words, coaching helps the coachee achieve the best results in their career, family scenario or general life.

On 17 February, I gave a talk on the ‘The Power of Coaching’ to students from the Peer Counselling unit of Sunway University. The idea was to introduce coaching as a practice for students to consider in their personal and professional journey. I demonstrated a couple of coaching tools which I use with clients, including providing quick feedback to coachees and using a scaling system to assess how close they are to achieving their goals. The students showed a keen interest and actively participated in the proceedings.

I believe many of us are already performing coaching roles in the way we interact and assist people in our own circles. But understanding coaching as a discipline has the power to transform thinking and action in a truly positive way.

The Transformational Power of

ANALYSIS Sunwayians share their thoughts with us!

By Saqib Sheikh

Sunway University Break Up ExhibitionAn avenue for emotional healing


Sources:1 Sir David Attenborough, The Telegraph2 One Green Planet3 The Economist

Each year, it murders an estimated:• 1 million people1

• 100 million marine lives2

Sorry, Gun Violence (6.5 million deaths since 1990)3

- we have a deadlier champion now.


eat to live...safe and nutritious food, and to be free from hunger. this is in line with the united...

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