Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia

Call Directions Website

Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia Malaysia's premier think-tank, focusing on objective and independent research.

Selamat Hari Merdeka ke-69 from ISIS Malaysia!
31/08/2026

Selamat Hari Merdeka ke-69 from ISIS Malaysia!

26/08/2026

That’s a wrap on PRAXIS 2026. A heartfelt thank you to all our distinguished speakers, delegates and guests whose insights, energy and enthusiasm truly brought our discussions on a post-high-income Malaysia to life.

We are grateful to our partners at Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Malaysia and Tenaga Nasional Berhad for the generous support, and special thanks to Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation and Teach For Malaysia in making the visioning exercise possible.

See you all next year! 👋

26/08/2026

We invited our delegates to reimagine visions of progress for Malaysia at .
Here’s what they hope to see for the country’s future.

ISIS Malaysia wishes a blessed Maulidur Rasul to all who observe and celebrate.
25/08/2026

ISIS Malaysia wishes a blessed Maulidur Rasul to all who observe and celebrate.

Closing out PRAXIS 2026, YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said (), Minister of Law and Institutional Reform, delivered an imp...
18/08/2026

Closing out PRAXIS 2026, YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said (), Minister of Law and Institutional Reform, delivered an impactful keynote address sharing a vision of reform that extends beyond the passage of laws.

Following the keynote, ISIS Malaysia Executive Chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah () moderated a fireside chat. YB Azalina spoke candidly on institutional reform, emphasising the urgent need to decouple the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor roles to ensure prosecutorial independence. Addressing systemic hurdles, she stressed that modernising laws like the Official Secrets Act and prioritising parliamentary reforms are vital to rebuilding public trust. Ultimately, she reminded that parliamentarians must remain accountable to the rakyat.

Datuk Prof Faiz brought the conference to a close by reminding delegates that the conversation does not end here. In the months ahead, ISIS Malaysia researchers will carry these discussions into a report to help shape Malaysia’s vision of the future.

A huge thank you to and for supporting PRAXIS 2026, and special thanks to and in making the visioning exercise possible. Above all, thank you to all our participants for your curiosity, energy and insights.

Carrying the energy from the first set of plenary sessions into the second set of discussions. Concurrent Session 2A mod...
18/08/2026

Carrying the energy from the first set of plenary sessions into the second set of discussions.

Concurrent Session 2A moderated by Shakira Teh Sharifuddin ( ) dived into what “good work” and “time to live” could look like in a post-high-income Malaysia, with stable livelihoods, working hours compatible with care and rest, and workplaces where people have a meaningful say over their conditions.

With insights from (The Next Economy), Dr Christopher Choong Weng Wai () and Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal (UNI-MLC), this session envisioned conditions where work can be a source of wellbeing, and highlighted the importance of social protection frameworks to safeguard the welfare of workers.

At the same time, concurrent Session 2B moderated by Jaideep Singh considered the futures that could reshape Malaysia’s trade and industrial strategies, partnerships with the Global South and place in a new world economic order.

Rania Noor Teguh (), Dr Dr. Pia Dannhauer (German Institute for International and Security Affairs), Sanchita Basu Das, PhD () and Prof Kim Leng Yeah (Jeffrey Cheah Institute of Southeast Asia, ) indulged the audience with an insightful discussion on Malaysia’s trajectory towards 2050 and the country’s positioning in ASEAN’s forward evolution in a global context.

Wrapping up the plenary sessions, Session 3 moderated by Calvin Cheng covered the articulations of a hopeful, post-high-income Malaysia as a conclusion to the conversations that emerged throughout the conference.

The panel consisting of Dr Richard Marshall (Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for MY, SG and BN), Nurhisham Hussein (Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister) and Emeritus Prof Datuk Norma Mansor (Social Wellbeing Research Centre, ) explored the diverse sources of constraints faced by Malaysia. These included obstacles in achieving a high-income status and high social welfare.

The plenary discussions at PRAXIS 2026 kicked off with powerful conversations on equity, sustainability, and the future ...
18/08/2026

The plenary discussions at PRAXIS 2026 kicked off with powerful conversations on equity, sustainability, and the future of public services.

Concurrent session 1A moderated by Heang-Lee Tan explored how public health, education and social care can serve as shared social foundations for everyone, rather than as services increasingly shaped by private markets.

Kularetnam Vijayakumar ( ) noted that schools often serve as the public’s very first interaction with the state, while Dr Yap Wei Aun (Health Transformation Office, Ministry of Health, Malaysia () stressed that healthcare must prioritise an ethical, care-driven framework over profit. Hazwan Najib () highlighted technology's role in improving coordination alongside fair compensation for healthcare workers, and Lee Min Hui () advocated for a rights-based approach to social care to ensures a more equitable distribution of care work.

Meanwhile, Session 1B moderated by Zayana Zaikariah tackled the intersection of economic growth and environmental stewardship. Featuring Dr Serina Rahman (.yusof.ishak.institute), Nithi Nesadurai (Environmental Protection Society Malaysia), and Dr Goh Chun Sheng (Universiti Brunei Darussalam), the panel came to a central conclusion: to truly see growth and ecological prosperity as complementary forces, we must first define what a sustainable, "green" future means in our local context.

Before any policymaker took to the stage, looked for a different kind of expertise – the people who will live in the M...
18/08/2026

Before any policymaker took to the stage, looked for a different kind of expertise – the people who will live in the Malaysia being planned. Partnering with Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation’s () Closing The Gap programme and Teach For Malaysia (), ISIS Malaysia invited young Malaysians to shape the conversation through their creative work. We showcased a glimpse into their perspective through a short video, “Futures we want”.

Following the video, Dr Katherine Trebeck (), Economic Change Lead of The Next Economy (), brought a global vantage point to the discussion, outlining practical frameworks for transitioning to a wellbeing economy through an expert keynote and Q&A moderated by Calvin Cheng.

Dr Trebeck highlighted that while Malaysia is a story of success in its economic growth, it has brought costs that require new approaches. Instead of putting growth at the centre of the economy, she proposed for wellbeing to be at the heart of its decision-making. Subsequently, progress should be measured in its ability to meet the needs of the people and planet.

These insights will continue to shape the subsequent sessions at PRAXIS 2026 as we challenge ourselves to design new realities:
🔹 Futures we want
🔹 Public service as the social commons
🔹 Prosperity within ecological boundaries
🔹 Future of work and time
🔹 Malaysia’s place in a new world

As Malaysia approaches two landmark milestones – 70 years of Merdeka and the horizon year of 2030, where major national ...
18/08/2026

As Malaysia approaches two landmark milestones – 70 years of Merdeka and the horizon year of 2030, where major national plans converge – we are asking a bold question the nation has largely avoided: after high income, what comes next?

That question sits at the heart of PRAXIS, Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia’s annual flagship public policy conference. Our central provocation is simple – becoming a high-income nation was not the destination. It is the starting point for something larger: a more inclusive, more sustainable Malaysia.

Today, policymakers, delegates from private sector, civil society and academia gather to reimagine the trajectory of national progress.

ISIS Malaysia Executive Chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah set the tone for the day, highlighting that history is not destiny. The development frameworks which have bound us are not the only playbook available to us, and the imagination of our young people deserves not only our applause, but our attention too.

A huge thank you to Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Malaysia () and Tenaga Nasional Berhad () for supporting PRAXIS 2026.

Don’t forget to follow us for live updates, key takeaways and session insights throughout the conference today:
🔹LinkedIn: Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia
🔹X: https://x.com/ISIS_MY
🔹Instagram:
🔹Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isismalaysia.official

Despite climate-related natural disasters ravaging vulnerable communities and upheaving instability all over the country...
13/08/2026

Despite climate-related natural disasters ravaging vulnerable communities and upheaving instability all over the country, Malaysia still has not shifted its approach to climate change towards a non-traditional security priority that is woven into peacebuilding, disaster management and recovery.

If the fragmentation caused by this gap remains unaddressed, these disasters will continue to bring disproportionate consequences to marginalised communities primarily in states affected by poverty and governance burdens. These pressures compounded by existing inequality, displacement and institutional distrust would only expose the fragmentation between citizens and the state.

In this paper, Zayana Zaikariah and Kieran Li Nair propose several policy recommendations for Malaysia, including the need to:
- formally designate climate change as a non-traditional security priority
- develop a climate vulnerability mapping protocol for vulnerable communities
- establish a national framework for climate-related displacement

To read more, visit https://www.isis.org.my/2026/08/10/governing-climate-risks-as-national-security-priority/.

This paper was developed from the pre-PRAXIS 2025 roundtable on ‘Shaping Southeast Asia’s climate security for Malaysia’s Future’, with special thanks to -Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Malaysia and the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health for the partnership.

Address

No. 1, Persiaran Sultan Salahuddin
Kuala Lumpur
50480

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+60326939366

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share

Category