09.08.2020#MSLS2020

Event Infopack

UKEC Chairperson’s Remarks 1

Introduction to UKEC 2

UKEC’s Events 3

UKEC Sponsors 4

MSLS XIV 2020 Director’s Remarks 5

Introduction to Malaysian Student Leaders’ Summit (MSLS) 6

MSLS XIV 2020 Theme 7

MSLS XIV 2020 Topics 8 - 16

Introduction to MSLS Challenge 2020 17

MSLS XIV 2020 Tentative Itinerary 18

Conclusion 19

Contact Us 19

TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS

UKEC CHAIRPERSON’SREMARKSUKEC CHAIRPERSON’SREMARKSMalaysia Needs You.

As cliche as it may sound, I cannot stress how important this message is. If somehow life has led you to read this opening remark written by me today, I believe that you, at the very least, have a slight interest in contributing to the nation-building agenda. You are hungry for knowledge. You want to read, listen, speak, debate, think and discuss the pertinent issues that will determine the mould of the utopian Malaysia we dream about. Amidst the economic debacle and political turbulence that we are facing, the only hope for a better Malaysia is our youth. Malaysia needs you.

UKEC is 25 years old this year and the council still remains as one of the most perennial voices of student activism since its inception. As a collected group of youths that are passionate and driven to shape the future of Malaysia, UKEC acts as a hub for all 16,000 Malaysian students around the UK and Ireland to strive and make a di�erence. We are proud to announce that the auspicious Malaysian Student Leaders’ Summit (MSLS XIV 2020) is back in its 14th iteration and the UKEC Executive Council 2019/2020 are determined to continue and inspire hundreds and thousands of youths by allowing them to immerse in non-partisan intellectual discourse.

Parallel to my vision to make UKEC more impactful this term, the Executive Council has seen a myriad of transformation in the events and initiatives that have been carried out whilst maintaining the high standards that our predecessors have set. This ranges from the mental health talks held in conjunc-tion with a mind relaxing activity (e.g. Yoga, Tai Chi, Pet Therapy session) to our newly revived CEKU blog that has been fully integrated into UKECatalyst, and our pilot project by UKEChairs producing the �rst bi-yearly student newspaper (CEKU) run by Malaysians abroad.

MSLS XIV 2020 will see a refreshing student summit experience with more engaging and impactful sessions where students get to sign up as a delegate to participate in the MSLS Challenge 2020. Too much commitment for you? Sign up as an observer instead and reinvigorate your critical mindset by interacting with our distinguished line up of speakers during the summit, answer live Kahoot Quiz-zes to test your knowledge on current a�airs and history, vote for your friends who are participating in the challenge or just simply sit back, relax and enjoy the talks!

Muhammad Haris Danial Bin Mohd AnwarUKEC Chairperson 2019/20Director of MSLS XIV 2020

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INTRODUCTION TO UKECINTRODUCTION TO UKECThe United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC) or Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar

Malaysia di United Kingdom dan Eire is the umbrella body for Malaysian Student Societies in the

universities across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Currently, with over 77

Malaysian Societies as its constituent members, UKEC serves as an integral platform representing

the collective interests of over 16,000 Malaysian students in the UK and Ireland. Our objective is to

contribute towards nation building by championing our brand of student activism and developing

student leaders today into Malaysian leaders of tomorrow. To realise one of our missions, we strive to

provide various platforms for students to participate in non-partisan intellectual discourses, and

MSLS is one of them.

UKEC’S EVENTSUKEC’S EVENTSUKEC-GRADUAN THE MALAYSIAN CAREER FAIRAims to tackle brain drain and acts as a platform for Malaysian students to explore job and internship opportunities back in Malaysia. Some of the notable companies present include CIMB Group, PwC, Maxis, Astro, ICAEW, Samsung, Petronas and Khazanah Nasional.

PROJEK AMANAT NEGARA (PAN)Serves as a platform for intellectual discourse between leading �gures from the political, social and economic �elds as well as Malaysian student leaders. Some of the notable speakers from previous instalments include YAB Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, YB Khairy Jamaluddin, Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak, YM Raja Azmi, Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Abdul Wahab Maskan, Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi, and Tan Sri Dato‘ Seri Sanusi Junid.

MALAYSIAN STUDENT LEADERS’ SUMMIT (MSLS)Aims to foster the development of our future leaders and provide them with an open, non-partisan avenue for intellectual discourse. We are proud to have hosted YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, YB Nurul Izzah, YB Ra�zi Ramli, YB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, YBhg. Tan Sri Ra�dah Aziz, YB Syed Saddiq, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and many other prominent politicians, academicians and activists during the previous editions of MSLS throughout the past 13 years.

[I]MPACT STORIESWhere experienced speakers share their personal experiences with students in hopes to inspire them. The event resembles a TED Talk to ensure the information and presentation are delivered in a concise and e�ective method. The event touches on �elds such as BAME representation and PWD from a unique perspective, and also by using passion to give back to the community.

UKEC TOWNHALL SESSIONSOur one-day discussions/sessions serve as a platform for intellectual, friendly or scholarly discourse between in�uential �gures and Malaysian students in the UK. Over the past year, we have hosted YB Khairy Jamaluddin, YAB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, YB Hannah Yeoh, YB Maszlee Malik, YB Dato’ Yasmin Mahmood, Dato’ Hamidah Naziadin and many others.

UKEC LEADERSHIP AND EXPLORATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (LEAD)This is a UKEC initiative to provide a platform for its stakeholders, the Supreme Councillors and other Malaysian students in the UK and Ireland to express their ideas and gain new skills from experienced trainers.

CARE FOR ALLThis is a regional event run by UKEC at various universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland where mental health workshops are held to encourage students to ensure their wellbeing.

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Platinum Sponsors

Career Partner

Gold Sponsors

UKEC SPONSORSUKEC SPONSORS

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Strategic Partner

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MSLS XIV 2020 DIRECTOR’S REMARKSMSLS XIV 2020 DIRECTOR’S REMARKSThe Malaysian Student Leaders’ Summit (MSLS) is one of UKEC’s annual �agship events that is usually held in Kuala Lumpur. However, in light of Covid-19, we are going virtual for our 14th iteration, MSLS XIV 2020. Despite the unprecedented times we are facing, UKEC’s mission to provide a platform for students to partake in intellectual discourse and to shed light on pertinent issues in Malaysia remains unwavering. In fact, I believe that by having a virtual summit, we will be able to reach a wider community. Malaysian students all over the world can come together and take the fundamental steps for nation-building: to be aware, to care, and to be equipped. This would be our triumph through adversities for the council!

This global pandemic has manifested Malaysia’s capabilities and perseverance for its people, but some issues still need to be addressed further so our nation can rise above them. Therefore, germane to the status quo, we have chosen “TRIUMPH THROUGH ADVERSITIES since 1957” to be our theme this year and explore the past, present and future of Malaysia. MSLS XIV 2020 will re�ect on occurrences in the past and how they have brought us to where we are now. We will dissect the evolution of topics close to heart over the years - national unity, our healthcare system, the corporate world, political stability, refugee rights, and women empowerment. Ultimately, our hope is for students to be able to collectively voice out their aspirations for the future of Malaysia.

Aligned with our Chairperson’s vision for the council to be more impactful this term, MSLS XIV 2020 undoubtedly shares the same aspiration. Therefore, we are introducing new additions to the summit - an interactive quiz and an MSLS Challenge 2020. This gives all students the opportu-nity to actively engage with the matter at hand and share their perspectives with prominent �gures and youths all around Malaysia. Despite being far apart, we hope attendees will still feel included and recognize that they play a big role in making MSLS XIV 2020 a successful and impactful one.

We look forward to having our current and future leaders of Malaysia take a step forward towards the betterment of our nation, on 9 August at MSLS XIV 2020. Have a fruitful one, see you there!

Wan Farah A�na Binti Wan HuzairiUKEC Executive in the Chairs O�ce 2019/20Deputy Director of MSLS XIV 2020

INTRODUCTION TO MALAYSIAN STUDENTLEADER’S SUMMIT (MSLS)INTRODUCTION TO MALAYSIAN STUDENTLEADER’S SUMMIT (MSLS)The Malaysian Student Leaders’ Summit (MSLS) is one of our longest-running �agship events, coming to its 14th edition in 2020. It draws up to 500-700 students each year, and the number keeps growing. Held in Kuala Lumpur during the UK summer holidays, it plays host to key industry �gures and leaders on a wide range of topics to re�ect the diverse interests of Malaysian student leaders. The wide scope of issues covered by this conference, from entrepreneurship and arts to civil society and politics, demonstrates UKEC’s focus to raise awareness on critical matters amongst the bright young minds of Malaysia. MSLS XIII, which was held in Intercontinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur in August 2019, had attracted over 400 participants as we hosted prominent �gures including Tan Sri Ra�dah Aziz and YB Syed Saddiq. Other notable �gures in previouseditions of MSLS include YB Dato‘ Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, YB Khairy Jamaluddin, YB Nurul Izzah, YB Ra�zi Ramli, Dato' Seri Nazir Razak, Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

In February 2020, we secured InterContinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur as our venue for MSLS XIV on the 8th of August 2020 but this shortly changed after the Covid-19 pandemic. MSLS XIV will now take place virtually on the 9th of August 2020.

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MSLS XIV 2020 THEMEMSLS XIV 2020 THEME

Malaysia has faced various challenges on its path to achieving a �rst-world status of development in this globalised era. Yet, she stood strong in the distressing hurricanes of political disputes and economic crises, deepening her triumphant roots of identity throughout her years of independence.

Aligned with our direction of linking the past, present and future, MSLS this year will strive to create an opportunity to dissect Malaysia's current political climate, economic status and social situations while relating them to our progress from the past and our future prospects.

The summit aims to inspire Malaysian students to re�ect on the nation’s success in development in multiple dimensions and ponder the roles they play as leaders of tomorrow in helping Malaysia soar higher in a global context.

Triumph Through Adversities since 1957

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MSLS XIV 2020 TOPICSMSLS XIV 2020 TOPICSOpening KeynoteTitle: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

National unity is the strength that binds and inspires the people of a country. This strength is rooted in our degree of social cohesion, which is impacted by factors such as, religious tolerance, ethnic balance and most importantly, the belief that we are �rst and foremost, Malaysians.

National unity is said to be unattainable without greater equity and balance among Malaysia’s social and ethnic groups in their participation in the development of the country. Such was the socio-polit-ical justi�cation for the New Economic Policy that followed the racial riots of 1969, where the policy had the objective of eliminating the identi�cation of ethnicity with economic function. This was an economically sound policy that was formulated on the basis of the events that led to the riots and what transpired during the riots itself. It was observed that communities in which poverty rates were heavily concentrated among the Malay and indigeneous community were a�ected the most from the riots compared to their more a�uent counterparts like Petaling Jaya, where di�erent ethnic groups had similar socio-economic status.

But that was 1969. The NEP still exists today, and with all the recent events that have taken place in the world, from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis to the 2008 global recession to the great lockdown of 2020, how relevant is this policy and has it done more harm than good over the last few years? How have we learnt from the adversities that have threatened our national unity? Have we managed to triumph through such adversities? Is it �nally time we remove ethnicity out of any economic policy and focus directly on the real problems like the inequalities between economic classes, between di�erent states which are experiencing di�erent rates of urbanisation and between gender classes. Problems which transcend race require solutions that also transcend race. Economic function is no longer the only threat to our national unity, with other pertinent issues such as, di�erences in how are youth are raised; intentional segregation of di�erent ethnic groups; and the never-ending poli-tics of religion and race.

The �rst half of 2020 has already de�ned itself to be one of great turmoil and di�culty. How we shape the second half of the year will impact the rest of the new decade. Do we move forward as one united nation, or will we continue to be divided and see our country fall?

Regardless, nothing will be set in stone until we collectively come to a decision as to how we want to de�ne our unity, and what we are willing to sacri�ce to achieve said unity. If not for our forefathers, then for ourselves. If not for ourselves, then for our children. But no matter what, unity comes at a price. Are we willing to pay the price?

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DebateTitle: This House Believes There is Precedence for Yet, Another Signi�cant Political Reset

In the simplest of terms, a reset is de�ned to be an action made with the intention of reversing the e�ects of past policies and ‘stresses’ on current systems like our institutions to its last known checkpoint or last known point at which progress was saved. This does not mean an entire revamp of any system but rather implementing a di�erent outlook or direction to our current path. A signi�cant reset, in this case, is de�ned as an event that will drastically alter the course of Malaysia’s trajectory, having a direct impact on future events.

For Malaysia, our last saved point was on the 1st of March, 2020, which marked the end of a historic constitutional crisis in which a sequence of events starting from the 21st of February reversed the decision of an entire nation, made in the 14th General Election. We have had numerous political resets during our 64 years of democracy, starting with the conception and eventual independence of the Federation of Malaya from Britain. But only �ve of such resets were signi�cant; connected by a common theme, a common connection, which is: “a rag-tag team of di�erent ideologies.”

These �ve political resets were as follows,

• The Birth of the Malayan Project, “Merdeka.”• Rede�ning the Malaysian Project.• Race riots and the threat to the Malaysian Project.• A New Malaysia and the rise of “Harapan.”• A New Malaysia?

There will no doubt be another political reset in the near future, with many expecting it to come before the next general elections. But how will either party or individual de�ne this political reset? Is there a need for a political reset, if the current administration can command the con�dence of the Dewan Rakyat and implement meaningful reforms that will bene�t all Malaysians?

This house believes that without a signi�cant political reset, Malaysia will not progress from this crisis in a meaningful and substantial way.

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DebateMalaysia - A Timeline

The Birth of the Malayan Project, “Merdeka”On the 31st of August 1957, at the stroke of midnight, the Malayan �ag was raised, accompanied by the ever-familiar but the ever-signi�cant tune of the Negaraku. This marked the end of British colonialism and also the end of the communist threat from the Malayan Emergency. This was meant to mark a new beginning, a beginning in which the three major ethnic groups of Malaysia are given equal democratic standing in the eyes of the federal constitution, on which our current democratic institutions are built on.

It was not until the 13th of September 1963 that the Federation of Malaysia was established, but perhaps one might consider the foundations on which Malaysia was built on, which was the concept of Malaya, would already be unstable. From this point on, however, the federal government will then be de�ned, and still is de�ned by a rag-tag team of di�erent ideologies, making any coalition unbalanced - this still rings true even today.

Rede�ning the Malaysian ProjectUnity within the 14 states of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965 was always temporary, if not �eeting. Instability was rooted in the distrust and ideological di�erences between the leaders of Singapore and the federal government of Malaysia, which predominantly had a majority of Chinese and Malay representatives respectively; a rag-tag team of di�erent ideologies. The distrust between the Chinese and the Malays reached back all the way during British colonial rule and during the Japanese occupation, with segregationist policies established to ensure that the major ethnic groups could never unite to overthrow their colonial masters.

Following a series of racial riots which was fuelled on both ends of the ethnic divide, Singapore was voted out of Malaysia in a 126-0 parliamentarian decision, rede�ning Malaysia to be a federation made out of not 14, but 13 states.

Race Riots and the Threat to the Malaysian ProjectThe Sino-Malay communal violence on the 13th of May 1969 is known today as the darkest day in Malaysian history, with an o�cial death toll of 196 post-riots but according to international sources, the death toll was suggested to be closer to 600.

Such riots were a result of the 1969 general election, which marked the �rst time a strong challenge was presented to the incumbents in the form of DAP, Gerakan and PAS, with the �rst two composed of a Chinese majority. It was a day of many �rsts, the �rst time the Alliance Party lost more than half the popular vote and surrendered the states Kelantan, Perak and Penang to the opposition. Unfortunately, it also marked the day at which racial tension was at its peak, with provocators on both ends fuelling racial discord, with the main narrative being that the election results jeopardized the future of Malay rule and Malay rights, as guaranteed by the constitution in Article 153.

The aftermath of the riots led to major political and social reforms, including the establishment of the Rukun Negara and the establishment of the NEP, which was an a�rmative action policy, appearing to be derived from Article 153 of the Federal Constitution. The birth of Barisan Nasional (BN) also followed this event, with UMNO allegedly looking to reinforce its power through the broader term of “Ketuanan Melayu,” which describes the ideology that the “politics of this country has been, and must remain for the foreseeable future, native [i.e. Malay] based.”

Peace then ensued, but among a rag-tag team of di�erent ideologies.

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A New Malaysia and the Rise of “Harapan”The 14th General Elections, held on the 9th of May 2018, is one of the most, if not the most impactful event in Malaysia’s history when it comes to rede�ning what democracy means to Malaysia. The results, which were overwhelmingly in favour of the former opposition which ran under the coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH); a �nal vote of 121 seats gained by PH against BN’s 101 seats.

The world was once again reminded of the old adage, “People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” PH achieved what its predecessors couldn’t – defeating the dominant Barisan Nasional (BN), which was done in part by incorporating elements of the BN into the coalition. Speci�cally, PH’s inclusion of the Bersatu party, which was seen to be a clone or new division from UMNO, and East Malaysia-based Warisan. This combination allowed PH to win seats in BN stronghold areas that had previously been all but impenetrable to the opposition.

But once again, the incumbent was formed out of a rag-tag team of di�erent ideologies.

A New Malaysia?Malaysian history was made again, with a domino e�ect that took place, starting with the last Pakatan summit which acted as the prequel to the infamous “Sheraton Move” or “Langkah Sheraton,” on the 23rd of February, ending with the resignation of Malaysia’s 7th Prime Minister that then triggered a constitutional crisis which not only questioned the basis of our democracies and the accountability of any member of parliament, let alone a political party; the discussion integrated and intertwined with the arguments of morality and principles.

There is precedence for change. This is explicitly clear, with the current coalition only having a slim majority of 6 seats as of the 18th of June 2020. Such a slim majority will de�nitely lead to a lack of con�dence in any ruling coalition, with the parliament e�ectively being held hostage by a small group of MPs and not made accountable to the people. There are arguments for a fresh mandate for the ruling coalition, where given the current political crisis and the health crisis brought by Covid-19, people on all ends are looking for reforms on multiple fronts. But this can only be done with political will, where a paralysed government will lead to no substantial changes.

Others however argue that due to the Agong deeming that the current Prime Minister has the con�dence of the Dewan Rakyat, there is no need for a hard political reset in the form of snap elections or even a counter-coup. They argue that the people have the chance to provide a fresh mandate in the next general election, but is it too late by then for any concrete reforms?

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Corporate PanelTitle: Into The Era of Hyper-Digitalisation

The fourth Industrial Revolution in Malaysia is transitioning into its next phase - where conglomerates no longer strive to be only ‘digitalised’, but to equip qualities and skills of ‘hyper-digitalisation’. This indicates the acceleration in approaching and operating business models in a strictly digital sense. Microsoft Malaysia Managing Director K. Raman reported that by 2021, at least 48% of our country’s GDP will be generated from digital services and products.

Digital transformations have ranged from the rise of digital banking to big data analytics, enabling unprecedented convenience in mass customisation, predictive analysis and data protection through cryptography. While these advancements transcend useful information for businesses to capture additional revenues or minimise costs, digitalisation may also disrupt the ecosystem of existing industries. A classical example is the elimination of intermediary agents in the supply chain - when technology bridges consumers directly to suppliers, the necessity of retailers is avoided. The blanketing wave of digitalisation prompts all �rms to reevaluate and re�ne their games in di�erent dimensions in order to remain competitive and survive in this apocalyptic hyper-digitalised era.

However, the questions arise: what barriers still exist to challenge conglomerates in Malaysia from fully embracing hyper-digitalisation? How have some of the leading conglomerates progressed throughout the past in adopting digital transformation and what measures have they taken to design their future prospects in view of the rapid-evolving digital paradigm? In terms of establishing the future-proof frontier, how important is the training of Digital Quotient in the human capital, and what strategies have these conglomerates adopted?

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The progress some of the leading conglomerates in Malaysia had made in embracing digital transformation over the past years, and moving towards hyper-digitalisation:

CIMBIn 2017, CIMB Bank became the �rst bank in Malaysia to receive Bank Negara’s regulatory sandbox approval for electronic-know your customer (E-KYC), which is an electronic alternative to the face-to-face identity veri�cation required in traditional banking. CIMB Bank was named the 2018 Digital Transformer of the Year at the IDC DX Summit and Awards. In hopes of empowering the high-tech environment, CIMB launched their Future of Work Centre (FOWC) for the purpose of upskilling and reskilling their employees to work with Arti�cial Intelligence (AI), robotics and data analytics by 2023.

PwCOver the years, PwC has extended its range of services to data analytics as well as cybersecurity to cater to the shifting digital paradigm. In 2018, PwC partnered with Google Suite to enable more people to work on-the-go and according to PwC’s survey in 2019, 63% of the respondents saved more than 4 hours a week as a result of the implementation. As 75% of its employees worked e�ectively with quality technology, PwC is constantly transforming its workplace suiting the new era.

MAXISThe MCMC Network Performance Report 2019 portrayed Maxis as the leader out of all service providers by surpassing all criteria for four consecutive years. In line with its ambition, Maxis is the �rst telco in Malaysia to pioneer bundled �xed line number calling in collaboration with Microsoft (Malaysia), facilitating voice calls from any place at any time across multiple devices. In the �rst quarter of 2020, Maxis noted strong growth in postpaid and �bre subscriptions, with 13.7% and 40.0% growth year-on-year respectively, thus con�rming its leadership position.

ASTROAstro has launched many digital consumer brands including their streaming service, Astro GO; E-commerce platform, Go Shop; Malay entertainment portal, Gempak and digital news platform, Awani. With an ever-growing ASEAN presence, the company was awarded the Digital Transformer in Malaysia by International Data Corporation (IDC) Asean in 2017. Today, Astro is serving 5.7 million or 75% of Malaysian households across their TV, radio, digital and commerce platforms.

UMWLast October, UMW Group signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) with TM One, the business solutions arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad, to enhance and empower industries in Malaysia in order to prepare them for the new digitised era. This partnership permits UMW to launch joint research activities to develop home-grown Industrial IoT (Internet of Things) platforms through UMW’s IoT solution on industrial machines.

RHBAAs of April 2019, RHB has approximately 1.8 million active RHB Now internet banking users, out of which 570,000 customers are active mobile banking users. Later that year, RHB Banking Group was awarded ‘Best Innovation Centre by Financial Institution in Malaysia’ for innovation and digital banking at The Asian Banker Malaysia Awards. Moreover, the RHB Mobile Banking App is also set to increase the volume of digital banking up to more than 80% by 2022.

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Plenary KeynoteTitle: Our Healthcare, Our Pride

Since the �rst emergence of Covid-19 cases in early February, the Malaysian government has adopted immediate measures including implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) across all industries, in order to �atten the epidemiological curve. Despite an initial spike of infected cases, Malaysia managed to contain the infection quicker than fellow Southeast Asian countries. This was made possible with strategies including forced quarantine for Malaysians returning from overseas and executing a national lockdown - whereby schools, universities and non-essential businesses are forced to shut down and social gatherings are restrained - to curb the spread of Covid-19. Malaysia’s experience in dealing with such an infectious disease has shown prominent success and will remain a valuable case study for ages to come.

The pandemic has shown the major importance of healthcare personnel on the frontline, prompting us to consider the current human capital management in the healthcare sector. Does our response to the crucial need for medical experts during the pandemic re�ect the e�ectiveness of training and development of fresh talents in the medical �eld in the country? Two major headlines haunting newspapers over the past decade are: A surplus of medical graduates and a shortage of specialists, including oncologists and psychiatrists. What e�orts have the Ministry of Health taken to address this dilemma and facilitate the progression of medical graduates to specialists?

While the Movement Control Order (MCO) has brought more light onto mental health awareness- a persistent hot topic in Malaysia. A study by a Malaysian think tank, The Centre, concluded, majority of Malaysians endured negative mental well-being with contrasting levels of severity during the MCO period. Using this as a wake up call, it is important to ponder whether our healthcare and defence systems have been ready for such an apocalyptic pandemic. What key mental health support has the Ministry of Health provided during the MCO? How can the tra�c of the available helplines indicate the standard of mental healthiness among Malaysian residents? How has the care for mental healthiness among workers progressed over the years in Malaysia and what can we expect in the future workplace manual for wellbeing?

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PanelTitle: Is Helping the Rohingya Within Malaysia’s Responsibilities?

Discriminatory policies from the Myanmar government have caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to �ee the country and seek refuge in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Despite accommodating more than a hundred thousand refugees, Malaysia lacks the legislative and administrative framework - Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees - that is vital in addressing the Rohingya crisis. This has attracted polarising views from Malaysians, with some showing resistance to the refugees while others are showing support. Regardless, it is worth re�ecting on the mechanisms that are needed to safeguard the rights of refugees and how it will a�ect the sovereignty of the nation and its principles.

Malaysia has a Duty to Care for Vulnerable RefugeesThe Rohingya minority has been described as one of the most persecuted groups in the world, who are victims of denied citizenship and systematic genocide.

Local human rights advocates have long recommended that the Malaysian government assent to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, joining the vast majority of other UN members who have pledged to aid in refugee crises. Rejecting any formal responsibility for stateless people has enabled the government to handle the situation on an ad hoc basis, allowing for public sentiment to be followed instead of a concrete national policy. Today, this public sentiment is overwhelmingly protectionist and hostile.

Malaysia can no Longer Cater to Rohingya RefugeesThe Straits Times reported that some of the Rohingya have been accommodated in refugee centres where they received various forms of humanitarian aid from the government. This has enabled the Rohingya to slowly assimilate themselves into our society. Unfortunately, some have ended up homeless, thus contributing to creating new societal issues within the country. It has also been reported that cases regarding negative sentiment and harassment towards the Rohingya have been on the rise. This further cements the despairing reality that the Rohingya face in Malaysia, where they are unwanted and shunned.

The main issue right now is that Malaysia cannot a�ord to accept more refugees. While human rights groups continue to pressure Malaysia, they also need to acknowledge Malaysia’s problems as opposed to piling on added pressure to the government who are already facing a multitude of pressures domestically and internationally.

Where do we Stand Now?In this critical moment when an emphasis on care has been given to vulnerable groups, refugees have unfortunately been forgotten, and this calls for a reignition of the discussion around them. This probes the extent of Malaysia’s responsibility in aiding the Rohingya. On one end, should Malaysia reassess their existing refugee strategies in a bid to adopt a more humanitarian approach? Concurrently, while the country is unable to help these refugees, another approach could be to press Myanmar to improve conditions in Rakhine State. The question is, will things ever improve for the Rohingya?

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Closing KeynoteTitle: HER Voice Matters

The oppression of women is not only a simplistic social critique, but a complex political practice. Intricately intertwined and ingrained on domestic, social and political levels, it stymies the progress of feminisation and democratisation, as well as economic stability. Despite substantial gains over the years, gender equality as a whole remains elusive.

According to an Ipsos study done in 2018, the top three issues facing women globally are sexual harassment, sexual violence and physical violence. Malaysian women agree that they face similar issues, including experiencing the 'sexualisation of women and girls in media'. Malaysian women’s activists also continue to �ght against the lack of higher representation of women in decision-making leadership roles, particularly in politics.

Today, feminism has gone beyond its initial goals of �ghting for legal reforms in education, property rights and su�rage. Its meaning has diversi�ed to include an awareness and analysis of women’s discrimination and exploitation in the family, at work and in society, as well as violence against women. It is about making conscious e�orts by all – women and men – who wish to end gender inequality. We are left to ponder: Are our current policies implemented e�ectively in combating women oppression? Moving forward, are targeted and tailored policies in place?

According to The Star, over a third of Malaysian women have faced sexual harassment relative to one sixth in men. Of those who faced sexual harassment, only 15% reported it to the police. What is the underlying issue behind such low percentage conversions? How informed is the public regarding the laws as well as how e�ective are the laws in deterring future sexual harassment? Is there a need for an all-encompassing Sexual Harassment Act in Malaysia?

Moving on, the Ministry’s Talian Kasih recorded a 57% increase in distress calls by women due to domestic abuse since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced. Not to mention, being trapped in the same house as their abuser proposed greater risk in them seeking help. To make things worse, �nancial instability due to the MCO forces survivors to be more �nancially dependent on their abusers. In the case of survivors who have left their abusers, they face di�culties to get back on their feet even in normal circumstances let alone during these trying times. What has been done by the government and NGOs to mitigate these problems and are they sustainable?

INTRODUCTION TO MSLS CHALLENGE 2020INTRODUCTION TO MSLS CHALLENGE 2020

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Unlike conventional student summits, UKEC will introduce a new initiative: MSLS Challenge 2020, a competition held alongside our virtual Malaysian Student Leaders’ Summit XIV 2020. Aimed to provide a refreshing experience to our audience, they will have the opportunity to delve deeper into topics discussed to provide an impactful learning experience as they actively engage their minds and brainstorm on critical Malaysian issues in the search for the best solutions.

Using a three-stage knockout framework, we will be able to witness the cream of the crop of Malaysian youth as they creatively produce a proposal as a team, which aims to solve real-life issues. Delegates will also receive the privilege of pitching their ideas during the �nals, on the day of the summit, to industry experts such as corporates and NGOs in hopes that their ideas may come to life.

Germane to the overall theme of the summit, the competition this year will follow through with the topic of ‘The Malaysian Education System: Generations Evolved’ that looks at the past, present and future issues that have arisen from each time period. For instance, delegates will be able to explore the topic of how the use of technology in educational institutions have evolved since pre-Merdeka days. Delegates will also look at how the recent COVID-19 pandemic has further pushed Malaysia out of our comfort zones, where E-Learning had to be integrated almost instantly in all schools and universities. The proposal and �nal pitch will try to capture how our education system has drastically evolved throughout generations and how Malaysia can emerge victorious despite the many challenges we have faced.

TIME AGENDA

1.40 p.m. - 1.50 p.m. Introduction and Speech by Director of MSLS XIV 2020

1.50 p.m. - 2.25 p.m. Opening Keynote: United We Stand, Divided We Fall + Q&A 2.25 p.m. - 3.05 p.m. Debate: This House Believes There is Precedence for Yet, Another Signi�cant Political Reset + Q&A

3.05 p.m. - 3.55 p.m. Corporate Panel: Into The Era of Hyper-Digitalisation + Q&A

3.55 p.m - 4.10 p.m. Interactive Quiz: Malaysia Boleh, Awak Boleh Ke? + Summit Resolution Survey

4.10 p.m. - 4.40 p.m. Plenary Keynote: Our Healthcare, Our Pride + Q&A

4.40 p.m. - 4.55 p.m. Asar Break + Summit Resolution Survey

4.55 p.m. - 5.50 p.m. Final Presentation by Delegates 5.50 p.m - 6.00 p.m. Break + Audience Voting

6.00 p.m. - 6.35 p.m. Panel: Is Helping the Rohingya Within Malaysia’s Responsibilities? + Q&A

6.35 p.m. - 7.05 p.m. Closing Keynote: HER Voice Matters + Q&A 7.05 p.m. - 7.15 p.m. Summit Resolution Survey + Winner Announcement

MSLS XIV 2020 TENTATIVE ITINERARY MSLS XIV 2020 TENTATIVE ITINERARY

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CONTACT USCONTACT USFor any enquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out to us:

O�cial website: www.ukeconline.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/ukeconlineTwitter: @UKECInstagram: @UKECYouTube: UKECtvEmail: info@ukeconline.com

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONMalaysian Student Leaders’ Summit (MSLS) has been hugely successful in previous years, growing bigger and better with every passing year. With your support, we endeavour to make this year’s MSLS the biggest and best one yet.