Hybrid Seminar On Empowering Local Governance Through Inclusive Collaborative Participation

KOTA KINABALU (MON): The Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) in collaboration with Konrad-Adenaur Stiftung will be organising a seminar entitled Empowering Local Governance Through Inclusive Collaborative Participation on 25th May 2023 at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu. According to IDS CEO, Datuk Dr. Ramzah Dambul, the synchronisation of local governance is the cornerstone of democratic governance and is critical for the delivery of essential public services, equitable development and inclusive growth. “Policies for local economic development must strike a balance and should be coordinated with our national economic policy aims, tailored to our local context.

Therefore, the key to accelerate and improve the quality of Sabah’s economic growth requires the development of local government capacity and maximising administrative efficiency,” he further elaborated. “This seminar is timely for us as part of the civil society to contribute in empowering the local government structures and practices to ensure its efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness in addressing the needs of the communities,” Datuk Dr. Ramzah said, highlighting that a well-organised local governance will effectively execute SMJ development plans in stimulating economic recovery, improving Grassroots economy, and developing human capital towards building a holistic society. 

He also reiterated that this seminar aims to increase the impact of inclusion by encouraging collaborative participation, in order to tap into collective wisdom, experiences and aspirations of the communities. “We need to take advantage of this opportunity to unravel and contribute the knowledge, experiences and ideas which will be recorded and submitted to the relevant bodies for further action,” he said, adding that inclusion and cooperation will therefore work as a catalyst for societal peace and cohesion. 

Six papers will be presented during the seminar which are: Empowering Local Authorities by Mr. Stanley Chong, Deputy Permanent Secretary I, Ministry of Local Government and Housing; Strengthening Local Government capacities for Evidence-Based Policy Making by Mr. Danesh Prakash Chacko, Director of Tindak Malaysia; Role of Councillors in Local District Development by Mr. Anthony Kiob, Tambunan District Council Councillor; Enhancing Inclusive Participation in Local Governance: Challenges and Opportunities by Mr. Wilson @ Terence Thomas, Vice President I, Sandakan Municipal Council; Effective Leadership and Collaborative Governance for Inclusive Development by Datuk Dr. Madeline Berma, Honorary Professor, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS); and The Power of Local Governance in the Era of Digitalisation by Dr. Janifal Alipal, Head of Data Management Unit of IDS.

For more information, visit www.ids.org.my ###