JICA: Contributing to a Prosperous Malaysia

Bridges: What are JICA’s current activities in Malaysia?

Sugawara: I would like to start by reflecting on the historical context of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Malaysia, prior to introducing JICA’s current activities. Over the course of more than six decades, Malaysia and Japan have forged a remarkable partnership, characterised by trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to progress. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as Japanese government’s administrative agency, has played an imperative role in contributing to the development journey of Malaysia through implementation of Japan’s ODA.

Japan’s ODA in Malaysia began in 1956, one year earlier than the independence of the Federation of Malaya, with the invitation of two trainees to Japan for fishery training. Since then, various types of Japan’s ODA have extended without interruption ranging from infrastructure development through financial cooperation, acceptance of trainees to the dispatch of experts for technical cooperation and volunteers.

Those projects were implemented along with Malaysia’s needs. An emphasis was placed from the 1970s on the development of economic infrastructures, including power generation, roads, and water infrastructures. Later in the 1980s and 1990s, an increasing emphasis was placed on the improvement in manufacturing technologies and human resources development. In 2000s, the cooperation was extended to a more diversified field including urban and environmental improvement.

One of the features of our cooperation is a great emphasis on human resource development. Most of the projects have been designed to incorporate the components of training and technical transfer, regardless of whether they are infrastructure or industrial development. In Malaysia, ODA loan has long been extended to scholarship programmes, such as the Look East Policy, as well as infrastructure development. The human resource base which was thus formed in an extensive and continuous way had not only supported Malaysian government and the development of local industries and society, but also paved the way for many Japanese investors to expand businesses in Malaysia.

The Look East Policy (LEP) is a unique initiative led by the government of Malaysia with the objective of fostering economic and societal advancement in Malaysia by embracing Japanese principles, including work ethics, a dedication to continuous improvement and productivity, and ethical values.

Since its inception in 1982, the Japanese government and JICA have collaborated closely with the Malaysian government to facilitate the admission of LEP trainees and students into Japanese universities, as well as national institutes of technology, known as KOSEN in Japanese, along with private enterprises, among other institutions. To date, over 26,000 Malaysian students and government officials have engaged in LEP training.

Through the extraordinary endeavours of the Malaysian government and its citizens, Malaysia has effectively transitioned from an agrarian economy to an industrialized economy, exporting industrial goods worldwide. I am privileged to acknowledge that Japan’s ODA has significantly contributed to Malaysia’s development.

Now I turn to our on-going endeavours. With Malaysia’s heightened development status, JICA’s strategy has pivoted towards fostering a well-rounded development trajectory on the path to attaining high-income nation status, bolstering its capacity to address shared challenges within the Southeast and East Asian regions, and fortifying the partnership in development efforts between Malaysia and Japan that extends beyond regional boundaries.

In pursuit of fostering a well-rounded development of the nation, we collaborate closely with the Malaysian government and pertinent institutions to enhance administrative capabilities, vitalize higher education, particularly in the realm of industrial human resource development, facilitate the transformation of the economy into one with a heightened value-added dimension, and undertake various related initiatives. Furthermore, we provide support to Malaysia’s endeavours in addressing emerging concerns and ensuring societal stability, encompassing areas such as environmental conservation, safeguarding the socially vulnerable, managing the challenges of an aging society, and disaster preparedness.

An exemplary illustration of our dedication to the higher education sector is exemplified through our collaboration with the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in the establishment of the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT). MJIIT offers a synthesis of Japanese-style engineering education with Malaysian uniqueness, strategically tailored to foster sustainability in industry and society.

Over the course of our collaborative efforts since MJIIT’s inauguration in 2011, we have witnessed three notable outcomes. Firstly, we have fortified the educational capacity of MJIIT’s undergraduate and postgraduate programs by provisioning state-of-the-art equipment and deploying Japanese experts with an enduring support from nearly 30 universities in Japan. Secondly, MJIIT has seen the graduation of 1,308 undergraduate students and 646 graduate students.

As per Malaysian statistical data, the employment rate for these graduates stood at an impressive 100% in 2022. To date, we have traced the successful employment of at least 97 graduates within Japanese companies. Lastly, commencing a new phase of the project in July 2023, our objective is to further enhance the synergy between industry and academia, facilitating the progression towards a more high-value-added economy.

Another set of our efforts to support Malaysia’s balanced development is to promote joint research between Malaysian and Japanese university and research institutions through Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program. The SATREPS program promotes international joint research with the goal of resolving global issues as one aspect of “Science and Technology Diplomacy,” which connects science and technology with diplomacy for their mutual advancement.

The SATREPS projects are jointly managed and funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), JICA and the government of counterpart countries. In Malaysia, ten SATREPS projects have been implemented so far in various fields, including renewable energy (ocean thermal energy conversion), biodiversity and environment conservation, infectious diseases control, disaster risk reduction. 

The one of the exemplary SATREPS projects is “Sustainable Replantation of Oil Palm by Adding Value to Oil Palm Trunk (OPT) through Scientific and Technological Innovation,” which is led by Dr KOSUGI Akihiko, Project Leader of Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and Prof. K. Sudesh Kumar, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). This aims at developing technology that utilizes palm trunks to resolve oil palm plantation issues, such as the spread of soil-borne diseases, greenhouse gas emissions from decomposition, and deforestation.

Researchers from Japan and Malaysia jointly conducting scientific and economic assessments of the impact of OPT abandonment and attempts to transform residues (oil palm trunk and frond, empty fruit bunch, palm oil mill effluent, etc.) into a more valuable resource by developing technology for producing a range of high-value-added products, including biofuel and biodegradable materials. The uniqueness of this project is evident in the close collaboration between industry, government, and academia both in Malaysia and Japan.

Japanese industries, like IHI Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Nissin Shoji Co., Ltd and Idemitsu are actively engaging in producing high-value-added products. For instance, Panasonic has successfully developed the world’s first technology to produce upcycled boards called “PALM LOOP” via an intermediate material using OPT pellets produced by the project’s pilot plant. By developing technologies that utilize OPT to produce high-value-added products, this project contributes to the achievement of sustainable palm plantation management by facilitating the removal and use of felled OPT and transforming palm plantations sustainable one.

Through these efforts, I would like to contribute to realizing Malaysia’s aspirations toward sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous nation and to deepening our relationship of mutual trust between Malaysia and Japan.

How would you describe the Malaysia-Japan partnership in 2023?

Both nations celebrated the 65th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2022, and 2023 marks the 50th year of friendly relations between ASEAN and Japan. The economic bond between these two countries has a storied history dating back to the 1960s and continues to flourish.

Japan holds a prominent position as one of the primary sources of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Malaysia, with over 1,600 Japanese enterprises currently operating within the nation. The partnership between the two is intricate and multifaceted, making it challenging to describe in a single word. However, it can be characterized as a relationship that is stable, mature, and founded on a longstanding foundation of trust—a level of collaboration that cannot be achieved without enduring and reliable ties.

Capitalizing on this robust foundation and leveraging our respective capabilities, I aim to further reinforce our partnership in addressing global challenges collectively. An exemplary initiative in this regard is the Third Country Training Program (TCTP), which has been collaboratively executed alongside the Malaysia Technical Cooperation Program since 1992.

The TCTP represents one facet of JICA’s commitment to South-South Cooperation and predominantly takes the form of group-based training, extending invitations to partner countries, primarily from Asia and Africa, to participate in trainings hosted in Malaysia.

To date, we have successfully executed 313 training courses in collaboration with nearly 40 esteemed training institutions in Malaysia, accommodating approximately 4,800 participants from over 80 countries. In the year 2023, we are conducting 11 training courses encompassing diverse fields, including trade and investment, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) development, occupational safety and health, digital economy, and science and mathematics education.

An illustrative instance of the TCTP is conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training (CIAST), which operates under the Ministry of Human Resources. Established in 1984 through Japanese grant aid and technical cooperation by JICA, this center was an integral component of the ASEAN Human Resource Development Project.

Japan has steadfastly supported CIAST for nearly 40 years, encompassing the deployment of JICA volunteers to CIAST (currently, one Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer serves as a lecturer at CIAST).

Leveraging the expertise and technologies accrued through previous technical cooperation, CIAST now extends its training services to other ASEAN nations, with the overarching goal of bolstering their capabilities in Technical Vocational Education and Training. CIAST stands as a symbolic testament to the collaborative human resources efforts between our two nations. I aspire to further cultivate and expand such partnerships.

As a female representative for JICA in Malaysia, how have you enjoyed your time there on a personal level?

Given the enduring and cordial rapport between Malaysia and Japan, I am deeply grateful for the widespread appreciation of Japanese culture, cuisine, products, and more among Malaysian people. Furthermore, over 20,000 Malaysian government officers, academic staff of universities, and businesspersons have joined long-term or short-term training under JICA.

These ex-participants of our programs have formed alumni organizations to maintain networks among alumni and further enhance friendly relationship between Malaysia and Japan. On occasion, I encounter such alumni who have partaken in our training programs in the past and hold cherished memories of their experiences in Japan, expressing heartfelt gratitude towards JICA and Japan.

Whenever I engage with such individuals, displaying genuine affection for Japan, I am reminded that these individuals are the custodians of the harmonious relationship that endures between Malaysia and Japan.

As a Japanese national, I find my life here to be remarkably comfortable. Although I have only spent four months since my arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I would like to visit various parts of the country as frequently as possible, with the goal of gaining deeper insights into this nation and fostering interactions with a broader community.

As the ‘Look East Policy’ continues, What is JICA’s role in strengthening ties between the 2 countries?

Last year, in 2022, marked the 40th anniversary of the Look East Policy, during which over 26,000 Malaysians were afforded the opportunity to pursue studies or training in Japan. Upon their return to Malaysia, these individuals have made substantial contributions towards the nation’s economic progress by leveraging the knowledge and skills they acquired in Japan.

Furthermore, they have nurtured a robust foundation for the enduring and dependable relationship between Malaysia and Japan. Presently, the expectations from the Malaysian side concerning the training topics and content have grown more sophisticated and specialized, necessitating adaptation to thrive in the era of Industry 4.0 and to effectively address pressing global challenges, including climate change.

In the prevailing circumstances, I recognize it’s imperative for JICA to assume a more proactive role in gaining a profound understanding of the nuanced requirements on the Malaysian front and in identifying suitable and ample resources within Japan that align with Malaysian aspirations. Additionally, it is essential for us to catalyse the transformation of these training opportunities into more expansive collaborations, involving a spectrum of partners, including private enterprises, local authorities, and civil societies.

In Malaysia, there exists a substantial community of individuals with ties to Japan, comprising not only those who pursued their education or training in Japan through the Look East Policy (LEP) but also those who secured private scholarships or funded their own studies in Japan. This diverse cohort possesses a profound comprehension of Japanese culture and society and maintains a strong affinity with Japan.

On the other hand, JICA has deployed a total of 1,640 Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers to Malaysia since 1966, spanning various fields, including industrial education, Japanese language instruction, social services, environmental conservation, and more. Immersed within local communities, those Japanese volunteers collaborated closely with their Malaysian counterparts daily, forging deep connections with Malaysia. Some among them have returned to Malaysia after their volunteer terms, choosing to establish lasting roots within the country.

At the heart of the bond between our two nations lies the people-to-people connection. It is imperative to cultivate multifaceted relationships across government, the private sector, and society at large. One of JICA’s inherent strengths lies in its ability to forge and sustain enduring interpersonal ties. Hence, my commitment is to sustain this role and fortify it even further.

What message would you like to share with our readers regarding your vision for JICA in Malaysia?

JICA has nurtured a collaborative relationship with Malaysian government agencies spanning over 66 years, working in tandem to achieve common objectives. At the epicenter of this cooperation, lie intricate people-to-people bonds that bolster the foundation of trust between our two nations.

Capitalizing on this robust foundation and leveraging each other’s strengths, my aim is to consolidate a partnership where we unite as collaborators in addressing global challenges collectively. Therefore, JICA must actively engage in the identification of our respective strengths, the facilitation of connections between individuals, and the co-creation of solutions aimed at resolving global issues.

To bolster further the partnership between our two nations, JICA is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia to bolster their efforts to further expand their Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program. It is my anticipation that Malaysian government agency will take the lead in spearheading South-South Cooperation, demonstrating Malaysia’s distinction in imparting knowledge and expertise to other developing partner nations. JICA is steadfastly committed to providing full cooperation to enhance and deepen our relationship as partners in addressing global challenges.

Another exemplary instance of our partnership in addressing global concerns is our collaboration with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). The Indo-Pacific region has witnessed tensions regarding maritime interests, making the stability of critical sea lanes, such as the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, a matter of utmost importance for both ASEAN countries and Japan. Regional cooperation is imperative to effectively address these challenges. Consequently, JICA, in conjunction with the Japan Coast Guard, has been actively engaging with maritime law enforcement agencies in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

In Malaysia, JICA has been fostering cooperation with MMEA since its inception in 2005. Currently, the 7th JICA long-term expert dispatched from Japan Coast Guard is deployed within the MMEA. Recognizing that maritime security and safety are pivotal components for realizing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing efforts in this domain.

The progress and development of Malaysia have undeniably been the result of the unwavering commitment and dedication of the Malaysian people. Nevertheless, I take pride in acknowledging the role played by Japan’s ODA in this collective endeavour. JICA’s vision, as encapsulated in the phrase ‘Leading the world with trust,’ underscores our commitment to further fortify the bonds cultivated over more than six decades of cooperation.

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