I was invited by the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) to join a panel to talk about 'Entrepreneurial Ventures.' The panel was part of Conference on Research Funding and Powering the Innovation Engine held on 24th August 2017 at MIDA, KL Sentral. It was organised by Malaysia Investment and Development Authority (MIDA) and the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC).

The panel comprised:

1. Dr Tanuja Rajah (Program Manager, Global Accelerator Program - Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC))
2. Mr Zaim Mohzani (Co-Founder and Principal, Nation Building School)
3. Mr Zaky Moh (Senior Director of Business Development and Entrepreneurship Division, SME Corporation Malaysia)
4. Dr. Mohan V. Avvari MBA  (Deputy Dean (Business Engagement and External Relations), University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus) [Moderator]

Dr Mohan, the moderator asked me touch about youth development, particularly for university students...

I was invited by the International Council of Malaysian Scholars and Associates (ICMS) to moderate a panel of esteemed speakers on the topic of global inequality. The panel was held in tandem with their annual Malaysian Public Policy Competition (MPPC). It was held on 20th August 2017 at Sunway University.

Speakers

1. Dr Chandra Muzaffar (Founder & President, International Movement for a Just World - JUST / Chairman, Board of Trustees, Yayasan 1Malaysia)
2. Dr Kenneth Simler (Senior Economist in Poverty & Equity Global Practice, The World Bank)
3. Mr Ali Salman (Director Research, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs - IDEAS)
4. Zaim Mohzani (Co-Founder, Nation Building School) [Moderator]

Topic: 'Tackling Inequality on a Global Level'

We had a vibrant and insightful session. Some of the points were...

 I was invited by United Kingdom & Eire Council of Malaysian Students (UKEC) to speak on “Political Awareness and Maturity Among Youth” for their 11th Malaysian Student Leaders Summit (MSLS). I had to the privilege to speak alongside Minister in Prime Minister's Department, YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy binti Shukri and YB Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Member of Parliament for Serdang (DAP).

I spoke on young Malaysians' level of political participation, proposed policy to encourage civic engagement and challenges ahead.

You can view the presentation on UKEC Facebook page.

Here's my slide presentation:

Topic: ​Next Generation Leadership: What Does The Younger Generation Think of the Future of ASEAN? What Does ASEAN 2025 Vision Mean to Today’s Youths?​

Points of discussion: ASEAN must become more relevant to the younger generation. How can ASEAN consciousness be further improved? How can the younger generation participate in ASEAN decision making processes?

Speakers

1. Dato' Ramesh Kodammal (Council Member, ASEAN Business Advisory Council)
2. Mr. Ivanpal S. Grewal (Political Secretary to Minister of Plantation Industries & Commodities)
3. Dr. Oh Ei Sun (Adjunct Senior Fellow, S. Rajaratnam, School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
4. Mr. Ehon Chan (Executive Director, MaGIC)
5. Mr. Zaim Mohzani (Principal, Nation Building School)
6. Mr. Voon Zhen Yi (Manager, Programme & Research, Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), ASLI) [Moderator]

The points I raised during the panel discussion...

Global Shapers Kuala Lumpur (GSKL) organised an Open Day to engage key stakeholders of Malaysian social ecosystem on 5 August 2017 in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

We've been around since 2011 and have been organising various community projects such as My First Job (career guidance for students), Better Streets (urban rejuvenation project) and After5 (personal development for Form 5 SPM leavers). Despite our presence, not many people know of our organisation, what more our mission. So, we decided to organise a day for our partners and prospective allies to meet and chat with us.

Wednesday, 19 July 2017, 6.30pm to 8.30pm (Meeting at 6.15pm)

Venue: WORQ, Unit 3A-01A, Level 3A, Glo Damansara No. 699, Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur

​The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and Impact Hub KL jointly present the Global Goals Mixers: “Scaling Impact Beyond Borders” as part of the inaugural 3-day Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) Workshop in KL. The Global Goals Mixers: “Scaling Impact Beyond Borders” is an intimate sharing and discussion of experiences and lessons by representatives from the social enterprise eco-system in Malaysia and Singapore. Speakers will share their experience, opportunities and technologies available to help social enterprises scale their impact and grow their organisations beyond borders.

The Star Column by Danial Rahman, 20 January 2017

WHEN the Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh announced on Facebook that a Gap-Year programme would begin in September, there was a lot of excitement.

Curious to find out more, I posted a question on my Facebook page asking my friends for their thoughts. Some had actually been on a gap-year over different periods of their lives and were happy to share their experiences and views.

...

Zaim Mohzani, founder of the Nation Building School, sees NGOs playing a vital role in the initiative. He believes that NGOs can expose students to the community and their problems, and train them through community organising and by connecting them to their networks.

“Experiences like these can potentially be life-changing” he says.​
​
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/online-exclusive/whats-your-status/2017/01/20/filling-in-the-gaps-between-studies-taking-a-year-off-from-studies-gives-people-a-chance-to-gain-new/