USM Multilevel Participation in Policy Implementation to End Poverty

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) continues to demonstrate its leadership in participating in policymaking at local, regional, national, and global levels to implement programmes and policies aimed at ending poverty in all its dimensions. Through strategic partnerships, knowledge transfer, and evidence-based interventions, USM aligns its academic expertise with Malaysia’s and the global community’s poverty eradication agendas.

Local Level: Corporate Zakat Contribution to Support Asnaf and Local Communities

USM received a corporate zakat contribution of RM800,000 from Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) Pulau Pinang for the third consecutive year in 2024, one of the highest disbursements in the state. The symbolic cheque was presented by Dato’ Haji Mohammad Mokhzani Mukhtar, Director of Lembaga Tabung Haji Northern Region, and witnessed by USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed.
This initiative reflects USM’s active participation in local-level poverty reduction policy frameworks, enabling targeted financial support to asnaf groups within the USM community and surrounding neighbourhoods. The funds directly contribute to grassroots poverty alleviation and social inclusion programmes, demonstrating how institutional collaboration with local policymakers supports the implementation of Malaysia’s inclusive socio-economic strategies.

Regional Level: Empowering Marginalized Groups through the Madu Kelulut Scale-Up Project

In collaboration with the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and TERAJU, USM implemented a high-impact ecotourism and income-generation initiative in Lundu, Sarawak, through the Madu Kelulut (Stingless Bee) Scale-Up Project. The programme, held at Dewan Masyarakat Kg Belungei, brought together tour guides, local entrepreneurs, and community leaders to promote sustainable stingless bee farming as a poverty alleviation tool.
USM’s involvement included scientific research, entrepreneurial training, and policy advisory components that informed regional and state-level ecotourism and rural development strategies. This initiative demonstrates USM’s role in translating academic research into policy action, fostering sustainable livelihoods, and strengthening the economic resilience of rural and marginalized populations.

National Level: Supporting the Anak Kita Programme under the Ekonomi MADANI Framework

USM plays an integral role in supporting the Anak Kita Programme, one of the flagship initiatives under Malaysia’s Ekonomi MADANI framework, designed to combat educational inequality and intergenerational poverty. The programme, launched at Sekolah Kebangsaan Rasa, Selangor, was attended by Minister of Education YB Puan Fadhlina Sidek and Second Minister of Finance YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, and targets 83,752 students across 3,458 schools nationwide.
Through interventions such as DAYA JAYA SPM MADANI, RIMBA, and PECUTAN IMPIAN SPM 2024 (in collaboration with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris), USM provides mentoring, training, and resource support to improve literacy, numeracy, and examination performance among underprivileged students. Supported by a RM100 million national allocation, this programme reflects USM’s participation in national policy implementation to reduce dropout rates, strengthen educational equity, and advance long-term poverty eradication goals.

Global Level: Educational Sponsorships for Gaza Students through IESCO Partnership

USM formalised an international collaboration with the International Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (IESCO) through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on 29 December 2024. Representing USM, Professor Dato’ Gs. Dr. Narimah Samat (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and International) and Professor Dr. Abdul Razak Sulaiman (Dean, School of Medical Sciences) signed the agreement with Ayman Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of IESCO.
This partnership focuses on educational sponsorships for Gaza students under the initiative “Strengthening Gaza’s Healthcare: Scholarship for Medical Students from Gaza.” The MoA reinforces USM’s global engagement in policy-oriented humanitarian programmes that address poverty through education, capacity building, and healthcare training. By providing access to higher education for conflict-affected populations, USM contributes to global policy implementation efforts that reduce poverty and promote inclusive development.