Assalamualaikum and a very good evening! 

1. I am happy to be here with all of you tonight at the Eco-Schools Award Ceremony jointly hosted by Yayasan Sime Darby (or YSD) and Green Growth Asia Foundation (or GGAF).  
2. I would like to thank Tuan Zainal Abas, an old friend of YSD’s from the Ministry of Education. Your presence tonight reflects your unwavering dedication and commitment to enhancing education through sustainability. For everyone’s information, Tuan Zainal Abas was instrumental in including YSD’s channel in the MOE Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia (or DELIMa) portal, making YSD’s STEM education modules accessible to over 1.5 million teachers and secondary school students nationwide. 
3. I would also like to express our gratitude to YSD’s 3 donor companies, Sime Darby Berhad, SD Guthrie Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad, whose steadfast support has enabled us to contribute significantly to environmental education and sustainability initiatives. Since our inception, YSD has committed over RM215 million to environmental conservation efforts, supporting projects like habitat restoration, climate education, and biodiversity protection across Malaysia.  
4. I would also like to thank MOE, GGAF, the supportive headmasters and principals, the hardworking teachers, and of course, the students who are at the heart of the Eco-School Programme's success. 
5. Tonight, we celebrate the outstanding achievements of 14 schools from Melaka and Kedah that have earned the prestigious Green Flag Award – an international recognition by the Foundation for Environmental Education (or FEE) - for their remarkable efforts in embedding sustainability into their school culture. While the remaining 7 schools achieved the Silver Award, their commitment is equally commendable, and we look forward to their continued progress in sustainability. 
6. The Eco-Schools Programme goes beyond environmental education; by fostering critical thinking, leadership skills, and hands-on sustainability learning. Aligned with YSD’s objectives and UNESCO’s Greening Education Partnership (GEP) aims, the programme plays a critical role in achieving Malaysia’s goal of recognising at least 50% of its educational institutions as green schools by 2030. 
7. Since the inception of YSD’s collaboration with GGAF in 2021 for the Eco-Schools Programme: 

• Over 2,300 students, teachers, and school administrators from 21 schools were actively engaged – among them, SK Padang Temu in Melaka, which joined the programme only halfway through but managed to win the Green Flag Award, because of the dedication of one passionate teacher, who leveraged the school’s resources and made participation possible.  
• 12 various environmental workshops were held, benefitting more than 1,300 students and teachers. One of these workshops was carried out by our volunteers from our donor SD Guthrie Berhad. 
• 6 seminars were conducted for 82 educators. 
• 20 educational modules were developed and integrated into school curricula, clubs and programmes. 
• Sustainability initiatives were established in 20 schools, including rainwater harvesting systems, educational and edible gardens, sustainability galleries, and composting facilities.  
• More than 420 students had produced environmental reports shared locally and internationally, through the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Programme. 

8. Congratulations to the teachers, students, and everyone involved! YSD is proud to be part of this journey with you in combatting and adapting to climate change and other environmental challenges we face in today’s world. 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

9. With the success we’ve witnessed in Melaka and Kedah, I am delighted to announce that YSD will continue our support for the Eco-Schools Programme. This time, we shall support 10 new schools in Pahang, continuing to focus on environmental education while strengthening relationships within the Eco-Schools network. 
10. Congratulations to all those receiving your well-deserved awards tonight! Well done, and let’s continue this journey together and empower our youth to be changemakers within their schools, homes, and communities; equipping the future generation with the knowledge, values, and skills needed to build a more resilient and sustainable world.  
11. Thank you, and I wish you an enjoyable evening.