Next steps - Self improvement through knowledge enhancement

Protecting the environment while allowing progressive development and industrialisation in Malaysia is a delicate balance that both public and private sectors must strike to ensure Malaysia achieves its target to become a developed nation by year 2020. Realising this and working in a company that is an integral part of the energy equation, I have gained fresh impetus to seek notable qualification and knowledge through Master's Programme in Environmental Management and Policy to make a difference and contribute towards shaping Malaysia's sustainable development and environmental protection, policy and legislation.

I had my first taste dealing with renewable energy through my direct involvement in Purdue's solar racing team that finished 17th position in the 1995 Sunrayce competition but cost of fuel then in the US was less than $1 per gallon and cost of solar panels and its related technology were exorbitant. Personally, I never thought back in 1995 that within the next decade or so, the cost of fuel in the US could exceed $4 per gallon and the demand for reliable and cost effective renewable energy could grow exponentially.

Then through my various assignments in Europe (Switzerland, England and Austria) and in Japan, I developed further awareness of the importance of environmental protection and sustainable energy resources. In these countries, I realised that strict environmental control and development can co-exist in harmony. Recycling waste in Switzerland is a habit rather than a chore. Companies and individuals in these countries alike practice commendable environmental awareness compared to developing countries. Personally, I think European countries are the frontrunners of sustainable environmental management, even when compared to the US, and are much advance in inculcating such practice in their communities, and I have decided to further my studies in Europe to learn and to understand how to implement suitable and improved policies that will bring Malaysia closer to sustainable development towards developed nation in 2020.

Therefore, I hope that the MSc programme in I am applying for will provide the right foundation for me to be part of think tank that will chart the blueprint of Malaysia’s future environmental and renewable energy policies. I am also interested to know and understand more on potential revenue and cost drivers in the ever carbon-constrained world as providing solutions to environmental challenges will provide clear growth opportunities and at the same time is essential to society’s well being. It is clear to me that global companies that fail to factor the environmental issue into their corporate strategy will lose their edge against their competitors.