Workshop "Shaping Indigenous-Inclusive Governance: Malaysia-Australia Exchange"

Bait Al Amanah, in partnership with the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, recently hosted a closed-door workshop titled “Shaping Indigenous-Inclusive Governance: A Malaysia-Australia Exchange” on 12 December 2025 in Kota Kinabalu.

The workshop brought together 45 participants from academia, government institutions, community leadership, think tanks, and civil society to identify practical approaches for advancing Indigenous-inclusive governance through comparative learning. A core focus was the National Indigenous Peoples Development Policy and its adoption of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) as a step toward meaningful self-determination.

We express our heartfelt appreciation to the distinguished speakers and experts who shared their valuable insights during the panel discussions:

Panel Session 1: Building Indigenous-Led Economies through Innovation and Connectivity, featuring Associate Professor Dr. Balvinder Kaur (Sabah Tourism Board), Dr. Welyne Jeffrey Jehom (University of Malaya), Mr. Stephen Nogiris (Indigenous association representative), and Mr. Ariff Adi Putera Anwar (Institute for Development Studies Sabah).

Panel Session 2: Institutional Protection of Indigenous Culture, featuring Dr. Trixie Marjorie Tangit (Universiti Malaysia Sabah), Mr. Shalmon Sanangan (Sabah Customs Schools), Mr. Steve Johnny Mositun (Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association), and Dr. John Doolah (University of Melbourne).

At the same time, we would like to make a special mention of Professor Dr. Jacqueline Pugh-Kitingan from Universiti Malaysia Sabah for her efforts in not only delivering the closing remarks but also providing the essential briefing and leading facilitation for the afternoon breakout sessions.