Malaysia reviews national strategic plan, gears up for change
“If we can give our young people interesting, exciting and relevant Scouting programmes, then we can say that we have done our job,” said Prof Dato' Dr. Mohd Zin Bidin, National Chief Scout Commissioner of Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia (PPM), as he addressed the National Strategic Planning Review Workshop happening on 24-28 March 2019 in Kuala Lumpur.
The National Chief Scout Commissioner further said that although PPM has many Scouting activities and events happening on the ground, the current National Plan 2018-2023 which was created in 2017 still needs to be refined in order to make it more relevant to the present needs of the young people in Malaysia. He also placed emphasis on aligning the national plan with the regional and global plans.
Malaysia’s current triennial plan has six strategic priorities - Youth Programme, Adults in Scouting, Governance, Communications and Relations, Resources, and Growth. These priorities are seen to position PPM as the leading, modern and self-dependent educational youth organisation in the country.
Out of the 14 main points the Chief Commissioner shared, he highlighted the areas of strengthening Rover training, paving way for more Rover Scouts to actively take part in the promotion and implementation of various world programmes under the Better World Framework, and initiatives that will contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Over the next five years, PPM is keen in highlighting adult training in order to equip its adult leaders with the necessary and relevant technical skills about Scouting, increasing the leaders’ competence and providing them with strong communication skills and establishing good relations with partner agencies. PPM’s senior leadership are working to make the organisation financially stable, make use of their huge tract of land for future training, campsites and even commercial establishments.
The participants of the workshop included all its 17 State Commissioners, who are expected to cascade their national strategic plan to the state and district levels across the country.
Dr. Hj. Mohd Azlan bin Ab. Jalil, PPM National Commissioner is directing the workshop, supported by Rogelio S. Villa, Jr., the Secretary General of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and S Prassanna Shrivastava, Director for Organizational Development and Messengers of Peace.
