By Asmahanim Amir
Pictures by Izwan Azman

BANGI, 21 October 2018 – A total of 50 ASEAN youth leaders assembles at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for a week to discuss and exchange ideas on the smart city innovation. The assembly is part of CIMB Young ASEAN Leaders (CYAL) 2018 programme.

With the theme of ‘Resilience and Innovation towards a Green, Prosperous Lifestyle: Smart City, the programme aims to train and enhancing skills of selected exceptional ASEAN student leaders in developing smart cities across the region and beyond.

CIMB Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Hamidah Naziadin said this programme is shaped for the participants to exchange the ideas, learning the cross-cultural experiences among ASEAN youth leaders. In addition, the young leaders are targeted to up fit the quality of life of ASEAN citizen not only now but also for the generations to come.

“We want to give back to the community. Not only to Malaysia, but ASEAN. That’s why all of you are here today,” she said while delivering her speech at the Opening Ceremony of CYAL 2018, here.

Meanwhile, Deputy Vice Chancellor Industry and Community Partnership, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Imran Ho Abdullah hope that all participants will take the opportunities to explore the campus and built a good relationship between each other.

“I hope this programme would be a beautiful experience for all of you,” he said.

This year, CIMB Foundation and UKM join forces for the fourth time to host CYAL in Kuala Lumpur.

The participants come from Thailand (2), Vietnam (6), Philippines (3), Myanmar (5), Cambodia (5), Laos (4), Brunei (3), Indonesia (8), Singapore (1) and Malaysia (13).