SPEAKER: PROF. DR.
RIZA SULAIMAN
SPEECH TEXT: WELCOMING REMARKS
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, a
very good morning, and a warm welcome to all.
Yang
Berhormat / Yang Berbahagia Ministers and Distinguished Government
Representatives,
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Advisor of ACCD’26 and Former Minister of Tourism, Arts
and Culture Malaysia,
Yang
Berbahagia Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,
Distinguished
Presidents, Vice-Chancellors, and Delegates from our partner universities
especially our co-organising counterparts from Harbin University of Commerce
and Harbin Normal University,
Dato’
Low Kok Thai, President of Malaysia-China Higher Education Exchange Association
(PPTMC) and Co-Chair of ACCD’26,
On behalf of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
and the entire organising committee, it gives me the greatest pleasure to
welcome each and every one of you to our lush, green campus here in UKM for the
ASEAN-China Regional Cooperation & Development Forum 2026 (ACCD’26).
To our distinguished delegates who have
travelled thousands of miles across China, and to our close neighbours and
colleagues from throughout the ASEAN community: Selamat Datang. Welcome
to Malaysia, and welcome to UKM. Your presence here today is a powerful
testament to our enduring friendship and shared commitment to regional
progress.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is fitting that we gather within the halls
of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, The National University of Malaysia.
Established in 1970 out of the aspirations of
our people, UKM was founded on a noble premise: to be the guardian of national
culture and intellectual advancement, while standing as a beacon of universal
knowledge and progressive scholarship. Over more than five decades, UKM has
evolved into one of the region’s premier research universities—consistently
ranked among the top global institutions and serving as a vital engine for
national capacity building.
UKM is not merely a place of academic
instruction; it is a cradle of nation-building, social innovation, and
international diplomacy. From our state-of-the-art research laboratories to our
policy advisory initiatives with government and industry, our ethos has always
remained grounded in serving society through knowledge that transforms lives.
As a research-intensive institution, we
actively champion cross-border collaboration. We believe true academic
excellence cannot exist behind closed doors. It thrives through dialogue,
through the reciprocal exchange of students and scholars, and through strategic
alliances that connect local talent with global frontiers. Hosting ACCD’26 is
an embodiment of that very commitment.
Distinguished guests,
Representing the Institute of Visual
Informatics (IVI-UKM) alongside my role as Chairman of this forum, I take
immense pride in how our research institutes bridge the gap between discovery
and application.
At IVI, our mandate focuses on advancing
visual informatics, data analytics, and intelligent systems to solve multi-dimensional
challenges in healthcare, industry, cultural heritage, and smart governance.
But technology and informatics are fundamentally human endeavours. Our central
goal has always been to transform complex knowledge into clear, accessible, and
meaningful tools that uplift communities.
Institutes across UKM whether in visual
informatics, fuel cell research, ethnic studies, climate change, or economics
share this common thread: relevance and impact.
We recognize that the grand challenges of our
era: economic resilience, digital transformation, environmental sustainability,
and talent development are cross-border in nature. No single nation or solitary
institution can resolve them alone.
By bringing together leading minds from across
China and ASEAN here on our campus, UKM reaffirms its role as an intellectual
conduit a collaborative platform where ideas are nurtured, tested, and elevated
into regional solutions.
Honoured delegates,
ladies and gentlemen,
The bond between ASEAN and China is vast, multifaceted,
and deeply rooted in history. It spans trade, culture, science, and shared
regional aspirations. In an interconnected world navigating rapid transitions,
higher education institutions must serve as the intellectual anchor of this
relationship.
Universities carry the unique privilege of
building long-term bridges. Where commerce and politics may fluctuate with
global tides, academic and institutional partnerships endure.
Through initiatives such as this forum, we lay
the foundations for lasting ties:
●
Fostering joint research initiatives that
tackle shared regional priorities;
●
Expanding student and faculty mobility that
broadens intercultural understanding; and
●
Cultivating a shared space where academic
research actively informs industry practices and government policy.
●
We are immensely proud to partner with our
respected colleagues from Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin Normal
University, and the Malaysia-China Higher Education Exchange Association. This
forum represents higher education collaboration at its finest open,
forward-looking, and driven by mutual respect.
Ladies and gentlemen,
While our subsequent distinguished speakers
and officials will delve deeply into the exciting sessions, roundtables, and
specialized agendas lined up over the coming days, my foremost wish today is
for you to feel entirely at home at UKM.
Take this time to engage in open dialogue,
reconnect with long-standing colleagues, and initiate new friendships. Walk our
campus grounds, experience Malaysian hospitality, and discover the vibrant
academic community that defines Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
On behalf of the organizing committee, I
extend our heartfelt appreciation to our partners, government agencies,
supporting associations, and our dedicated team of staff and student volunteers
whose hard work made this gathering possible.
Once again, welcome to Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia, welcome to ACCD’26, and I wish you all a deeply memorable and
productive gathering.
Wabillahi Taufiq
Walhidayah, Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Thank you very much,
and Xie-Xie.
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