Ungku Aziz Memorial Forum 2.0: The Hidden Dimensions of Poverty – Revisiting Ungku Aziz's Sarong Index in Modern Malaysia
Pada 30 Oktober 2025, Pusat Pengajian Pembangunan Ungku Aziz (UAC), Universiti Malaya telah menganjurkan Ungku Aziz Memorial Forum 2.0 yang bertempat di Universiti Malaya. Penganjuran forum ini diadakan bersempena sambutan Hari Pembasmian Kemiskinan Antarabangsa, yang disambut pada 17 Oktober yang lalu.
Forum ini bertujuan untuk memperingati sumbangan besar Allahyarham Prof. Diraja Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid dalam bidang pembangunan sosioekonomi dan pemikiran kemiskinan di Malaysia. Melalui forum ini, para peserta berpeluang menelusuri semula konsep “Sarong Index” yang diperkenalkan oleh beliau, serta membincangkan dimensi tersembunyi kemiskinan dalam konteks Malaysia moden. Program ini juga menjadi platform ilmiah untuk mengupas isu kemiskinan secara multidimensi dengan menampilkan pandangan daripada ahli akademik, pembuat dasar dan pengamal lapangan.
Forum ini dimulakan dengan ucapan alu-aluan oleh YBhg. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, diikuti dengan dua sesi ucaptama yang memperkaya perbincangan. Ucaptama 1 telah disampaikan oleh Dr. Muhammad Syafiq Borhanuddin, Felo di Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM), manakala Ucaptama 2 telah disampaikan oleh Dr. Muhammed Abdul Khalid, Felo Penyelidik di Institut Kajian Malaysia dan Antarabangsa (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Sesi forum seterusnya menampilkan barisan panel yang terdiri daripada Prof. Dr. Fatimah Kari, Profesor Kehormat di Fakulti Ekonomi dan Perniagaan, Universiti Malaya (UM); Dr. Sharifah Fatimah Alzahrah Syed Hussein, Pensyarah Kanan di Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM); serta Encik Azlan Shah Nabees Khan, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif ARBA Foundation. Para panellis telah berkongsi pandangan dan pengalaman berharga dalam membincangkan isu kemiskinan daripada pelbagai dimensi sosial, ekonomi dan kemanusiaan.
Secara keseluruhannya, forum ini telah berjaya menjadi wadah ilmiah yang memperkukuh kefahaman terhadap kemiskinan dari pelbagai dimensi serta memperingati legasi ilmuwan tersohor negara, Allahyarham Prof. Diraja Ungku Abdul Aziz. Perbincangan yang dikongsikan bukan sahaja memperkaya wacana akademik, malah turut membuka ruang kepada pembentukan dasar yang lebih inklusif dan berasaskan bukti (evidence-based). Melalui penganjuran forum seperti ini, UAC terus komited untuk meneruskan usaha memperkasakan penyelidikan dan advokasi bagi pembangunan masyarakat yang lebih sejahtera dan lestari.
On 30 October 2025, the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies (UAC), Universiti Malaya, organised the Ungku Aziz Memorial Forum 2.0 at Universiti Malaya. The forum was held in conjunction with the observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which is commemorated annually on 17 October.
The forum aimed to honour the late Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid for his profound contributions to socio-economic development and poverty thought in Malaysia. Through this platform, participants revisited his pioneering concept of the “Sarong Index” and explored the hidden dimensions of poverty within the context of modern Malaysia. The event also served as an intellectual avenue to discuss poverty from a multidimensional perspective, featuring insights from academics, policymakers, and practitioners.
The forum commenced with a welcoming address by YBhg. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, followed by two insightful keynote sessions. Keynote Address 1 was delivered by Dr. Muhammad Syafiq Borhanuddin, Fellow at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), while Keynote Address 2 was presented by Dr. Muhammed Abdul Khalid, Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
The subsequent panel session featured distinguished panellists including Prof. Dr. Fatimah Kari, Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaya (UM); Dr. Sharifah Fatimah Alzahrah Syed Hussein, Senior Lecturer at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); and Mr. Azlan Shah Nabees Khan, Chief Executive Officer of the ARBA Foundation. The panellists shared valuable perspectives and experiences, discussing poverty issues through social, economic, and humanitarian lenses.
Overall, the forum successfully served as an intellectual platform that deepened understanding of poverty from multiple dimensions while commemorating the enduring legacy of the late Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz. The discussions enriched academic discourse and provided valuable insights for the formulation of more inclusive and evidence-based policies. Through initiatives such as this forum, UAC remains committed to advancing research and advocacy efforts towards a more equitable and sustainable society.
Foto : Pusat Komunikasi Korporat (CCC), Universiti Malaya