Kuala lumpur: Fostering environmental consciousness among school children from a young age is vital to shaping a sustainable generation capable of driving Malaysia's long-term nation-building agenda. Nestl© Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei chief executive officer Juan Aranols emphasized the need for environmental education and behavioural transformation among young students, which he believes are fundamental pillars in nurturing responsible citizens who actively safeguard the country's future.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Aranols pointed out that Nestl©'s long-standing presence in the country, spanning nearly eight decades through grassroots sports and healthy lifestyle initiatives, is now expanding to integrate environmental responsibility as a core contribution to the nation. "MILO has been in Malaysia for the last almost 80 years. It has been a brand that is consistently promoting the importance of sport, of having an active lifestyle. By focusing on sustainability, this is another element that we are bringing in the way that MILO wants to contribute to the nation," he told Bernama at the 2025 Benefit Award Presentation Ceremony and Official Launch of the 2026 MILO Energy for Good programme at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) La Salle.
The event was officiated by Education director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad. Aranols explained that the 'MILO® Energy for Good' initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Tetra Pak Malaysia, builds on a decade of beverage pack recycling efforts to turn simple daily acts into practical educational tools for students. Through this initiative, collected used beverage cartons are recycled into durable polyAl boards to produce school furniture, with approximately 1,000 sets of tables and chairs being distributed to schools that have demonstrated strong participation and dedication to the programme, showcasing the practical impact of a circular economy.
He explained that schools serve as the primary ground where children acquire lifelong habits, making the continuous partnership with MOE essential to scaling up environmental literacy nationwide. "In the end, the kids acquire a lot of habits, develop behaviours, and get educated on the topics. For us, it's very important to continue this partnership with the Ministry of Education to expand these programmes," he added.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azam, in his speech, noted that the collaboration aligns with the Fifth Thrust of the Malaysian Education Plan (RPM) 2026-2035, namely "Empowering Synergy", which emphasizes combining MOE's strengths with external agencies and stakeholders to drive the nation's educational development. The strategic partnership is also crucial to educate students holistically, encompassing personal character, emotional development, and noble values alongside classroom academic achievement. "We are not only educating these children in the classroom on academics, but we want to educate our children holistically, in terms of values, mental well-being, and emotional and psychological harmony. The greater value of this initiative is that we are instilling a value in our children, which is love for the environment," he said.