ASLIP is a UK Government funded Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme executive leadership course, aiming to address urban and infrastructural challenges. According to ASLIP’s website, the 2025 ASEAN Sustainable Leadership in Infrastructure Programme residential workshop took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event gathered practitioners and policy leaders from different fields across all ASEAN nation states.
The programme is based on 7 themes:
- Towards net zero: impact on urbanism & infrastructure
- Sustainable systems to deliver better built environments
- Enablers to ‘Build Back Better’
- Project delivery frameworks
- Sustainable funding & financing
- Towards net zero contracts & procurement
- Leveraging support & collaboration towards a net zero world.
My personal experience
In my profession, I employ Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies to support land use planning at the sub-national level. I apply my technical expertise to generate maps and spatial data, aiding urban planners in their decision-making processes. Additionally, I provide analytical insights to decision-makers based on concrete data. This reinforces my dedication to data-driven decision making in spatial planning practices in Cambodia. ASLIP residential event allowed me to explore beyond my expertise and looked outwards across multidisciplinary fields.
Networking with UK and ASEAN fellows
The residential events allow me to engage with UK government representatives and ASEAN fellows, providing insights into the UK’s efforts to strengthen ASEAN’s clean and sustainable infrastructure. Meeting ASEAN fellows was particularly enlightening. I learned about:
- Railway operations in Malaysia from Asmir;
- Housing needs and urban planning in Singapore from Jieshun;
- Indonesia’s energy operations and budget allocations from Kevin and Frida.
(There were many other topics discussed, though some have faded from memory.)
Exposure to knowledge
Sixteen experts shared their insights on infrastructure development in ASEAN. They represented various organizations, including The World Bank, Mott MacDonald, ADB, ARUP, KPMG, PIDG, the UK’s Department of Business & Trade, PWC, nec, and RICS. Topics covered included rapid economic growth, expanding infrastructure, global supply chain shifts, urbanization, ASEAN economic integration, and tourism revival. They also addressed challenges like economic management, climate change, poverty, inequality, sustainable infrastructure, and energy transition.
Addressing financing need in ASEAN region
In three days, I learned from industry experts about achieving projects that align with climate change goals. A key term frequently mentioned was “Project Bankability“. But what does it mean?
“A project is bankable, whether from public or private sources, when its risk-return profile meets investors’ criteria and can secure financing to implement the project. Key criteria for bankability include the probability of meeting the project’s financial, environmental, and social goals, sufficient estimated cash flows to cover costs and produce returns that meet investor expectations, and whether the project will be implemented by a creditworthy entity. Though the assessment of whether a project is bankable may differ between specific financiers, they all need confidence that the regulatory, environmental, social, and economic factors are unlikely to prevent the project from being completed (Rana 2017; GPRBA2018). The risk-return profile of a project is the key to bankability (GPRBA 2018). Bankability is also sometimes phrased as investment-ready or finance-ready (CCFLA 2021). Bankability is influenced by project level, city level, and national level factors (Nassiry, Nakhooda, and Barnard 2016).” – (What Is Bankability? – Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance, 2022)
Thanks to Jefferey Delmon from the World Bank for presenting to ASLIP fellows and gifting his book, “Private Sector Investment in Infrastructure – Project Finance, PPP Projects and PPP Frameworks”. The book provides practical guidance on enabling and managing PPP, financing infrastructure, structuring contracts, and balancing risk allocation.
Site Visit
Site visit at Gamuda showcased their low-carbon building technology using Building Information System (BIM) throughout construction. At the factory, I observed robotic arms assembling steel structures on a conveyor belt before concrete pouring. This method significantly reduces waste and ensures high-quality, precise fitting. Gamuda also uses cloud computing and digital workflows to enhance collaboration and project tracking between engineering teams during implementation.
There is a six-week interactive online course post residential event by London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
The course consists of 6 modules:
- Understanding sustainability transitions
- Sustainability, wealth, and natural capital
- The relationship between economic growth and sustainability
- What is development
- Climate-related risk in an interconnected world
- Corporate and financial sustainability
Overall, ASLIP is a programme designed for mid-career professionals working in infrastructure, policy, and project development. It provides opportunities to learn from experts across various fields and includes practical short courses to enhance participants’ knowledge and experience. The ASLIP programme focuses on practical scenarios and addresses current trends and challenges in ASEAN nations. I would like to see more Cambodian apply to this programme in the future.
Thanks to the UK Government and ASEAN Secretariat for making ASEAN Sustainable Leadership in Infrastructure Programme (ASLIP) possible.
Special thanks to these people for making the residential event memorable for me, this list is not in order.
- Asmir, Malaysia
- Kevin, Indonesia
- Frida, Indonesia
- Saiful, Brunei
- Nae, Thailand
- Jieshun, Singapore
- Vincent, Singapore
- SQ, Singapore
- Kimberly, the Philippines, who work at British embassy in Cambodia
References
Aslip. (n.d.). Home. ASLIP. https://aslip.net/home
Gamuda Berhad. (2025, February 20). Home | Gamuda Berhad. https://gamuda.com.my/
What is Bankability? – Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance. (2022, April 28). Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance. https://citiesclimatefinance.org/publications/what-is-bankability