Kuala lumpur: Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar has congratulated Minister of Economic Affairs at the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, Unny Sankar Ravi Sankar, on being honoured with the Icons of Change International Awards 2026.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamsul Azri expressed on his official social media page that Unny Sankar has made history by becoming the first Malaysian to receive this prestigious international recognition. He stated that this achievement breaks stereotypes and signifies that Malaysian civil servants are competitive, agile, and capable of influencing change on a global scale. Shamsul Azri further added that this success aligns with Malaysia's MADANI values and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), which emphasize continuous excellence and creativity.

Last Saturday, media outlets reported Unny Sankar's historic accomplishment as the first Malaysian recipient of the Icons of Change International Awards 2026. This global recognition honors individuals and institutions contributing to sustainable development. The award ceremony was part of the United Nations-designated International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026.

The Icons of Change movement serves as a prominent global platform that acknowledges transformative Changemakers-individuals and organizations whose vision, leadership, and innovative interventions create measurable impacts across industries and communities worldwide.

In his role as Minister of Economic Affairs at the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, Unny Sankar is tasked with enhancing bilateral economic and trade relations between Malaysia and China. Prior to his current position, he held the role of Director of the China Section and Europe II Section at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), managing Malaysia's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)-related matters and economic relations with China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, the European Union, and selected Western European countries.