Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the world's best-known and most successful program helping university students to create community empowerment projects, has changed its name to Enactus to reaffirm its long-standing commitment to using entrepreneurial action as a catalyst for progress. The new name was revealed at the SIFE World Cup in Washington DC. Consequently, SIFE Malaysia Foundation is now known as Enactus Malaysia Foundation (EMF) in support of Enactus' worldwide strategic direction to build a globally recognized and admired brand. 

The new name does not reflects EMF's renewed commitment to expand its reach and influence to touch more people and impact more lives, but also its continued quest to encourage creativity, discipline and accountability that will create lasting and meaningful change.

Chairman of Enactus Malaysia Foundation, Tengku Dato' Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said that over the last 38 years, SIFE has built up a truly unique and universal model to transform lives and shape a better and sustainable world. What makes its approach so effective is that it is based on a core philosophy that is relevant the world over.

He also added that SIFE has continued to expand to a wider and global network. Beyond communities, the constituency has been reaching out to academicians and business leaders.

The Government has been supporting the efforts of corporations in developing human capital, investing in innovative infrastructure and nurturing new ventures with the potential to contribute to national economic growth and social well-being. In driving the National Innovation Agenda, Tengku Dato' Zafrul urged more business to come forward to extend their support to Enactus Malaysia Foundation through partnerships or sponsorships.Tengku Dato' Zafrul said

"By providing university students with the opportunity to develop strong business and leadership skills while making a meaningful contribution to their communities, Enactus has proven to be very effective in nurturing the business leaders of tomorrow...I strongly encourage corporations to tap into these bright, young minds to achieve an even greater societal impact,"

Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, Tunku Ali Redhauddin ibni Tuanku Muhriz, a Royal Prince of Negeri Sembilan, graced the ceremony and officiate the launch. Tunku Besar Seri Menanti was officially appointed as The Royal Patron of Enactus Malaysia Foundation at the ceremony. Tunku Besar Seri Menanti has a deep concern and community development. He is presently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Munarah Foundation which focuses on education, special needs children, and healthcare and poverty issues. He is also a founding Trustee of "Teach for Malaysia", which is dedicated to promoting equal opportunities in education in Malaysia.

At the launching of EMF also announced two new members to its Board of Trustees. They are Y.Bhg Dato Amrin bin Awaludding, Group Managing Director of Media Prima Berhad, and Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, CEO of Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

Other honourable guests at the event included Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat and Mohammad Raslan Rahman, both Members of Board of Trustees. Maybank, Khazanah Nasional Berhard along with other EMF Corporate Sponsors and Partners such as Microsoft, KPMG, TalentCorp, GSK, SWIFT and GRADUAN were also present, together with representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) IPTA & IPTS' Enactus Students and other potential Corporate Sponsors.

Enactus - an international non-profit organisation, created 38 years ago in the USA, is the largest global business and higher eduation network in the world. EMF is a community of students, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world.

Enactus Malaysia Foundation was first introduced as SIFE in Malaysia back in year 2000 by Datin Norela Nuruddin, Fulbright scholar at University of Nebraska-Licoln, USA, with the initial participation of only 5 universities. The organisation has been growing from strength to strength with the aim of grooming university students into socially aware, ethically correct, and morally conscientious Leaders. Today, it has close to 2000 members from 34 public and private institutions of higher learning.  

(Source: Enactus Malaysia Magazone 2013)