REFSA - Research for Social Advancement

What REFSA - Research for Social Advancement does

REFSA (Research for Social Advancement Bhd) is an independent Malaysian policy think-tank founded in 2004 and headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. It conducts progressive socioeconomic policy research organized around three pillars: Economy of Tomorrow, Social City, and Institutional Reform. The organization's research output spans semiconductor industry analysis (Semicon Take-off), affordable housing and urban planning, parliamentary and democratic reform, healthcare, jobs and wages, sustainability, and public transportation, among other topics. REFSA publishes its work as policy briefs (REFSA Briefs), commentary notes (REFSA Notes), and longer reports, and runs an events program (REFSA DISCUSS roundtables, regional conferences, study tours) that brings together policymakers, experts, and civil society.

REFSA serves Malaysian government agencies, policymakers, civil society organizations, researchers, students, and the general public. Its distribution is primarily digital: research outputs are freely available on its website, with premium publications and merchandise sold through an online shop. The organization co-organizes events with partners including Penang Institute, Invest Penang, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Think City, Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, and DCAF, and earns recurring placements in Malaysian and regional outlets such as MalaysiaKini, Malay Mail, Business Today, New Straits Times, and East Asia Forum.

REFSA operates as a non-profit entity funded through donations and support, with no publicly disclosed financials and no identified parent company or institutional investor. It runs with a small team of approximately 5 employees under a leadership group comprising Chairman Liew Chin Tong, Executive Director Tan E Hun, Research Director Ivy Kwek, Communications Director Iskandar Fareez, and Deputy Director Lim Li Lian. The go-to-market motion is event-driven and content-led, centered on research dissemination, direct engagement with policymakers, and earned media.

Name

REFSA - Research for Social Advancement

Legal name

Research for Social Advancement BHD

Website

https://refsa.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

REFSA (Research for Social Advancement) is a Kuala Lumpur-based independent Malaysian think-tank founded in 2004 that conducts progressive socioeconomic policy research across economics, urban development, and institutional reform for government, civil society, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Think tank services
• Socioeconomic analysis
• Public policy briefs
• Research publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research for Social Advancement Bhd: REFSA is a think-tank that operates as Research for Social Advancement Bhd. Revenue appears to be generated through donations, support programs, and potentially publication sales. They have a donation mechanism through bank transfers and mention a 'Support Us' section on their website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

REFSA is an independent Malaysian think-tank that produces progressive socioeconomic policy research, policy briefs, commentaries, and events. Its work is organized around three research pillars — Economy of Tomorrow, Social City, and Institutional Reform — and delivered through standalone research projects (e.g., Semicon Take-off, Projek Muhibah, The Great Reset/MalaysiaCiptaKerja), recurring publications (REFSA Briefs, REFSA Notes), and convening activities such as the REFSA DISCUSS roundtables, webinars, and conferences targeting Malaysian policymakers, government agencies, civil society, and the public.

Product overview

REFSA (Research for Social Advancement) is a Malaysian think-tank offering a portfolio of research projects and publications focused on progressive socioeconomic policies. The organization operates three core research pillars: Economics (covering semiconductor industry, jobs, and future economy), Social City (covering affordable housing, sustainability, and urban planning), and Institutional Reform (covering democracy, governance, and parliamentary reform). Key projects include Semicon Take-off (semiconductor industry analysis), Projek Muhibah (COVID-19 policy responses), and The Great Reset/MalaysiaCiptaKerja (mission-oriented economic policies). The organization publishes policy briefs (REFSA Briefs), commentary (REFSA Notes), and hosts events (REFSA DISCUSS roundtables). This is a policy research organization, not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Semicon Take-off

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Penang InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2024Co-organized the Semiconductor Study Tour in Malaysia's northern region (Penang and Kulim) focusing on semiconductor geo-economics and chip-making processes. Joint initiative with Invest Penang support.
• Invest PenangcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the Semiconductor Study Tour in Malaysia's northern region focusing on factories and industry players in Penang and Kulim.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly organized the Economy of Tomorrow Regional Conference 2020 with sessions on future of work, youth perspectives, and economic recovery post-COVID.
• Galen Centre for Health and Social PolicysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted forums on COVID-19 vaccines including 'Vaksin COVID-19: Antara Keraguan, Tahyul dan Fakta' discussing vaccine doubts, myths and facts.
• Think CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on public housing liveability conference and urban housing policy discussions. REFSA participated as panelist in Think City's Public Housing Liveability Conference.
• DCAFsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint roundtable consultation on security sector governance issues.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Penang Institute: Malaysian socio-economic think-tank publishing research and policy analysis on Penang and national issues; collaborates directly with REFSA on the Semiconductor Study Tour and operates a comparable publications-and-events model.
• Khazanah Research Institute: Malaysian policy think-tank producing independent research on economic, social, and investment issues; competes with REFSA for policymaker attention and donor visibility in the Malaysian think-tank space.
• Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS): Malaysian think-tank focused on market-oriented policy reform; similar size, similar publication/event rhythm, and competes for the same reform-oriented policymaker and donor audience as REFSA.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES): German political foundation with a global social-democratic policy research footprint; partnered with REFSA on the Economy of Tomorrow Regional Conference 2020 and acts as a peer in social-democratic policy research and convening.

Broad incumbents

• The Asia Foundation: International development organization operating across Asia with policy research and governance programs; broader in mandate than REFSA but operates in the same donor-funded development-research ecosystem in Malaysia.
• ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute: Singapore-based regional think-tank covering Southeast Asian socio-economic and political issues; much larger and more institutionalized than REFSA, but produces overlapping research Malaysia's policymakers and regional audiences consume.

Regional players

• East Asia Forum: Australia-based regional policy analysis platform that frequently publishes REFSA research and provides a parallel outlet for Southeast Asian economic and political analysis; functions as both a distribution channel and a regional peer outlet.

Emerging players

• Think City: Malaysian urban regeneration organization producing research on cities and housing; collaborates with REFSA on the Public Housing Liveability Conference and overlaps on the Social City research pillar.
• Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy: Malaysian health and social policy think-tank; partnered with REFSA on COVID-19 vaccine forums and competes for the same niche-policy research and convening space within Malaysia.
• CIMB ASEAN Research Institute (CARI): ASEAN-focused policy and economics research institute affiliated with CIMB; produces regional policy commentary and roundtables that intersect with REFSA's economy and governance agenda.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/research-for-social-advancement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about REFSA - Research for Social Advancement