In Malaysia, Kivu International is partnering with the Social and Economic Research Initiative (SERI) to strengthen tobacco taxation and regulatory enforcement. The programme supports SERI to produce timely, politically relevant research; deliver targeted engagement with key policymakers; and mobilise public discourse around tobacco tax reform. SERI’s work – amplified by national media – has challenged the narrative that tax increases fuel illicit trade. Strategic capacity-building from Kivu has helped position SERI as a credible policy voice, with growing presence across health, finance, and civil society networks. By embedding itself in Malaysia’s policy windows, the programme is contributing to evidence-based, health-oriented tobacco control – in a country where tobacco taxes have remained stagnant for over a decade.