KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) — Strategic foresight, integrated and balanced urban and territorial planning, as well as, technical proficiencies will be essential in navigating the effective development and implementation of the 12th Malaysia Plan and roadmap of Malaysia towards achieving the 2030 Agenda.
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) executive director Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said urbanisation was not measured by skyscrapers, but by how well the country provides the facilities to the people.
“If you can get the facilities in Kuala Lumpur or in Penang, you should also get the facilities in Kampung Sungai Dua Besar, in Kuala Pilah.
“…and if you have Internet access in Penang, you should also have Internet access in rural areas,” she told reporters after officiating the soft launch of City Expo Malaysia 2021 (CEM 2021) virtually last week.
In her keynote address earlier, Maimunah said Malaysia is one of the most urbanised countries in Asia, experiencing significant cumulative growth in the last two decades, transforming the country from 34 per cent urban in 1980, with estimates of growing to 80 per cent by 2030.
She said evidently, Malaysia’s urbanisation has been a product and driver of the nation’s impressive economic development, increasing gross domestic product (GDP) per capita from less than US$1,000 in the mid-1970s, to US$11,000 in 2018.
CEM 2021 will be hosted on a fully virtual platform this November with a forum from Nov 8-12, and an exhibition from Nov 8 to Dec 8, 2021.
The expo is designed to drive the debate around our cities, inviting various stakeholders to share their ideas and solutions to combat the challenges brought about by urbanisation.
It will highlight the role of urban planners, as represented by those in the Malaysian Institute of Planners in the country, and their counterparts from the region.
— BERNAMA