Summary

THE Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) has planned the New Urban Agenda in its bid to strengthen Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable urban development.

KPKT Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (fourth from left) said this agenda is currently being formulated via the ministry’s agency, Urbanice Malaysia, and United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat).

“This form of cooperation between the two parties will support the commitment to sustainable urban development at all levels through the role of local authorities,” Reezal Merican said at the memorandum of cooperation (MoC) between Urbanice Malaysia and UN-Habitat yesterday.

He said the agenda could implement the country’s urban development action plan, which aligns with Malaysia’s Sustainable Developments of the Decade for Action by 2030.

“This could indirectly increase knowledge and create partnerships and capacities in strengthening urban development and local institutions,” he said.

The MoC between Urbanice Malaysia and UN-Habitat aims to implement the Sustainable Development Goal city programme at the national and global levels.

It will also enhance knowledge and building capacity through training platforms, sharing information resources and organising the national urban forums.

Additionally, it aims to strengthen technical support and implement liveable and sustainable urban programmes.

“We will provide assistance and support to Urbanice Malaysia as well as our city partners to get training with UN-Habitat,” said UN-Habitat ED Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif (third from right).

Urbanice Malaysia ED Norliza Hashim (second from left) said the agenda will be carried out in stages and will involve about 72 cities in Malaysia, with eight to 12 cities to be developed every year by 2030.

Meanwhile, KPKT is expected to launch the Malaysia Liveability Index (iDAM) next week, on Aug 18.

Reezal Merican said that iDAM is a measuring instrument that will add value to the current efforts carried out in the Malaysia Liveability agenda.

“We are going to wait and see on Aug 18, there will be a surprise (the launch),” he told reporters.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve