IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

These visionary projects pioneer eco-friendly innovations without compromising luxury, aiming to create ethical urban paradigms for tomorrow

Major cities worldwide, once envisioned as the locus of advancement, are no longer immune to nature’s wrath. From increased water levels to temperature rise to overpopulation, climate change has the world in a chokehold.

A report published by the World Bank, titled “Thriving: Making Cities Green, Resilient and Inclusive in Changing Climate,” indicates that the frequency of extreme heat increased across cities globally from the 1970s to 2020, whereas the sea-level rise of about 0.125 millimetres per year has also increased the risk of flooding for coastal cities. These effects have been quadrupled with the impacts of overtourism, which include resource depletion and increased pollution. Several destinations that have always been on a traveller’s radar are facing the brunt of this. Be it the romantic city of Venice or the buzzing capital of Jakarta and the serene Maldives, they are all staring at a grim future.

These three cities found a tech partner that helped them navigate their challenges, on time and at scale.

As urbanisation continues apace, cities need connectivity with near-zero downtime to deliver the best possible experience to citizens.

According to Deloitte’s 2023 research, city leaders are eager to digitise government services and enhance overall digital access for citizens. Yet they face numerous challenges. Many need either to  upgrade legacy systems, or to establish entirely new ones. Some need to integrate the two.

At the Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 (SCEKL25), Huawei Malaysia highlighted a bold vision for urban development. The company believes that to build the cities of the future, we need to move beyond simple "smart" technology and create what it calls "cognitive cities." This next stage of digital urban development will be powered by three key pillars: digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and robust data governance. Huawei aims to support Malaysia with solutions for everything from national-level traffic management to emergency services and flood response, helping cities to "sense, think, and evolve."

Ten years ago when we started e-government we called together the key industry players and ‘web shapers’ from other countries to come and sit with us in the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), to look at our requirements and propose to the government which applications should be built. At that point the internet was new, and our approach was shaped by international trends.

Summary:

• JB achieved "leading smart city" status with its integrated operations control centre to monitor traffic, detect potholes, and bust crime via CCTV cameras placed around the city.
• Residents can access data on traffic, parking, floods and public toilet cleanliness through mobile apps, but awareness and usage remain low.
• Analysts say technology alone can't solve JB's congestion, pollution, and infrastructure issues, highlighting the need for better enforcement.

In a former multipurpose hall atop the Johor Bahru City Council building, a 12m screen displays live feeds from 555 CCTV cameras monitoring every corner of Malaysia’s southern capital.

The MoU covers eight areas of co-operation including human resource management, e-governance, public delivery system, accountability and transparency, skills and capacity building and quality results.

“Our government has always endorsed adoption of new technologies. Besides the identification of Telehealth by the Health Ministry since the 1990s, the public health domain in the ministry has moved forward in the use of ICT,” Rosnah said in an official statement.

Rosnah futher explained that although the medical field had been a late starter in the information and technology era, not due to resistance but more so from its complexity, it was a beginning that needed to be continued.

Johor has made history as the country’s first smart state, after all 16 local authorities achieved at least Level 1-Smart City Early Adopter under the Malaysian Smart City rating.

State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the recognition came five years earlier than planned.

Johor had initially targeted full Smart City Master Plan alignment by 2030.

The Ministry of Local Government Development (KPKT) has made Smart City a strategic initiative to address key challenges in making cities in Malaysia more productive, competitive, sustainable and livable for current and future generations.

Its minister, Nga Kor Ming, said according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the nation’s urbanisation rate has tripled over five decades from 28.4 per cent in 1970 to 75.1 per cent in 2020 and is projected to reach 85 per cent by 2040, which is stipulated under the 4th National Physical Plan (NPP-4).

Selected for South Korea’s "K-City" Program; Launches Smart Parking Initiative in Kuala Lumpur

South Korean AI data platform company Dtonic (CEO Yongjoo Jeon) has officially entered the Malaysian smart city sector, introducing its advanced AI-powered solutions to address urban mobility challenges in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

The company announced today that it has launched its Edge AI and Data Hub-Based Smart Parking Pilot Project in partnership with the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). The kickoff event was held at the InterContinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Imagine waking up and your kopi-o is already brewing because your artificial intelligence (AI) assistant knows you had a late night.

It booked your e-hailing ride to the train station, reminded you to top up your e-wallet and even suggested an umbrella because rain clouds over Bangsar are moving in faster than expected.

AI is no longer just a buzzword. Across Asia, the technology is already woven into daily life — and Malaysia is only beginning to catch up.

The Ministry of Local Government Development (KPKT) has made Smart City a strategic initiative to address key challenges in making cities in Malaysia more productive, competitive, sustainable and livable for current and future generations.

Its minister, Nga Kor Ming, said according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the nation’s urbanisation rate has tripled over five decades from 28.4 per cent in 1970 to 75.1 per cent in 2020 and is projected to reach 85 per cent by 2040, which is stipulated under the 4th National Physical Plan (NPP-4).

Malaysia is accelerating efforts to transform its cities into smart, sustainable and people-centric spaces through artificial intelligence.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said AI is revolutionising how cities are planned, developed and managed as part of Malaysia’s goal to become an AI Nation by 2030.

The ministry is collaborating with the Digital Ministry to accelerate AI adoption among local authorities through the AI Cities initiative.

“This clearly shows that we are very serious about ensuring that our cities are safe and free from all physical, social and mental threats,” said Kamalruddin Shamsudin, deputy director-general of the Federal Department of Town and Country Planning Peninsular Malaysia.

A large-scale investment in artificial intelligence and robotics is set to accelerate the development of smart city technologies in Malaysia, reflecting broader regional efforts to integrate automation, digital infrastructure and human-centric services into urban environments.

It focuses on deploying robotics-as-a-service platforms and AI-driven systems to support smart living, city operations, seamless digital experiences and innovative urban services within a purpose-built urban development.

Engineer Ali Al-Soma, Advisor to the Minister of ICT and Director General of the Saudi e-government program met with representatives from Malaysia's ICT industry as well as worldwide ICT executives during the 16th World Congress for Information Technology held in Kuala Lumpur to foster new means of cooperation as the Kingdom looks to become the first country in the GCC to develop a complete e-government platform.

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) on July 19 announced its Digital Investments Future5 (DIF5) Strategy, a plan focusing on five key thrusts aimed at attracting investments and advancing Malaysia’s digital economy in line with the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL).

In a statement, it the DIF5 Strategy’s targets by 2025 include 50 billion RM investments in the digital economy; attracting 50 Fortune500 tech companies to land and expand in Malaysia; the establishment of five Unicorns; and the creation of 50,000 high-value jobs in MSC Malaysia.