Geographic Information Systems (GIS) should no longer be seen as just a mapping tool, but as critical national digital infrastructure.
Esri Malaysia Sdn Bhd CEO Tan Choon Sang said in a world shaped by climate risk, urbanisation, e-commerce and data-driven decision-making, location intelligence is now foundational to how governments and businesses operate.
He explained to The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) that Malaysia’s journey with GIS began in reactive mode.
Read more: GIS as Malaysia’s digital geological infrastructure
The state government is making investments in digital infrastructure its main focus, with an eye on increasing productivity and improving administrative and service efficiency, said state executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim.
He emphasised that a strong digital infrastructure forms an important foundation to drive the digitalisation agenda and smart city development for the people’s benefit.
Read more: MY: Selangor centres digital infrastructure to uplift service efficiency
Johor's transition into a smart city is moving from theory to reality as advanced technology is integrated into street corners, traffic junctions and municipal control rooms.
State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said smart closed-circuit television (CCTV) feeds allow municipal councils to act immediately through real-time visibility of security, traffic, accidents and fires.
Read more: MY: Johor integrates smart technology for safer, smarter cities
Selangor has been allocated RM450mil for the implementation of smart city initiatives, which include the expansion of fibre optic networks and public Wi-Fi facilities.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said during the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the state government and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) that the agreement aligns with the Smart Selangor Action Plan 2025 (SSAP).
The gleaming concept of the "smart city" has become a universal urban anthem. From Singapore to Barcelona, city leaders tout visions of seamless traffic, predictive governance, and hyper-efficient energy grids, all powered by sensors and data.
The recent academic findings presented at the 2024 Conference on Renewable Energy Technologies and Modern Communications Systems, however, cast a necessary and sobering light on this global movement.
Read more: MY: Smart City: Beyond tech triumphalism to inclusive urbanism