Malaysia and China have agreed to strengthen cooperation in developing smart city pilot projects, with plans to establish smart city command centres in Malaysia's second-tier cities such as Ipoh and Seberang Perai.
The initiative was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and China's Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, held in conjunction with the Asean-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction 2025 in Guilin, China.
Read more: Malaysia, China to collaborate on smart city pilot projects
Malaysia will ensure a proper ecosystem and regulatory framework is in place before adopting autonomous vehicles and related technologies, says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo (pic).
He said the government is working with the Road Transport Department and other stakeholders to draft rules that will govern not only driverless cars, but also emerging technologies such as drones and robotics.
Asean nations are charting plans to shape the countries into greener, more inclusive and digital cities in the future.
With the guidance of Asean Smart City Action Plan (ASCAP) 2026–2035, these plans were discussed during the 8th Asean Smart Cities Network Annual Meeting (ASCN8) hosted by Malaysia.
This meeting, which commenced from Sept 8 to 12 was attended by regional leaders, smart city experts and various stakeholders under Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship 2025 along with Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
Read more: Working to make Asean cities greener, digital and inclusive
- Smart city initiatives in KL, Pg, JB, Putrajaya enhance mobility, safety, citizen engagement
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In Shenzhen, one of China’s most digitally advanced cities, technology now ensures public order in ways that once required an army of municipal workers.
“I was privileged to visit a command center in China recently,” said Ahmad Zaki Zahid, chief operating officer of Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). “Cameras are everywhere, and the algorithms detect if rubbish is left uncollected. Automatically, a ticket is sent to the city council to clear it. And there’s no human intervention.”
Read more: From data to decisions: How AI is beginning to shape some large Malaysian cities
Johor leaders set bold plans for smart infrastructure, sustainability, and cross-border growth.
Johor is moving swiftly to position itself as a regional leader in smart city development, with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) at the core of its transformation.
Read more: MY: Johor Smart City Push: JS-SEZ to Drive Innovation and Sustainability