camera could detect a crash. A sensor could detect rising floodwaters. An AI system could identify an obstruction.
But the real measure of a smart city is how quickly that information can translate into action.
As the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) works with state governments to expand smart-city infrastructure through 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, connected cameras and real-time data, experts say seamless data integration and inter-agency coordination will be critical to maximising the benefits of these technologies.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment senior lecturer Dr Muhammad Ammirrul Atiqi Mohd Zainuri said technology was no longer necessarily the biggest obstacle in developing safer and more responsive smart cities.
“The biggest challenge in turning a technically ‘smart’ city into a safer one is data integration and institutional interoperability, rather than the technology or hardware itself.”
He added that different agencies could operate their own systems, with local authorities, emergency responders and other agencies potentially using separate networks and platforms.
“If an IoT sensor detects a crash or a rising flood but the data remains trapped on a local dashboard without automated channels to federal agencies, the technology’s lifesaving value is lost,” he said.
Universiti Malaya Institute for Advanced Studies senior lecturer and urban planning expert Dr Fong Chng Saun said effective coordination was particularly important because a single incident could involve several agencies with different systems and operating procedures.
“A single incident could involve a local authority, police, fire and rescue services, drainage authorities, health services, utility providers and other agencies.
“Each may have its own data, operating procedures and command structures.”
Fong said the next phase of smart-city development should therefore focus not only on deploying more technology but also on ensuring that different systems could communicate and work together effectively.
“We need systems in which relevant information can be shared across agencies, in which responsibilities are clearly defined before an emergency occurs, and where decision-makers can develop a common operational picture of what is happening in the city,” he said.
The same principle applies to road safety, said Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua.
He said a crash first had to be detected before the information could be analysed, evaluated and distributed to the relevant organisations.
“Although cameras could quickly detect incidents such as collisions, if information cannot automatically flow to the relevant traffic control centres, law enforcement agencies, medical services and maintenance teams, then the benefit of timely detection may be significantly diminished.”
Law said the objective should be to establish a coordinated process covering detection, verification, decision-making, deployment and intervention.
He added that this is where the importance of robust connectivity and integrated digital infrastructure comes into focus.
He said with 5G providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity and IoT technologies enabling devices and sensors to collect and transmit information in real time, cities could increasingly build a more connected view of what is happening on the ground.
He also said for residents, the potential benefits extend beyond technological sophistication.
Fong said faster detection of incidents could support quicker responses, while real-time information could help agencies make more informed decisions, manage resources more efficiently and respond to changing conditions on the ground.
He added that ultimately, having sophisticated technology and command centres was only part of the equation.
“Detection without response is essentially incomplete intelligence.
“A genuinely smart city needs a complete chain from ‘sense, understand, decide, respond and learn’.”
For MCMC’s wider Smart City push, the interconnected approach is central to translating digital connectivity into tangible benefits for communities.
Connectivity and sensors could provide the eyes and ears of a city, but their true value lies in enabling information to reach the right individuals and agencies at the right time.
As Malaysian cities become increasingly connected, the focus is shifting from simply having more technology to making that technology work together – helping create urban environments that are not only smarter, but safer, more responsive and better equipped to serve their communities
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Harith Kamal
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: The Suin, 08.10.2026
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