CYBERJAYA: World Habitat Day recognises that local governments are the first responders and frontline champions of resilience, says Nga Kor Ming.
The Housing and Local Government Minister emphasised the vital role of city councils, municipal authorities and district offices.
He said these local bodies are often the fastest to respond when communities face disruptions from floods to housing damage.
“Malaysia’s experience, whether in mobilising rapid flood relief, coordinating emergency shelters or implementing smart city pilot projects, demonstrates that strong, well-equipped local governments are the backbone of resilient cities.
“Their leadership is critical in ensuring that housing, land and basic services remain accessible, while at the same time, championing inclusive and sustainable solutions to protect the people, including the urban poor, women, children and the elderly,” he said at the National Celebration of World Habitat Day 2025 here yesterday, Bernama reported.
As such, he stated that providing local authorities with the necessary tools, such as real-time data, adequate funding, and strong partnerships with communities, is crucial to building more adaptive and resilient towns and cities.
Nga also noted that Malaysia’s broader strategy under the 13th Malaysia Plan supports this vision through national frameworks such as the Smart City Framework and the Flood Mitigation Master Plan, which focus on digital innovation and disaster risk reduction.
As the president of the UN-Habitat Assembly, Nga said Malaysia is taking the lead in advocating for the integration of the New Urban Agenda into global climate action frameworks, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
“This is to ensure that sustainability is not just discussed, but translated into actionable strategies and measurable outcomes at the local level,” he said.
In his speech, Nga also shared three key aspirations for Malaysia’s continued leadership in building sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities.
The first aspiration is to strengthen sustainable urban development and global leadership, showcasing achievements in affordable housing, disaster risk management and climate-resilient planning.
“The second aspiration is to empower local authorities with the resources, capacity and autonomy they need to respond to crisis swiftly and effectively; and third, to foster deeper regional and global cooperation so that together we can develop meaningful, durable solutions for displaced populations and ensure that no community is left behind,” he said.
Themed “Urban Crisis Response”, World Habitat Day emphasises tackling the multiple challenges affecting cities, including climate change, conflicts and inequality, while promoting scalable, transformative solutions that stabilise populations and foster social cohesion.
