KUALA LUMPUR: Governments must place greater emphasis on maintaining existing public assets and infrastructure rather than focusing solely on creating new projects, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh (pic).
She said one of the biggest challenges facing governments was ensuring that facilities and infrastructure could continue to be properly maintained long after they had been built.
"When people bring proposals to me and talk about creating something new, I am always more concerned about the budget required to maintain it.
“If you look at buildings or infrastructure 20 or 30 years down the road, or even our parks, we have structures everywhere that deteriorate within three to five years because of the weather conditions we have.
“If there is no plan to sustain and maintain them, it will all go to waste. That is why it is important for the government to look into our spending priorities,” she said in her speech during the launching of the Kuala Lumpur Sustainability Week (KLSW) on Saturday (June 13).
KLSW is a sustainability festival jointly organised by The Exchange TRX and environmental non-governmental organisation EcoKnights, aimed at inspiring sustainable lifestyles, encouraging community participation and fostering collaboration among businesses, government agencies, educational institutions and civil society organisations.
Yeoh added that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Federal Territories Department were focusing on two key priorities to enhance sustainability in the city.
These include maintaining green spaces and strengthening flood prevention measures as part of a broader review of development and spending priorities.
She added that investments in infrastructure and heritage preservation would not be sustainable without adequate flood mitigation measures.
Citing the ongoing conservation of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, she said the project was the latest government initiative to upgrade and preserve the heritage building.
"However, if we do not have a flood mitigation plan for that area, it will mean nothing and we will end up spending all over again if it gets flooded," she said.
