PUTRAJAYA: Smart city development must go beyond technology and digitalisation, with innovation ultimately serving the needs and well-being of communities, says Nga Kor Ming.
The Housing and Local Government Minister said genuine urban transformation could only be achieved when technology, policy and human values converge to address community needs.
"We hold a firm conviction. Smart cities must ultimately serve human-centred urbanism. Technology is not the end goal but the enabler of safer, healthier, more equitable and more liveable communities.
"Malaysia’s approach is anchored on structured national frameworks and collaboration, including the Malaysia Smart City Framework, and the adoption of international standards to strengthen smart city development across local authorities,” he said in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of Tomorrow.City Shanghai 2026 on Tuesday (Sept 22).
Nga, who also chairs the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) General Assembly, said that Malaysia was also committed to strengthening regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing through partnerships with international cities, technology ecosystems and industry players to accelerate the adoption of practical and scalable solutions.
Tomorrow.City Shanghai 2026 is being held from Sept 22 to 26 as a platform to connect cities, governments, enterprises, scholars and experts in accelerating the practical application of technology and innovative models in urban transformation.
During the event, Nga was presented with the Smart City Leadership Award in recognition of Malaysia’s efforts in advancing intelligent urban transformation, sustainable development and smart city solutions.
The award reflects Malaysia’s efforts to strengthen smart city development through a combination of technology, innovation, effective urban governance and people-centred approaches to create safer, more resilient, sustainable and liveable cities.
Nga is scheduled to participate in high-level media interviews and dialogues, as well as attend a closed-door meeting with industry leaders aimed at facilitating direct engagement and exploring opportunities for practical cooperation and project development during his visit to Shanghai. – Bernama
