Key Takeaways
- Ipoh and Seberang Perai in Malaysia will be developed into smart cities through a collaboration with China.
- Projects will focus on smart technologies, energy-efficient designs, and affordable housing models.
- Malaysia aims to implement lessons from China’s urban advancements, including smart infrastructure and digital connectivity.
Collaboration for Smart City Development
Malaysia is embarking on a significant initiative to transform second-tier cities like Ipoh and Seberang Perai into smart cities. This plan follows an agreement made during a meeting between Malaysia’s Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and China’s Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong at the Asean-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction 2025 held in Guilin, China.
The proposed smart city command centres will serve as living laboratories to test innovative technologies. Minister Nga emphasized that the collaboration with China aims to facilitate mutual learning, allowing Malaysia to adapt successful solutions to its local context. Key areas of focus include smart home integration, digital infrastructure, and AI-driven housing management, all aimed at providing affordable housing options for middle and low-income families.
The Malaysian initiative will draw inspiration from advanced urban platforms in China, such as Hangzhou’s City Brain and Shenzhen’s Smart City Data Platform. The objective is to establish pilot projects that will feature various smart infrastructure components. Planned installations aim to include energy-efficient systems, home automation technologies, smart metering, and IoT-based building management. Additionally, the initiative intends to enhance digital connectivity for residents through integrated applications that facilitate facility bookings, security, maintenance, and community engagement.
Incorporating sustainability is a top priority, with plans for green features such as solar energy systems, waste separation mechanisms, and water-saving technologies. The housing design will also focus on social innovation, ensuring the integration of elderly-friendly and family-centric elements.
This collaboration with China aims not only to advance urban living conditions but also to explore new, sustainable forms of community engagement and design, paving the way for future growth in Malaysian cities.
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