By: Zaki Salleh
IPOH: Two local authorities in Perak have achieved a significant milestone, earning the prestigious ‘Smart City Early Adopter’ recognition.
This award was presented during the Malaysia Urban Planning Awards (MUPA) in celebration of World Town Planning Day 2024, held in Putrajaya.
Manjung Municipal Council and Kampar District Council joined 16 other local authorities in receiving this accolade.
Meanwhile, two additional local authorities were honoured with the ‘Developing Smart City’ recognition.
These awards were issued by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) through the Department of Urban and Rural Planning (PLANMalaysia).
According to a statement from PLANMalaysia, the recipients of the ‘Smart City Early Adopter’ designation were granted a special smart city initiative fund ceiling of RM400,000.
The ‘Developing Smart City’ awardees received a higher fund ceiling of RM800,000 to advance their respective smart city projects.
“These local authorities have taken progressive steps toward transforming their cities into smart cities, setting an exemplary model for other municipalities in Malaysia.
“This initiative is crucial for all local authorities to explore and implement innovative approaches that enhance efficiency and quality of life within their communities.
“This recognition represents a significant responsibility to ensure improved planning and development of local authorities through smart city strategies,” the statement added.
The awards were presented by the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Nga Kor Ming.
This recognition is set to boost motivation among local authorities to continue their journey toward smart city status, accelerating the vision of achieving the Smart Nation 2040 aspiration.
