Smart Cities, Smarter Living: Dr. Stephen Poon on Building a Sustainable Malaysia

Advocates are inspired to promote smart cities to improve urban life by using technology to tackle complex challenges like population growth, environmental issues, and inefficient services, aiming for greater economic prosperity, sustainability, and a higher quality of life for citizens. The driving forces include the increasing global urban population, government initiatives like Malaysia's Smart Cities Mission, and the potential for technology to create more efficient, liveable, and sustainable urban environments.

Key Motivations for Smart City Advocacy

• Addressing Urban Challenges: With growing populations and urbanisation, cities face challenges like traffic congestion, resource waste, and environmental pollution. Smart cities offer a framework to use technology and data to address these issues more effectively.

• Improving Quality of Life: A central goal of smart cities is to enhance the quality of life for citizens by providing better urban services and making cities more convenient and prosperous.

• Promoting Sustainability: Smart city initiatives aim to foster sustainability by optimising resource consumption, reducing carbon emissions, and creating resilient urban environments that meet the needs of present and future generations.

• Economic and Social Development: Advocating for smart cities is also driven by the desire to accelerate economic growth, foster innovation, and build inclusive cities that cater to diverse needs across housing, transport, and healthcare.

• Government and Citizen-Led Initiatives: Government programmes, such as Malaysia's Smart Cities Mission, and the growing awareness among citizens about the need for smarter, people-centric urban solutions also fuel advocacy for the concept.

• Technological Advancement: The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) offer new possibilities for managing urban flows, enabling real-time responses to challenges, and creating more interactive urban services.

2. How can digitalisation help make cities more sustainable?

Digitalisation enhances urban sustainability by optimising resource management through smart grids, intelligent transport, and efficient waste collection, which reduces emissions and energy consumption. It also improves governance and citizen engagement via digital services and platforms, promotes a circular economy, and provides data-driven insights for more informed environmental decision-making.

Resource Management and Efficiency

• Smart Grids: Digital tools and sensors help manage energy consumption more effectively and integrate renewable energy sources, leading to higher energy efficiency.

• Water and Waste: Smart meters and sensors in water and waste systems can detect leaks and optimise collection routes, reducing resource waste.

• Circular Economy: Digital passports and data platforms can support a circular economy by providing auditable records of a product's lifecycle and facilitating better resource use.

Sustainable Mobility

• Intelligent Traffic Systems: Digital platforms enable intelligent traffic management, which optimises flow, reduces congestion, and lowers carbon emissions from transportation.

• Electromobility: Digital technologies can support the integration and promotion of electromobility, further reducing the carbon footprint of urban transport.

Improved Governance and Citizen Engagement

• E-Services: Digital services reduce the need for paper and travel to government offices, which cuts down on pollution and improves administrative efficiency.

• Citizen Participation: Digital platforms allow citizens to report issues in real-time, provide feedback, and participate more directly in urban planning and decision-making.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

• Big Data Analytics: By collecting and analysing vast amounts of data on urban processes, like air quality, traffic, and resource use, cities can make more informed decisions about infrastructure development and resource management.

• Environmental Monitoring: Technologies like remote sensing and local sensors provide detailed data for monitoring and improving environmental quality and supporting climate action.

Supporting Partnerships

• Collaboration: Digital tools facilitate communication and collaboration among various stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, NGOs, and citizens, enabling them to work together on sustainability projects.

3. What are some of the biggest challenges cities face in adopting digital solutions?

Cities face major hurdles in adopting digital solutions, including the digital divide and skill gaps, lack of adequate infrastructure (like broadband and energy), high implementation costs, significant data security and privacy concerns, poor system integration, challenges with governance and policy, and potential social or cultural resistance. Overcoming these requires strategic investment, robust security measures, addressing inequalities, and adaptable governance to ensure equitable and effective digital transformation.

Infrastructure and Funding

• Inadequate Infrastructure: Many cities lack the foundational infrastructure, such as robust broadband networks and reliable energy grids, necessary to support advanced digital technologies.

• High Costs: Implementing digital solutions requires substantial financial investment, which can be a significant barrier, particularly for cities with limited resources.

Digital Divide and Equity

• Unequal Access: A significant portion of the population may lack stable or affordable internet access and digital literacy, creating a digital divide that perpetuates social inequalities.

• Skills Gaps: A lack of digital skills among residents can hinder adoption of new technologies and slow down digital transformation efforts.

Security and Privacy

• Cybersecurity Risks: The extensive networks of connected devices in smart cities increase vulnerability to cyberattacks, which can compromise sensitive data and disrupt essential services.

• Data Privacy Concerns: Storing and processing large-scale data raises serious concerns

about citizen privacy and the potential for misuse of personal information.

System and Governance Challenges

• System Integration: Integrating new digital systems with legacy infrastructure and ensuring they work together seamlessly can be a complex technical challenge.

• Policy and Governance: The absence of clear regulations, standards, and effective governance frameworks for smart city technologies creates uncertainty for stakeholders.

Social and Cultural Factors

• Resistance to Change: Significant lifestyle and social changes associated with a smart

city transformation can be met with resistance from residents, hindering adoption.

• Exclusion and Inequality: There is a risk that digital solutions may exclude or disadvantage certain communities, requiring a focus on inclusivity and equitable access for all citizens.

4. What key skills do consultants need to drive sustainability and smart city initiatives?

Consultants for sustainability and smart cities need strong analytical skills, expertise in digital technologies (like AI and IoT), systems thinking, and creative problem-solving. Essential soft skills include collaboration, emotional intelligence, strong communication, and the ability to manage diverse stakeholder groups to drive comprehensive, holistic, and user-centred solutions for complex urban challenges.

Technical Skills

• Digital Innovation and Data Literacy: Proficiency in integrating emerging technologies like AI, IoT, big data analytics, and blockchain for data analysis, resource optimisation, predictive analytics, and informed decision-making.

• Systems Thinking: The ability to understand how interconnected environmental, social, and economic factors influence one another within a complex urban system to identify root causes and design holistic solutions.

• Regulatory and Framework Expertise: Knowledge of evolving sustainability regulations and frameworks (like GRI, SASB, TCFD) to advise on effective reporting and compliance strategies.

• Urban Planning and Geospatial Data: Expertise in tools such as GIS, CAD, and Building Information Modelling (BIM) to support urban planning and visualise data.

Soft Skills and Strategic Thinking

• Collaboration and Teamwork: The ability to foster collaboration among cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders (including government, tech developers, and urban residents) to develop and implement solutions.

• Emotional Intelligence (EQ): High levels of empathy, self-regulation, and social skills to navigate the often politicised and sensitive aspects of sustainability challenges effectively.

• Creative Problem-Solving: The capacity to design innovative and adaptive solutions to complex urban problems, moving beyond traditional approaches and embracing experimentation.

• Strategic Vision: Connecting sustainability initiatives to core business goals and competitive advantage, positioning sustainability as a catalyst for transformation and long-term value.

• Communication and Facilitation: Strong skills in facilitating discussions, encouraging open communication, and resolving conflicts to build buy-in and drive impactful outcomes.

• People-Centred Approach: A focus on integrating technology with the needs, aspirations, and rights of urban residents, ensuring solutions are human-centred, not just technology- driven.

5. What is your vision for Malaysia as a future smart city nation?

Malaysia's vision is to evolve into a “Smart Nation by 2040”, using technology and data to solve urban challenges, improve citizens’ quality of life, and foster a sustainable and competitive economy. This ambition is guided by the Malaysia Smart City Framework (MSCF) and is a key component of the national Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 and the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021–2025).

Key pillars of Malaysia's smart city vision

The MSCF outlines a comprehensive approach to smart city development across seven core components:

• Smart Economy: Malaysia envisions a vibrant, digitally driven economy with high productivity and innovation. Initiatives focus on accelerating technology adoption, digitalising SMEs, and fostering tech talent in emerging fields like AI and 5G.

• Smart Government: The vision includes a public sector that leverages technology for greater efficiency, transparency, and accessibility. The goal is to deliver citizen-centric services through digital platforms and embrace AI to automate and streamline public service delivery.

• Smart Living: Smart cities will enhance the well-being of residents by improving safety, healthcare, and quality of life. This includes integrating advanced health and wellness standards into residential design and ensuring affordable, quality housing through government programmes.

• Smart Mobility: The aim is to create an integrated, accessible, and efficient transportation system. This involves deploying intelligent traffic management systems, promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs), and enhancing public transport infrastructure and first- and last-mile connectivity.

• Smart Environment: A sustainable and green environment is a core priority. The vision involves moving towards low-carbon cities, improving waste and water management,expanding green spaces, and using smart technology for climate adaptation and flood management.

• Smart People: The vision is to cultivate digitally literate citizens with the necessary skills to thrive in a high-tech environment. This involves enhancing digital education, empowering communities through digital solutions, and promoting public participation in city planning.

• Smart Digital Infrastructure: A robust, reliable digital backbone is foundational to all smart city initiatives. This includes achieving nationwide 4G and 5G coverage, promoting open data, and strengthening cybersecurity to build public trust.

Key initiatives and progress

Several initiatives are driving Malaysia's smart city vision forward:

• Pilot projects: Cities like Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, and Iskandar Malaysia are designated as key hubs for demonstrating smart city concepts.

• National platforms: The National Smart City Platform (NSCP) will centralise data analytics to improve urban efficiency, while the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) oversees the country's broader digital transformation.

• Regional collaboration: Malaysia leverages its role as ASEAN chair to promote regional cooperation on AI, digital innovation, and other smart city technologies.

• Funding and incentives: The government is supporting smart city projects through strategic funding, such as the RM15.1 million allocated in Budget 2025 and grants for 5G and AI-enabled solutions.

Challenges and outlook

While Malaysia has a clear roadmap, several challenges must be addressed to fully realise its vision:

• Implementation gap: The country must transition from strategic planning and pilot

projects to broad, effective nationwide execution.

• Talent development: Continued investment is needed to ensure the workforce has the skills required for a digital-first economy.

• Digital divide: Bridging the gap in digital access and literacy between urban and rural areas is crucial for inclusive growth.

• Data and privacy: Robust regulatory frameworks are necessary to address cybersecurity threats and protect citizen data.

• Sustainability urgency: There is a need for more urgency in prioritising sustainable

practices, such as urban decarbonisation, to achieve climate goals.

By focusing on inclusive participation, strong execution, and sustainable practices, Malaysia aims to leverage its smart city vision to become a regional leader in technology, innovation, and quality of life.