Nga: Building Sustainable Cities Requires Full Nationwide Collaboration

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming emphasised that Malaysia must adopt a whole-of-nation strategy if it wants to build cities that are resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable. He said meaningful progress can only be achieved when ministries, agencies and local governments work together instead of operating in silos.

Nga highlighted that institutionalised city-to-city knowledge sharing is essential so that local authorities across the country can apply proven tools, urban solutions and climate-adaptive practices. As an example, he pointed to the ministry’s ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), which focuses on nationwide flood-mitigation measures using nature-based approaches.

Speaking in conjunction with the Cities: Possibilities 2025 conference, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Nga noted that sustainable urban development cannot be delivered by any single institution. “Urban sustainability demands collective action from every sector,” he said.

In his role as president of the UN-Habitat Assembly, Nga also stressed that cities are on the frontline of global climate risks, making it crucial for governments to pursue solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also inclusive, community-driven and suited to local conditions. Malaysia, he added, is committed to demonstrating global leadership while ensuring on-the-ground implementation remains strong.

He said the country’s involvement under the UN-Habitat–COP30 framework is helping embed the links between climate policy and urban planning, aiming to secure wider international support for multilevel governance. Within Asean, Malaysia continues to advocate a more inclusive and resilient smart-city agenda, including efforts to elevate the Asean Smart Cities Network (ASCN) to ministerial status by 2026.

Nga added that several Malaysian urban models are already being adopted regionally — among them Melaka’s heritage-focused conservation strategy and Penang’s participatory planning approach. At home, he reiterated that meaningful urban transformation begins with empowering local authorities to act effectively.

He also revealed that during the 14th Mayors Forum in Vienna earlier this year, Malaysia proposed three key strategies to enhance global city networks:

1. Establishing joint innovation funds to co-create urban solutions;

2. Setting up regional hubs dedicated to tackling coastal resilience and informal settlement upgrades;

3. Introducing standardised urban metrics so cities worldwide can track progress and learn from each other.

For investors exploring opportunities in commercial property in KL, office space in Bukit Jalil, industrial land in Selangor, factory developments in Puchong, and industrial property in the Subang area, the government’s push toward sustainable, well-governed cities signals long-term growth potential in urban and industrial corridors across the Klang Valley.