Top Down Planning

Malaysian Institute of Planners hosted a delegation from Iraq which include the The Hon. Minister last Saturday. Briefing about the history, challenges, governance system, approaches of Malaysian Planning was given to the guests. They are interested to know the appropriate process of training personnel, governance system and planning practice for the planning and development of the country. All these are related to the professional planning services which include the government, private sector and the academia.

One of the interesting point was raised, that is the hierarchy of planning. It is always the case of having higher level of planning at the Federal or Central Level and zoom it down to the local level. This was done so for the purpose of national interest, coordination at the federal level especially for development projects with national significance, resources allocation as the Federal Government is the central agency to distribute the national wealth as well as the notion of "we know best". However, in view of the emerging trend of community voicing out and demand for their right to be heard and consulted, the need for bottom up planning instead of solely the top down approach is getting higher now. The guest asked about the bottom up approach in planning in which how local planning influences the planning direction at the national level.

Participatory planning is rather important now. People want to be involved, heard and participate in the planning and decision making process. It is now the planning with the people rather than the commonly believe of planning for the people. Thereby, soliciting people's views and proposal at the local level, the closet to the community is critical. It is rightly so as ultimately they will be the users and beneficiary or even the victim for bad planning, not for a short term but perpectually. The Local Planning Authority is facing tremendous pressure now to engage and listen to the stakeholders and to decide the development direction and decision with their input in mind. People are not afraid of voicing out their views and demand for reasonable explaination.

The attitude and approach of planners need changes as well. It is no more a job for technocrat. It is a multi-dicplinary approaches in which human skill is getting very important now. It is not how can you draw a plan better and comply with all the technical requirement only, but how can you engage not only the project proponents to like your plan as well as the stakeholders and authority to buy your idea with pleasure, I think.