Smart Cities

The recent released World Bank Report on Monitoring Malaysia Economy highlighted the need for smart cities concept to spur the economic growth in our country. The Report elaberated on the compact city concept to optimise the resources and to reduce the generation of green house gases, the ecological friendly components of cities and natural environment, prevention of urban sprawl with improved land use planning and public transportation. Everything about good planning and governance practices are explained. While these are not new as most if not all the development plans have similar concept and vision, the effective implementation of these policies and strategies are highly in doubt. We spoke about liveability and sustainability but many of the programmes have been implemented selectively or flavoured to part of the total concept. It is not desirable as all of us knew that bottomline for sustainable development to work is the integrating and balancing of 3 different dimensions of development, namely social, economy and environment.

Apart from that, smart cities require highly skill and knowledge talented workforce. Without intelligence in place, how can the innovation and creativity be explored and executed? Then, it comes back to the availability of pool of human resources in which the education system and living environment will determine the success of a smart city. At the end of the day, how smart a city is very much depended on how smart the people are especially the city managers, I believe.

1Malaysia

I think 1Malaysia spirit is truly practiced in Sabah or at least in Kota Kinabalu as I witnessed it. Here whereever you go, you will not fail to notice that people from all walk of life mingle around freely at any place and any time. You see people from different ethnic and religious background gathering in the coffee shop operated by the Chinese. You witness different ethnic groups communicating to each others with Sabahan Malaysia language. You patronise a shop that manage by people from all background. Basically, the line of separation amongst different ethnic group is very blur and cannot distinguish at all if you are not familiar with the mother tongue and slang of that person. While other parts of Malaysia is talking about managed programmes to create opportunities for greater interaction, the atmosphere has been incculcated in such long long time ago and did not changed "yet". Shall we learn from them, our brother state which might be physically not so develop compared to other states in Pennisular Malaysia? In this respect, I would said development and greater interaction might not co-related with each other, and at time conflicting each others. We have come to a state of sacrifying our harmony with the economy progress. We might have relook on the model of development we are envisioned now, I guess.

Kota Kinabalu Market is A Tourist Place

Last Saturday morning I have the chance of walking about in the premise of market of Kota Kinabalu. The market comprises of fish monger section, fruits and vegetables, dried good and handicraft within the building or in the open area has become a tourist attraction area. The market is opened 24 hours in which night time will see stalls selling household, personal, souvenirs and food items. Many outsiders coming to Kota Kinabalu consider visiting the market is a must. When we talked about a market place, first thing comes to our mind is it must be a dirty, wet, untidy and smeary place that only those who are in need will go. Housewife or restaurant owners will usually go there to source for daily consumption. Then if we are told about the long hour of operation, we will then form up our perception that it must be worse than the normal market place as no time is permitted for cleaning and washing.

It proved me wrong during my round in the market. Walking within in the market area here is a pleasant and enjoyable experience, although you might feel a little bit humidity and hot. I do not have the experience of dirtiness, smear and untidy. Although the fish monger section is having a wet floor, nonetheless the floor is very tidy without obstruction and no untoward smear. The open area in which fishermen displaying their catch have no pothole filled up with dirty water. The sundry stalls are arranged nicely and presentable for a pleasure marketing. Although the section with handicraft and souvenirs is a bit noisy, it is understood as the tourists are doing their bargaining for better price. You will not believe that value for money is always at the end of the day. Perhaps it is because Tourist First concept and fulfilling the objective of Kota Kinabalu City Hall in making this city a premium tourist city.

I wonder why can't the markets in other part of Malaysia have the same environment? I cannot avoid from comparing the market in Old Town of Petaling Jaya with this one. While the Old Town Market has only one morning session for trading, the untidiness and dirtiness remain and last forever. Perhaps one of the reason I can think of is the commitment of the stakeholders. The sense of belonging to keep clean and tidy is not the order of the day for hawkers, market supervisors, the customers, the cleaning contractors and even the officers overlooking the management of the market. Of course, if politically permitted, something drastic is urgently required. We must have the gut of making changes. These include terminating the license of irresponsible traders and contractors, strict enforcement towards customers and even those officers involve in the management and maintenance should be held responsible for any identified shortcoming. Until then, I am not sure the image of wet market now can be changed. Of course competition posed by hypermarkets and modern market will displace the wet market if nothing is done now.

Consciousness

Consciousness is part of the basic instinct of every human being, I believe. Everyone is born with behaving, acting and doing good. Nobody is born with bad intention to harm the environment or other human being. However, a child with little knowledge about good and bad will change according to the circumstances surrounding them. If they stay put within an area surrounded by good man with high ethics and value system, then the chances for them to behave and think rationally about caring towards environment is better. How to bring out the good basic instinct of human being is always a difficult task as individually they might have endured with different life experience.

The Public Seminar entitled "Effect of Consciousness on environment and climate change" to be held on 5th December 2011 at the PJ Community Library is trying to address the issue facing us in achieving sustainable development. Sadly to say it is always a loss-loss situation when we need to make a choice between economic gain and value system. Not many can scarify own profit for the benefit of public at large, I think.

Rubbish Free City of Kota Kinabalu

I was impressed with the visionary approach by Kota Kinabalu City Hall in making the city rubbish free. It is a collective efforts and none of the stakeholders can do it alone. For example, although the fast food restaurant chain can have a clean and rubbish free environment within their compound, the surrounding area with others if not kept clean will render the whole effort goes into vain. The City Hall is leading by example in declaring A Rubbish Free Office throughout their whole premises. The banners with tag line of Rubbish Free are visible anywhere in the department and even toilets. From what have told us, they are very enthuatiatic and optimise about the effort as what they have successfully done for the Anti Littering Campaign. As the Director General said it, he might not be able to witness the full realisation, but it is a process that need to be done now or for never. The idea was conceived by a young officer who has such an innovative and brave idea of changing the rotten mind set of many. In a way, the campaign has touched on many aspects of sustainable development, namely the capacity building, leadership, partnership and collaboration, leading by example, social and economy as well as the environment. I believe for sustainable development to realise on the ground, this is essential.