MPP bags ‘Most Sustainable City Award’ at World Town Planning Day 2024

KUCHING (Oct 29): Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) has attained the ‘Most Sustainable City Award’ at the National World Town Planning Day 2024 celebration in Putrajaya yesterday.

The council was one of 12 local councils in Malaysia to receive this prestigious award.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming presented the award to MPP deputy chairman Abang Ismawi Abang Ali in representing the council.

MPP, alongside Kuching South City Council (MBKS), also won the ‘Smart City Early Adopter Award’ where each council will receive RM400,000 in funding to support their commitment and early success in delivering smart, citizen-centric services.

A total of 18 councils across the country received this award.

MPP in a statement said the two awards reflected the council’s commitment towards achieving the vision of the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 towards a prosperous, inclusive and environmentally sustainable Sarawak.

“It is an honour for MPP to receive these awards. We would not have been able to achieve this outstanding achievement without the solid support and cooperation from the Sarawak government; Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian; the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government; government departments and agencies; non-governmental organisations; MPP councillors; as well as the staff and residents in the MPP,” it said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Kuching South mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said the ‘Smart City Early Adopter Award’ recognises local authorities that have taken early steps in adopting smart city technologies, focusing on sustainability, efficient urban management, and advancing citizen engagement through digital platforms.

“This award reflects MBKS’s commitment to integrating technology and innovation as we strive to become a model smart city.

“We are dedicated to improving services, enhancing infrastructure, and creating a more liveable and sustainable environment for the people of Kuching South,” he said.

In addition to these awards, Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) received the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Recognition for its effort in advancing initiatives aligned with global SDGs, while the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government was also recognised with the ‘Pusat Operasi MURNInets Negeri (POMN) Award’ for its role in coordinating and driving sustainability transformation across Sarawak.

During the celebration, eight local councils in the state achieved the ‘Sustainable’ status under the Malaysian Urban-Rural National Indicators Network for Sustainable Development (MURNInets).

MURNInets is an assessment system by the Department of Town and Country Planning (PLANMalaysia) under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

It evaluates the sustainability of local authorities’ areas based on six key dimensions: Competitive Economy, Sustainable Environmental Quality, Prosperous Community, Optimal Land Use and Natural Resources, Efficient Infrastructure and Transportation, and Effective Governance.

A total of 156 local authorities, planners and stakeholders had gathered at the event to celebrate forward-thinking solutions and innovations in urban planning.