Sunday 31 January 2010

MY JOURNAL PUBLISHED IN GEOGRAFIA - MALAYSIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIETY AND SPACE, THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA (UKM)

ENHANCING URBAN GOVERNANCE EFFICIENCY THROUGH THE E-GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIAN LOCAL AUTHORITIES – THE CASE OF SUBANG JAYA MUNICIPALITY
Author(s) : Azmizam Abdul Rashid , Hamzah Jusoh , Jalaluddin Abdul Malek
Published in : January 2010, Volume 6 , Issues 1

Abstract
The electronic government (e-government) initiative in Malaysia was launched to lead the country into the Information Age. The vision was for government and businesses people to work together for the benefit of the nation through improved convenience, accessibility and quality of interactions resulting from better information flows, processes, speed and quality of policy development, coordination and enforcement. This paper describes how this vision of e-government had been achieved by the Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ) local authority. Seven factors were behind this success of the MPSJ’s implementation of the e-government, namely, the willingness of the local authority to commit to e-government and depart from existing ways of doing things; the willingness of the local authority’s top management to lead the way to e-government; seamless e-government services that encouraged different agencies to work closely with the MPSJ; the ICT skills building capability and capacity of the MPSJ officers; the development of an e-government public-private partnership framework; the ability of the MPSJ management to overcome costrelated problems in the implementation of e-government; and, the ability of the MPSJ management to monitor and evaluate the impact and benefits of the e-government programme in order to justify continued political and public support. The achievement notwithstanding, the paper identifies further rooms for improvement, namely, the introduction of e-submission to enable the electronic transfer and management of Computer-Aided Drawings (CAD) and related documents through the creation of a Wide Area Network (WAN); and, the application of GIS (GIS-MPSJ) for the computer processing of geographically referenced data.

Keywords: application of GIS, electronic government (e-government), delivers services, ICT skills building, management of Computer-Aided Drawings (CAD), seamless e-government services

View Article : http://pkukmweb.ukm.my/geografia/images/upload/1.2010-1-Azmizam%20Hamzah%20Jalal-english-3.pdf

Saturday 23 January 2010

ANWAR FAZAL - URBAN GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY EMPOWERMENT




"In a world that is increasingly violent, wasteful and manipulative, every effort at developing islands of integrity, wells of hope and sparks of action must be welcomed, multiplied and linked..." - Anwar Fazal
We need to create a new paradigm of development and happiness that can generate a three-dimensional peace - peace with ourselves, peace with other people and peace with mother earth. Little people doing little things in little places everywhere can change the world"…Anwar Fazal

WHO IS HE?
Anwar Fazal is a leading international civil society person who has contributed much to our society in areas of consumer, health environment, human rights and social ethics. Deeply concerned about the social injustices, especially those unconscionable marketing practices by the transnational corporations in developing countries, he has strived to and has succeeded in bringing these to international attention way back in the 1970s. Anwar Fazal, born in 1941, first became associated with the consumer movement in 1968 when he founded the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) and later worked on consumer affairs for,among others, the Government of Mauritius, the Hong Kong Consumer Council and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. In 1978 he was the first person from the Third World to become President of the International Organisation of Consumers Unions (IOCU), an independent, non-profit group which links the activities of consumer organisations in over half the countries of the world. IOCU, which has since changed its name to Consumers International, promotes international cooperation in consumer protection and education, represents the consumer interest at the global level and facilitates the comparative testing of goods and services.

WHAT IS CONTRIBUTION TO THE IDEA OF URBAN GOVERNANCE?
The issues, ranging from consumer, health, environment to corruption and integrity are all a mark of his persona on the international scene. This website contains a selection of his speeches, presentations and articles is a tribute to Anwar Fazal's contribution to the many social movements he is involved in.
  1. Civil society and the culture of integrity
  2. Building Partnerships For Good Governance
  3. Building The Culture Of Integrity
  4. Good Governance - Better Human Development
  5. The Governance and Management of Urban Communities - Challenges for the 21st Century
  6. Building The Culture Of Integrity - The Spiritual Fundamentals
  7. International Governance: Government, Ngos And The Citizenry - Their Synergistic Role In A Global Village
  8. Fighting the Twin Terrors - Peace By Peace
  9. Challenges to Human Security In The New Age
  10. The Death And Life Of Asian Cities -The Challenge of Good Governance
  11. The Future Of Cities
WHAT ARE HIS MAIN IDEA ON URBAN GOVERNANCE?
People must have a new conception of space. More and more issues are ceasing to be associated with political boundaries: the environment does not respect political boundaries, the transnational companies are not concerned with political boundaries--except when it benefits them. In communications, we are moving toward a global village; products and services are becoming homogenized. So we will have to understand space in a new way--we will have to think of space at all three levels because all three--local, national, global--impact on you. And we have to develop systems whereby groups can act locally, nationally and globally. Different groups can work at different levels, but with vertical and lateral links. If we have these vertical and lateral linkages, then we can make use of people's power that will be inclusive and can make transformational change to produce a more just and fair world.

The challenge of urban governance is to have people who take their civic responsibility beyond the personal self and who see that inclusiveness and bringing groups together is critical, who understand that there will be differences in tactics and even in visions; some people think for the summer, others think for a year, others might think for a decade and others will be thinking generations ahead.

Saturday 16 January 2010

JANE AUSTEN'S CLASSIC NOVELS vs FILM DIRECTORS, JANE JACOBS vs PETER TAYLOR AND JULIA CHILD vs JULIE POWELL

Department of Geography, Loughborough University is sharing a same Martin Hall Building with English and Drama Department. Once in awhile I could listened their students training in acting class or classic movie review. 3 weeks before Christmas, English and Drama Department organised their open day. I read their postgraduate research on English Classic Novels such as Romeo and Juliet, Castle Rackrent,Nightmare Abbey, The Last of the Mohicans etc. I wondered how these novel authors have a such brilliant ideas to write an amazing story that can be shared and heritage to British young generation.

In my 3 months attachment with Loughborough University, Prof Dr Peter Taylor has taught me how to appreciate and understand the British famous writers and their established publication. Prof Dr Peter Taylor mentioned that their publications may be indirectly or directly generate the ideas to us how to deeper our research or may be we become their followers or believers. Later I was discovered that a few greatest writers in the world has changed people daily live or how their thinking about the world today. Here are what did I discover, how famous veteran authors can influence the famous people in world or may be we as normal human being.

JANE AUSTEN'S CLASSIC NOVELS vs FAMOUS FILM DIRECTORS
Last week I watched a movie 'Becoming Jane' directed by Julian Jarrold at Astro channel 411. A story is about an English novelist Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) whose works of romantic fiction set among the gentry have earned her a place as one of the most widely read and most beloved writers in English literature. The movie so interesting and the cinema photography is so beautiful. Amongst scholars and critics, Austen's realism and biting social commentary have cemented her historical importance as a writer. The classics of Jane Austen, and adapt them to the big screen as such Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion,Northanger Abbey,Mansfield Park and Pride and Prejudice.

The films offer spectacular views into the lives of her greatest heroines--punctuated by the vibrance of costume and the eloquence of music and language. The best film directors in world such Simon Langton (Pride and Prejudice),Patricia Rozema (Mansfield Park), Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility),Roger Michell (Persuasion) and Douglas McGrath (Emma) have successfully adapted the Austen's book to movie.. By the 1940s, Austen had become widely accepted in academia as a "great English writer". The second half of the twentieth century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship, which explored many aspects of her novels: artistic, ideological, and historical. In popular culture, a Janeite fan culture has developed, centered on Austen's life, her works, and the various film and television adaptations of them.

JANE JACOBS vs PETER TAYLOR
When I was in Loughborough University, Prof Dr Peter Taylor has introduced me to Janes Jacobs (1916-2006). He asked me to read and review on her book - The Economy of Cities. Prof Dr Peter Taylor said that her book is related to my research. I found that Jacobs try to explain how capitalists strive for efficiency to beat the competition and make high profits. Well yes and no. It depends what kind of work is being discussed. With production work, what Jacobs calls ‘old work’, the work can be done by any firm willing to invest in the necessary human and physical capital. Here efficiency will mark out the winners. But much important for economic life, and for Jacobs it is the defining feature of cities, is new work.
Janes Jacobs was an extraordinarily insightful writer who anticipated many of the themes that have become foundations for contemporary social analysis – complex adaptive systems, emergence, social capital and social networks, just to name a few. Her Death and Life of Great American Cities is regarded as one of the most influential books published in the 20th century. It was the first of several books in which she developed a vision of the economy as a complex, adaptive system, driven by the cumulative efforts of mostly ordinary people whose creativity flourishes in the free air of cities. (Other books include The Economy of Cities (1969), Cities and the Wealth of Nations (1985), and The Nature of Economies (2000), as well as an article in the prestigious American Economic Review (September 1969).) For Jacobs, population density plus diversity in skills and tastes generates, without too much fuss, dynamic economic development and entrepreneurial discovery. With that vision came a withering critique of intervention by all levels of government and in nearly all its forms—from urban renewal and zoning to price controls and monetary policy. She argued that these undermine the civic basis of economic and cultural creativity.

Systems of Survival is Taylor's favourite book and within it the chapter on ‘Trading, taking and monstrous hybrids’ was the particular eye-opener for him. A Dialogue on the Moral Foundations of Commerce and Politics (Jacobs 1992) is considered by Jacobs (1997, 161) to be her ‘most serious book’. She argues that there are just two basic ways of making a living: ‘taking’ from environment and society (hunting, raiding, governing, protecting) and ‘making’ using environment and society (trading, producing). These are reproduced through two contrary moral syndromes: the guardian (heroic virtues such as shunning trading) and commercial (bourgeois traits such as shunning force) respectively. Although seemingly a departure from past work, in fact it is her way of understanding the necessary conditions for both reproduction of city economies, and the planners and national government economic regulators that put the former at risk.Not widely appreciated, it has been used in public policy and in corruption studies. He has found it indispensable for exploring the relations between cities and states.Now I understand why Prof Dr Peter Taylor's book or articles so influenced by Jane Jacobs ideas.

JULIA CHILD vs JULIE POWELL
My flight back to Malaysia (MH003) on 1 Jan 2010, I watched a movie Julie & Julia is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron. I found that the movies is so interesting and Meryl Streep played Julia Child character so wonderful. No wonder she been nominated for 15 times in Academy Awards. She is the best actress in the world and my forever idol. The film depicts events in the life of chef Julia Child (August 15, 1912 - August 13, 2004) in the early years in her culinary career, contrasting her life with Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes from Child's cookbook during a single year, a challenge she described on her popular blog that would make her a published author.Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She introduced French cuisine and cooking techniques to the American mainstream through her many cookbooks and television programs, notably The French Chef which premiered in 1963. Her best-known cookbook is Mastering the Art of French Cooking, published in 1961.

Meanwhile, Julie Powell (born 20 April 1973) is an American author known for the book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, Tiny Apartment Kitchen.While working for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in August 2002, Powell began the Julie/Julia Project, a web log (blog) chronicling her attempt to cook all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The blog quickly gained a large following, and Powell signed a book deal with Little, Brown and Company. The resulting book, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, Tiny Apartment Kitchen, was published in 2005. The paperback edition was retitled Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously.Powell's second book, Cleaving: a Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession, which details an affair she had after the first book's publication, as well as her experiences learning the butcher trade, was published November 30, 2009.

For me, from the above this will motivate me to keep continue complete my PhD research because I have only 1 year to finish m writing. Wish me luck.

Saturday 9 January 2010

2009 MILESTONES - MY BEST MEMORIES TO REMEMBER

In year 2009 is another best year in my life as post graduate student in UKM. I have been 2 years in UKM and I learned so many new things and discovered how to be more passionate when doing research. It is one of the key aspects to make research more progressively. With my heart and soul, I try to give full commitment to deliver my output to my dearest supervisors, Dr Hamzah and Dr Jalaluddin. I am so happy that my articles have been published in International Journal. Even though the journals is not high impact but at least the door is opened for me to enhance my research writing. Thank you Dr Hamzah and Dr Jalaluddin for your support.

UKM and FSSK have gave opportunity for me to present my research papers at international seminar. From this platform, I can share my research to other experts in their fields. I met genius people who expert in area of global city (Prof Dr Sasskia Sassen) and network society (Prof Dr Manuel Castells). The seminar really assist me to build up my confident and motivate me to keep going to improve my writing. Early August 2009 I have started by survey research with 5 local authorities in Klang Valley such MPK, MBSA, MBPJ, MPSJ, MPSp and DBKL. The target group the this survey involved various city stakeholders from government servant to university students.

I am so grateful when Deputy Dean of FSSK Assoc Prof Dr Hazita Azman has put trust on me to organise FSSK Festival of International Postgraduates 2009 . The festival was held at FSSK Foyer on 17-18 August 2009. With the assistance from my beloved wife, I managed to obtain sponsorship from Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) with amount of RM15,000. Actually is about a month to convince her how TM can benefit from this event. She also assist me to how encourage others corporate sectors to participate in this event such as Nestles and Media Prima. And also with encouragement from Dr Aishah and committees, I might not have strength and interest to assist Dr Hazita to make the event successful. The end of the festival I have made a surprise to Dr Hazita and Encik Rahim...what is my relationship with Puan Zul'aini Zulkifli. Thank you Dr Hazita and Dr Aishah who believe in me.

In the forth quarter of year 2009, I have a great opportunity when Public Service Department of Malaysia had sponsored my attachment programme in Loughborough University. I have wonderful experience working with brilliant people in Globalization and Global City Network (GaWC) of Department of Geography. The best part of this programme is I have been assigned to work with Prof Dr Peter Taylor and Dr John Harrison. They taught me how to improve my research and developed my research niche. I missed Loughborough and my family really enjoyed here. My children enjoyed when snow showering our housing area - 61 Burder Street. Year 2009 is the best year in my life.

Here the list of my 2009 achievements.

Papers Presented
1. International Geographical Union (IGU) Malaysia, 2009 : Commission On Marginalization, Globalization, Regional And Local Responses which was held in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam, Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying 6-8 July 2009. Paper EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN MANAGING AND ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS OF KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION

2. International Conference on Development (ICD2009 which was held in International Islamic University Malaysia (UIAM) 28-30 July 2009 .Paper THE ROLE OF EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN MANAGING NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

3. International Forum On Urbanism (IFOU 2009) which was held in Delft University Of Technology, The Netherlands 26 – 28 November 2009. Paper THE NEW URBAN QUESTION ON EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN MANAGING AND ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS OF KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION

4. International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (ICOSH 2009) which was held in National University of Malaysia (UKM) 3-4 December 2009. Paper CIVIL SOCIETY EMPOWERMENT TOWARDS EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION

Papers Published in International Journal
1. Asian Profile International Journal Vol 37 No 6 (2009) Title : EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN MANAGING AND ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS OF THE KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION . Submitted 19 May 2009. Accepted 21 July 2009

2. Asian Social Science International Journal Vo 5 No 8 (2009) Title :THE ROLE OF EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN MANAGING KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION DEVELOPMENT Submitted 3 June 2009 Accepted 22 Jun 2009

3. European Journal of Social Science Title EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE IN MANAGING AND ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS OF THE RETAIL AND OFFICE SECTORS IN KUALA LUMPUR CITY-REGION Submitted 17 June 2009 Accepted 24 Jun 2009

Attachment Programme
Attachment Programme at Department Of Geography and Globalization and Global City Network (GaWC) Loughborough University, United Kingdom from 23 September 2009 – 23 December 2009


Seminar Attended
Liveable City organized by The Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) National University of Malaysia (UKM) 1 June 2009

PEOPLE AROUND ME..FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

PEOPLE AROUND ME..FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
To my Wife, Zulaini, my sons Zulazlan, Zulazman, Zulazmir, Zulazmin dan my daughter, Nuris Zulazlin...I love you all..thank you being with me

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS... KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS... KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE
Thank you guys...for your support and encouragement

2007 / 2008 METHODOLOGY AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH COURSE FOR PHD CANDIDATES

2007 / 2008 METHODOLOGY AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH COURSE FOR PHD CANDIDATES
My new friends during my course in INTAN 9 Jan -2 Mac 2007

KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE, JOURNEY TO MOUNT OF KINABALU SABAH 21-22 JANUARY 2006

KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE, JOURNEY TO MOUNT OF KINABALU SABAH 21-22 JANUARY 2006
WE CAME, WE SAW, WE CONQUERED 4095.2 METER ABOVE SEA LEVEL

How are you, guys? Where you are now?

FOOD CLOCK