PEMBANGUNAN SEMULA BANDAR KE ARAH KEMAMPANAN DAN KESEJAHTERAAN BANDAR

1st NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON MALAYSIA SUSTAINABLE CITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANISED BY MALAYSIAN INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT GROUP FOR HIGH TECHNOLOGY (MIGHT) ON 27 OCT 2015

1.   Malaysian Urban Rural National Indicators Network for Sustainable Development (MURNInets) is innovative system to determine the sustainability level of an urban-rural area by using  a set of indicators. It has embedded a culture along with the knowledge of evaluating sustainability amongst urban-rural areas.

2.  The program enables the tracking of  the sustainability status of an urban-rural areas whether it has increased, reduced or static. Analysis of scoring indicators can assist local authorities to identify programs for enhancing their sustainability urban-rural areas.

3    It gives important information to technical agencies and local authorities with regards to  the state of environment of their area of concerns that will enable them to improve urban services and take necessary measure.

1.  Malaysia has manifested her strong support in promoting Sustainable Development Agenda since the idea was first mooted in early eighties through the Brundtland Report in1987;

2.  Malaysia recognized the importance of protecting the environment through spatial development mechanism i.e through sustainable use of land or natural resources. The Town and Country Planning Act was drafted and endorsed in1976 in the Parliament and is use to regulate land use activities in the country.

3.   Malaysia has pledged her commitment to implement Sustainable Development Agenda through the Rio +5 in 1992. This has resulted to the formation of the National Environmental Policy that gives emphasis on the importance of environmental consideration in related plans policies and programmes.

4.  Malaysia indicated her commitment to strive for “a balance between economic development, social development and environmental protection as these are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development”. The performance of the effectiveness of the the policies are being monitored through MURNInets report where the performance of local authorities will be assessed based on the 36 indicators established under  the system.

1.   In 1998, initially 56 indicators were identified to be used to rank the sustainability level of towns and cities comprises 11 sectors namely demography, housing, city economy, utility and infrastructure, community facilities and recreation, environment, sociology and social impacts, land use, tourism and heritage, transportation and accessibility, management and finance

2.  MURNInet’s pilot project was launched on six cities in Malaysia in 2002 i.e Georgetown, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuching, Pasir Mas and Batu Pahat. In 2010, two more indicators were added which was intended to address issues related to public transportation and public amenities.

3.   In 2011 after 10 years of implementation FDTCP, has agreed to review the framework and overall content of MURNInet. The review has resulted in the rebranded  of MURNInet which now known as the Malaysian Urban Rural National Indicators Network for Sustainable Development (MURNInets).

4.  The review asserts that indicators are no longer grouped according to “sectors” but rather according to dimensions better reflects the sustainable development concept which is a cross and multisectoral concept encompassing all pillars of development.

1.  The MURNInets system at present has 36 indicators which has been identified and constructed based on Sustainable Development Strategies, Sustainable Development Goals + Objectives.

2.   It is made up of 6 dimensions namely Economic Development, Optimum Use of Land and Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Transport, Environmental Quality, Sustainable Communities and Effective Governance. 36 selected indicators are grouped under 21 themes under 6 dimensions - that reflect the level of sustainability of rural and urban areas has been agreed

3. We have aspired to achieve a good balance between social, economic and environmental aspects including some perspectives on happiness of communities under Dimension. Sustainable Communities.

4.  Happiness Index survey was introduced as one of the indicators under the theme of Quality of Life to meet the current development trend that emphasizes non the well-being of the community.

5.  New technique of analysis (AHP) to derive at the Sustainability Index - by giving weights to each dimension, themes and indicators. Most of the targets and standards for the indicators used were adjusted according to Local Authority hierarchy.

1.     The improvement and strengthening of MURNInet shall  give a better reflection on the progress towards sustainable development in Malaysia. MURNInets can be monitored using the developed indices in a wider sense in terms of urban development and work as a guideline for urban managers towards sustainable cities.

2.  Happiness index as a framework for decision-making and policy development. Happiness index of the people provides guidance to local authorities interested in improving the level of well-being people

3.    Everyone who wishes to can find something that keeps them engaged and energetic in their work and their community, and in that way create a vibrant city.

4.   The challenge for us now is to overcome our constraints and expand the mental and cultural space that we have, so that everyone who wishes to can find something that keeps them engaged and energetic in their work and their community, and in that way create a vibrant  and sustainable city.