Malaysia Reaffirms Commitment To Lead ASEAN Sustainable Urban Growth

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Bernama) — Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to leading ASEAN’s effort for inclusive and sustainable urban growth, calling for stronger city-to-city cooperation and deeper regional solidarity to tackle challenges in housing, infrastructure and waste management.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said as ASEAN Chair, Malaysia embraced its dual role as a regional convener and a global advocate for sustainable urban development.

“Our focus is to facilitate policy exchanges and city-to-city cooperation, promote inclusive urban governance in line with the ASEAN spirit of ‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community’, and integrate global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), New Urban Agenda and ASEAN Smart Cities initiatives into local policies,” he said.

Nga, who is also President of the UN-Habitat Assembly, said this in his keynote address at the Joint Opening Ceremony of the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum (ASUF) 2025, ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF) and Meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals (MGMAC) here today.

Present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif, and ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for Community and Corporate Affairs Nararya Sanggramawijaya Soeprapto.

Nga said Malaysia aims to provide a platform for mayors and governors to voice local concerns, co-create solutions, and strengthen regional solidarity from the ground up.

He emphasised that sustainable progress requires cooperation at all levels of governance, with national, local and regional authorities working alongside the private sector, civil society and the public.

This approach, rooted in the principle of Public-Private-People Partnerships, is central to the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, he noted.

“In these times of global uncertainty, we must not only localise ASEAN for impactful grassroots action but also globalise ASEAN to forge dynamic partnerships beyond our region, strengthening resilience and shared prosperity,” he said.

Nga called on ASEAN members to “walk the path together” towards a better future, stressing the need to turn ideas into action, policies into progress and shared dreams into reality.

— BERNAMA

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