Kuala Lumpur, October 13: Against the backdrop of the National Innovation and Creative Economy 2017 (NICE 2017) expo, a smart city forum was held to investigate the challenges and opportunities present for future smart cities in Malaysia.

Themed "Shaping Smart Cities and Future Lifestyles”, the forum addressed several key themes that city builders, planners and managers need to address such as financing models, legal considerations, infrastructure needs, inclusiveness and planning constraints to ensure Malaysia's current cities transform into smart cities.

In his opening address Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation said that research and planning for future cities is necessary to address the challenges of urbanization and other disruptive global forces such as in the areas of technology, commerce, knowledge and mobility as cities impact the lives of millions of people.

Tangau said, "Advances in science, technology and innovation have the potential to change existing industries and create new ones. These include urban manufacturing, renewable energy projects within cities, autonomous vehicles, the widespread use of drones and robots, the Internet of Things, the use of advanced building materials and construction methods, virtual and augmented reality as well as artificial intelligence”.

The forum, which saw 300 participants including property developers, students, academia, professionals, representatives of local councils as well as members of the public, showcased the many opportunities for smart cities to improve the quality of life for urban residents.

Imran Clyde, co-founder of the Malaysia Biennial 100YC said "As municipal bodies in Malaysia formulate their strategies for the coming years to address greater urbanization, we should recognize that technology will be a key consideration in how to better manage our cities”.

"Through events such as this forum, we hope that the property development industry and policymakers will learn from the expertise of each other and explore the latest technologies.”

Supporting partners for the Malaysia Biennial 100YC include Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Think City, United World Infrastructure (UWI) and Focus Malaysia. Forum partners are Roland Berger, the StarProperty.my, Construction+ magazine and Moma water.