The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) today officiated the 8th ASEAN Smart Cities Network Annual Meeting (ASCN8), the fifth and final ASEAN-level event organized by the ministry this year, further underscoring Malaysia’s regional leadership as the ASEAN chair.
Minister of Housing and Local Government, YB Nga Kor Ming, said ASCN8 goes beyond a meeting of officials, serving as a platform to chart the urban future of more than 680 million ASEAN citizens through stronger regional cooperation and consolidated smart urban policies.
“As ASEAN rapidly urbanises, our challenge is not only to harness growth but to ensure it delivers equity, inclusivity, and resilience. The choices we make today on governance, infrastructure, and technology will shape ASEAN’s trajectory for decades to come,” Nga said in his opening address.
Highlighting the theme “Fostering Stronger Cooperation Towards a Common Goal for Smart and Sustainable Urban Development in ASEAN”, Nga underscored that no single country can meet these challenges alone, stressing the importance of solidarity, knowledge sharing, and collective ambition in realising the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Nga also highlighted the key milestone of the meeting, that is the introduction of the ASEAN Smart City Action Plan (ASCAP) 2026–2035, a blueprint built upon three strategic pillars:
1. Strong Institutions and Data-Driven Governance – to ensure transparency and accountability;
2. Innovation Beyond Capital Cities – to foster balanced regional development; and 3. Cross-Border Collaboration and Standardisation – to create equitable opportunities across ASEAN.
Nga reaffirmed Malaysia’s pledge to amplify ASEAN’s voice at the global stage, particularly in his capacity as President of the UN-Habitat Assembly.
“Malaysia is committed to ensuring ASEAN’s successes in inclusive innovation and climate resilience are integrated into the global urban agenda, advancing the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs,” he added.
ASCN8 continues to be an important platform for ASEAN cities to share best practices, from digital traffic management in Ho Chi Minh City to flood warning systems in Jakarta and heritage-driven planning in Penang, demonstrating the power of local innovation in addressing shared urban challenges.
“Smart cities are not only about technology – they are about bridging gaps between rich and poor, analogue and digital, urban and rural. With ASCAP 2026–2035 as our guide, let us build not only smarter cities, but kinder and more inclusive cities, ensuring no one is left behind.” said Nga.
The ASCN8 is being held in Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur from 8-12 September, bringing together ASEAN Member States, dialogue partners, and stakeholders to forge stronger cooperation towards a smarter and more sustainable regional future.
For more info, check out KPKT Malaysia.
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