KUALA LUMPUR : Kuala Lumpur City Hall has come up with an exciting plan to steer the growth of Kuala Lumpur a world-class city of the future, one that is sustainable yet able to provide the best for all of its occupants and future generations.
Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan believes the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 (KLSP2040), which will oversee the strategic development of the city for the next 20 years, is able to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of the city for all of its people.
“We have undertaken the biggest study this year to provide the basis for this plan that will underline the development of Kuala Lumpur until 2040. We aim to make Kuala Lumpur a world class, smart and intelligent city by 2040, and the development of the city will be sustained by future generations to become the best in Malaysia,” he said.
KLSP2040
The KLSP 2040 is a planning document that contains insights, goals, policies and recommendations to guide the development of Kuala Lumpur for the next 20 years.
The plan sets out the the spatial planning and development framework to be interpreted in detail at the next stage of the development plan.
It is the highest planning document for Kuala Lumpur that drives strategic development in an indicative way. The plan assists in managing physical growth in particular and sectoral growth in general, through a set of goals, policies or implementation measures in line with the vision of the City of Kuala Lumpur.
The first Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan was gazetted in 1984, and the second plan was announced in 2004 and is known as the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020.
In Jan 2018, City Hall commenced studies for the preparation of the draft Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 and now it is currently in the process of publishing the draft for public viewing and participation.
World-class, competitive city
Kuala Lumpur is among the fastest growing cities in Southeast Asia. It has remained Malaysia’s financial and economic centre, cultural centre as well as the capital city.
Nor Hisham said the previous plan needed to be reviewed to accomodate the rapid development, economic changes and latest policies at national level.
“The KLSP2040 will guide development of Kuala Lumpur for the duration of the upcoming planning year. Kuala Lumpur needs to be ready to take on the role of competing internationally in the 21st century. With the changes already in place, it is necessary to come up with a new structure plan to ensure development in Kuala Lumpur is holistically planned with efficient governance,” he said.
City for All
Kuala Lumpur’s vision for the period 2020-2040 is to be the best city for everyone. It is based on the aspirations of the people who want a city that is developing dynamically, while at the same time practising fairness and and prosperity for all, and is sustainable and resilient
It is also to respond to the challenges that Kuala Lumpur faces today in meeting the needs of the population as well as the rising cost of living.
Aiming to achieve equilibrium in urban planning, it will do so by integrating long-term land use with infrastructure and transportation planning, provision of affordable housing, future employment, public and recreational facilities to meet the needs of the population as well as improving the quality of the environment and urban space.
The Draft Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 is a document that proposes the transformation needed to managing resources and adapting actions to social, economic and environmental change for the benefit of the future generations.
Kuala Lumpur’s future planning and development requires a transformation that is in line with future community aspirations for technological change, easy access to information, critical feedback and achievement as well as balance and quality in daily life.
The Kuala Lumpur community is also expected to be more diverse, with a more inclusive and equitable population profile for all groups, as well as vulnerable groups that need to be strengthened.
This transformation is timely and needs to be done in line with the current focus of national and world planning that emphasises partnership, inclusiveness and equality.
Implementation
The vision of Kuala Lumpur as a city for all is expected to be achieved with focus on six goals: Innovative and Productive, Inclusive and Equitable, Healthy and Vibrant, Climate Smart and Low Carbon, Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Mobility, Integrated and Sustainable Development.
To achieve Kuala Lumpur’s Vision and growth goals 71 actions will be translated into the Urban Management Plan and the Spatial Management Plan. The plan translates into strategic direction and actions covering aspects of spatial availability, growth areas for future needs, and biodiversity protection zones.
City Hall executive director (planning) Nurazizi Mokhtar said under the plan, in the area of housing planning, City Hall had taken into account the needs of new home owners, the youth, the elderly as well as other households.
“We are looking at the long term, the next 20 years in the growth of our city. What is important is that we are taking into account the needs of every segment of society,”.
“At present, most of the amenities are located in the city centre, such as facilities for those who are vision impaired. There are tactile aids in the pedestrian path to help them. We hope to extend these facilities to the fringes of the city as well,” he added.
Nurazizi said heavy industries will no longer be located in the city and might be better suited to be located at other cities. “However in Kuala Lumpur, we will focus on spaces for service industries as well as creative industries, both of which provide many employment opportunities for the people,” he said.
CIty Hall is currently in the process of seeking community feedback for the draft plan before it is gazetted.
They will be able to view the plan at the draft KLSP2040 exhibition.
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