PUTRAJAYA: The Housing and Local Government Ministry is set to propose the establishment of "sister cities" between Shanghai and Putrajaya to the cabinet soon.
This initiative aligns with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and Malaysia.
Its minister Nga Kor Ming announced that the government was in discussions with China to form a Smart City alliance with Shanghai, the world's largest smart city.
"We hope to establish a sister-city relationship between Putrajaya and Shanghai," he said at a press conference today.
This proposal follows Nga's visit to Shanghai last October, where he observed advancements in smart city projects.
Meanwhile, he also did not rule out the possibility of implementing a comprehensive surveillance system similar to Shanghai's, which includes facial recognition technology.
"In Putrajaya, everything is under surveillance… whether it's a car accident or a vehicle falling into a drain, everything is being monitored. Shanghai's system is even more comprehensive, with facial recognition technology," he added.
Nga said that Shanghai's high-definition cameras contributed to its high safety levels, with no reported cases of snatching or theft.
"If the system proves effective, why not adopt it here?" he said.
Nga is currently preparing a cabinet paper to seek endorsement for the initiative, aiming to present it before Hari Malaysia, with Shanghai already in agreement.