LETTERS: Development takes place when comfortable shelters are built. For expressways and buildings are constructed to fulfil the country's aspiration towards achieving full potential as a developed nation.
Such constructions come with unintended consequences. Environmentalists and experts have looked forward for ecological balance as development continues.
So, change the conventional development method to a more responsible approach.
Such a hope continues when sustainable development was introduced in 1987. Since then, Malaysia was a part of many environmental and sustainable awareness programmes on climate change.
In 1974, Environmental Quality Act was enacted to mitigate and control environmental damage. But, under the Look East Policy, rapid mega developments continued.
Concern for ecosystem destruction drove Malaysia to formulate the New Economic Model (NEM) in 2009, which echoed aspirations underlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
To pursue sustainable development, Malaysia practises what was already established for decades.
Moving the government administrative centre to Putrajaya is a good example of sustainable development. Putrajaya is conceptualised as an intelligent city or "city-in-a-garden", which involves integration with natural environment.
It is divided into 20 precincts. Now, there are more precincts with 40 per cent of the city being designated solely on open space. Putrajaya's planning involves planting of shaded trees, 200ha of wetlands and an artificial lake of 400ha.
These are carbon sinks, created to restore the polluted Chua and Bisa river systems caused by agricultural activities.
Oil palm plantations were converted into wetlands to operate in stormwater treatment and control floods. The wetland encompasses 650ha, of which 197ha comprise 24 wetland areas.
The planning prevents major flooding and creates a 38km-long scenic waterfront view and home to more than 200 bird species.
However, not all development projects embrace the full notion of sustainable development. Shah Alam was formerly known as Sungai Renggam, similar to Putrajaya.
On Dec 18 last year, 316.5mm rainfall caused Shah Alam's worst flood.
Nobody could have predicted the adverse effects of climate change. Recent floods bring to light the need for sustainable development implementation.
Sungai Klang capacity is dependent on tidal conditions and 70 per cent of the river is a major waterway that flows through Shah Alam and joins with Sungai Damansara.
The Sungai Damansara basin area is 141 sq km. The developed area comprises 116.4 sq km and forest covers 24.6 sq km, indicating that Shah Alam has high urbanisation. It is a concrete jungle, another flooding factor.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's speech in Dewan Rakyat, when tabling the 12th Malaysia Plan, mooted that the development of resilient green cities will be intensified, whereby 120 cities are targeted to achieve sustainable city status.
The Green City Action Plan initiatives will be implemented and multidimensional big data analytics system introduced.
It is hoped that sustainable development with climate change will be seriously considered before a development is allowed.
In 2017, Penang was hit by a tropical disturbance. Rainfall of 315mm in a single day resulted in one of its worst floods.
Then, the peninsula was struck with the same tropical disturbance, resulting in many deaths and untold damage. In the past, Malaysia only suffered minor typhoon effects.
Recently, the country suffered more frequent direct hits and fatalities.
All future developments in Malaysia will have to adhere to the stipulated guidelines underlined in New Urban Agenda (NUA), adopted by 170 countries at the UN Habitat III Summit in Quito, Ecuador in 2016.
NUA, an urbanisation blueprint, will be implemented by all cities and its stakeholders, in support of the 2030 Agenda, in making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
EMINDER KAUR A/P KAWAN SINGH
Senior Training Consultant, Cluster For Public Policy and Governance, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN)
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times