Amsterdam is a renowned smart city. – filepic
SELANGOR is set to become a “smart state” by 2025 with the state government giving priority to developing effective technology infrastructure to improve the quality of life of Selangor folk.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Azmin Ali said this during the Selangor Smart City International Conference 2016 held at a hotel in Shah Alam.
Azmin’s speech at the event was read out by State Education, Human Capital Development, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
“In our endeavour to develop Selangor as a smart state, there must be infrastructure for Smart City security and more effective methods in crime monitoring and emergency response.
“We need to think beyond just incorporating the infrastructure, and look at how the hardware interact with the community seamlessly at all times.
“In developing the blueprint, the state government must be guided by the philosophy of promoting social inclusion and actively engage citizens and address urban challenges using technology as a key enabler.
“We need a more inclusive and citizen-led ecosystem with greater opportunities, with its people spurring economic growth and innovation that will ensure that the rakyat is more involved and by 2025, a smart state status will be obtained,” he said.
Nik Nazmi presenting the keynote address on behalf of Azmin Ali at the Selangor Smart City International Conference 2016.
He added that greater attention must be paid towards leveraging on Selangor’s position as an innovation hub for smart city technologies given the fact that it has the highest number of educational institutions and colleges in the country.
“By leveraging on technology, the Smart Selangor development plan aims to address top priority challenges, stimulate investments, enhance efficiency and create next generation jobs to fuel sustainable growth.
“The key is to evolve at a more rapid pace.
“We also need to provide solutions to the new Gen Y predicament who make up 45% of the workforce population and are poised to become leaders of the state and country.
“However, this particular generation is particularly concerned about their economic survival amid high cost of living and increased financial burdens.
“To ensure Selangor continues to grow organically, Smart Selangor must outline a framework that allows Gen Y to have a say in the state’s economic policy,” he said.
In the recent tabling of the Selangor State Budget 2017, the state government allocated RM22mil for the Smart Digital Ecosystem, with RM14mil set aside to develop Big Data Command and Control Centre as well as a Smart Apps Development Platform.
The remaining RM8mil will go towards an IoT (Internet of Things) centre as well as to strengthen WiFi Selangorku.
Delegates from Taipei City shared their definition of what a Smart City is at the conference. –filepic
The two-day Selangor Smart City International Conference saw local and international experts sharing their ideas on the concept of a Smart City.
Selangor Information Technology and E-Commerce Council chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping explained that the two-day conference was to not only hear from experts around the world but also conduct business matching between various tech giants and start-ups.
“International experts from Barcelona and Amsterdam, which are both world renowned Smart Cities, as well as Taipei City, one of the leading Smart Cities in Asia and Malaysia’s own Cyberjaya shared their knowledge with the audience.
“We heard from the biggest names in technology industry such as IBM, HuaWei and Microsoft on their experience in providing solutions on global standards.
“The next Smart City International Conference will be held in conjunction with the Selangor International Expo in September next year,” he said.
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