GEORGE TOWN, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- Penang has launched two strategic smart city development plans to strengthen data and technology integration, as well as improve urban management efficiency towards more sustainable state development.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the Penang State Smart City Master Plan 2040 and the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Smart City Action Plan 2030 would serve as important platforms for coordinating various smart city initiatives and ensuring that the benefits of development were felt by the people.
“I welcome the launch of the Penang State Smart City Master Plan 2040 today as a long-term direction to coordinate smart city initiatives and strengthen the state's data and technology integration.
“The development of the Penang Urban Intelligence Observatory, State Data Exchange and Smart Penang Dashboard are strategic components in establishing an integrated state data ecosystem to support more accurate and effective decision-making and action,” he said.
He was speaking at the 2026 Penang State-level World Town Planning Day celebration at the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre here today.
Chow said the MBPP Smart City Action Plan 2030 would serve as a platform to translate smart city development aspirations into initiatives that meet residents' needs.
He said strategic and data-driven urban planning was crucial in addressing various challenges, including floods, traffic congestion, solid waste management and rising urban temperatures.
He said Penang continued to strengthen its position as a leading contributor to the country's economy, with the state's exports reaching RM113.2 billion in September 2026.
“From January to June 2026, a total of 177 manufacturing projects were approved, involving investments worth RM17.32 billion and potentially creating 19,337 job opportunities,” he said.
He said these economic achievements needed to be supported by strategic urban planning, quality infrastructure and sustainable resource management to ensure that economic growth also translated into an improved quality of life for the people.
Meanwhile, state Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the Penang State Smart City Master Plan 2040, prepared by PLANMalaysia Penang, outlined the direction for smart city development based on seven key sectors.
He said the sectors comprised Smart People, Smart Living, Smart Environment, Smart Government, Smart Economy, Smart Mobility and Smart Digital Infrastructure, with emphasis on the adoption of technology, innovation and digitalisation to improve urban management efficiency and the quality of service delivery to the people.
“By 2040, the state government aims to develop a more mature and integrated smart city ecosystem through stronger governance, digital infrastructure, data integration and the adoption of smart technologies in urban planning and management,” he said.
H’ng said the MBPP Smart City Action Plan 2030 focused on the efficiency of municipal services, mobility management, digital infrastructure, environmental sustainability and community well-being to improve residents' quality of life.
The 2026 Penang State-level World Town Planning Day celebration, themed “Our Cities, Our Future, Together Shaping a Prosperous, Resilient and Thriving Penang”, was organised by PLANMalaysia Penang in collaboration with MBPP.
-- BERNAMA
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