Three major events set to turn KL into urban development nexus in August
The Housing and Local Government Minister said that the Asean Sustainable Urbanisation Forum (ASUF), Asean Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF) and Meeting of Governors and Mayors of Asean Capitals (MGMAC) are scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the three annual events, organised by his ministry, will be from Aug 10 to 15.
Nga said the three events, themed "Asean Future Cities and Regions: Inclusivity and Sustainability", would focus on four core aspects during an estimated 150 forums and sessions.
These are: developing climate-resilient cities; inclusive, healthy, and caring cities; digital transformation and innovation; and possible collaborative pathways to sustainability in the region.
'These will not merely be abstract ideals but will be presented as blueprints anchored in actionable solutions, real case studies, and policy recommendations.
'This will empower leaders and participants to respond to urban challenges with clarity and commitment,' he said in his speech at the pre-launch ceremony for the three events on Tuesday (July 8).
He added that the events are expected to draw in over 8,000 participants over the six days.
They will include key figures in urban development such as mayors, governors, academics and private sector leaders from over 500 cities across the region and the world.
'This is not just an honour, it is a testament to the world's trust in our values and vision to advance inclusive, people-focused and sustainable urban development.
'This is a golden opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment and dedication to advancing sustainable urban development, not only at the national level but also across the region.
'This could be the defining chapter in both Malaysia and Asean's story in transforming our cities into beacons of sustainability, inclusivity and hope,' he said.
Nga invited more local partners, institutions, individuals and urban actors to join the events for the betterment of the nation.
He also said that Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana) and GoKL Buses would be the official transport partners for the three events, serving as both public transportation and mobile ambassadors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Anwar lays out vision for more equitable world
IN Rio de Janeiro this week, the city welcomed leaders for the BRICS Summit. A fresh voice entered the conversation: Malaysia, a newly engaged BRICS partner country and current chair of Asean. Moments after touching down, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was ushered on stage alongside President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to open the BRICS Business Forum. The prime minister delivered an address that was personal and relatable and uplifting. At the core of his speech was a simple truth: the developing world can no longer be seen as peripheral players in a system built elsewhere. We are not relics of post-colonial history. We are rising powers in our own right, armed with moral capital, technological capacity and economic ambition. Anwar did not merely speak for Malaysia and Asean. He articulated for the Global South its pursuit of a more equitable, responsive and plural future. There was particular praise for President Lula, whose principled leadership has steered BRICS beyond rhetoric into something more consequential: a coalition with real potential to influence global structures. Today's BRICS, Anwar noted, is not just a forum of statesmen. It includes the voices of the private sector, youth, women and civil society. That gives it a level of resilience, inclusivity and legitimacy that Bretton Woods institutions do not have, weighed down by their hierarchical and opaque structures. Anwar's message marked clarity of purpose: Malaysia, and the Global South too, want to engage all, defer to none, and recast the architecture of global cooperation frameworks from the prism of developing nations. As chair of Asean, Malaysia brings a regional mandate grounded in multilateralism, economic openness and collective agency. Anwar addressed Asean's drive to strengthen intra-regional trade and investment, deepen financial integration and promote local currencies for cross-border transactions, towards a more stable, diversified and less dollar-dependent system. Building on this vision, the BRICS private sector could push innovative frameworks in finance, via green sukuk, climate-aligned instruments and sustainability-linked vehicles, as levers for systemic transformation. In his interventions at the Leaders' Summit, Anwar made a strong case for closer BRICS-Asean ties. Both reflect the ambitions of the Global South, not to disrupt global order, but to rebalance it. As economic bifurcation deepens and supply chains collapse, this dialogue helps to rebuild connectivity, fortify inter-regional trade and investment, and enhance collaboration in the sectors that matter. Anwar called for nothing less than reform of the major postwar institutions, such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation, in order to reflect the 21st-century world. The existing multilateral architecture is fraying, not for lack of ideals, but in terms of responsiveness and the failure to evolve. On the notion that Malaysia's partnership with BRICS is demonstrative of a geo-economic deflection from the West, particularly the United States, Anwar made it unequivocally clear that the US remains Malaysia's top source of foreign direct investment. In terms of trade, the United States continues to be Malaysia's third-largest partner, a position it has held since 2015. Thus, any suggestion of a shift, strategic or otherwise, is groundless. That said, BRICS represents not a counterweight, but a counterproposal deeply rooted in inclusion, equity and shared sovereignty. It embodies a vision of balanced multilateralism that is networked, adaptive and genuinely plural. Make no mistake: what we saw in Rio was not a symbolic appearance. It was Malaysia stepping into a new role as bridge-builder, regional convenor and vocal proponent of a more equitable global economy. That momentum continues in October, when Malaysia hosts the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur that Lula has pledged to attend — a testament to the growing stature of this partnership. The path forward is clear: not a retreat from the multilateral order, but its reform. Not a rejection of global engagement, but its redistribution. Not a rivalry of blocs, but a realignment of priorities.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
FMM seeks swift diplomatic and domestic interventions to counter US tariff impact
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) has called on the government to intensify its diplomatic and policy response following the United States' announcement of a 25 per cent blanket tariff on Malaysian exports. Its president, Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai, said these efforts must be escalated to secure an immediate deferral of the Aug 1, 2025, implementation and work toward a longer-term exemption or rollback. He said the newly announced 25 per cent blanket tariff, if implemented as scheduled, is expected to intensify these pressures across the board, particularly for companies operating on thin margins or bound by long-term supply contracts. "Malaysia's case must be urgently elevated at the highest levels of US policymaking, supported by strong data and strategic positioning that highlight our value to US supply chains. "At the same time, domestic countermeasures must be rolled out to support affected industries, including targeted financial relief, strengthened export promotion, and fast-tracked structural reforms to enhance cost efficiency and competitiveness," said Soh in a statement today. To support exporters in weathering current shocks and repositioning for growth, he recommended enhancing export facilitation by increasing the Market Development Grant ceiling, removing the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) administrative fees for trade missions led by associations, and providing targeted incentives for branding, certification, and digital market access. Soh noted that Malaysia must drive productivity-led growth by accelerating Industry 4.0 adoption through tax incentives, digitalisation grants for small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), and low-interest financing for technology upgrades. "These incentives must be backed by workforce upskilling programmes and inclusive access to government support funds, ensuring all firms can participate in the transition. "In addition, foreign worker levy collections should be redirected into dedicated funds to support apprenticeship schemes and high-tech investment," he said. Soh highlighted that Malaysia should lead efforts under its ASEAN chairmanship to establish a regional ASEAN Supply Chain Coordination Council. He said that this will ensure cohesive regional responses to global trade shocks, reduce overreliance on external supply chains and enhance intra-ASEAN production linkages, policy alignment, and supply chain resilience. "At the strategic level, Malaysia must actively expand its trade architecture by accelerating the conclusion of the Malaysia-European Union Free Trade Agreement and intensifying negotiations with new and emerging markets, including in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. "A broader and more diversified trade base is essential to reduce reliance on any single export destination and reinforce Malaysia's global competitiveness amid continued external shocks," Soh emphasised. The federation also urges the government to review and reform the Sales and Service Tax (SST) structure by introducing a business-to-business (B2B) service tax exemption for licensed manufacturers, automatically applied upon provision of a valid sales tax licence number. He said the long-term solution must be the creation of a tax framework that fully removes the tax-on-tax element and restores neutrality across the manufacturing supply chain. - Bernama
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
US consumers ultimately the ones to bear increase in palm oil prices: Johari
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will not be significantly impacted by the newly imposed US tariff as the country primarily export products to the US that cannot be easily sourced or substituted domestically. Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the tariff hike announced on Monday – raising duties on Malaysian goods from 10% to a combined 25% – targets a range of exports, but Malaysia's unique position in the global supply chain offers some protection from the effects. 'We are not the only country affected by these measures. What I want to emphasise is that, out of our total exports valued at RM186 billion, only about RM20 billion are exported to the US. 'Within this RM20 billion, our main exports to the US include rubber products, such as rubber gloves, furniture and wood products, oleochemicals, including palm oil and cocoa. 'When it comes to palm oil specifically, there is essentially no alternative available in the US market. Soybean oil cannot be converted into the same oleochemicals that our palm oil products provide. 'If the US imposes a 25% tariff on our products, it will ultimately be American consumers who bear the additional cost,' he told reporters at Malaysia Palm Oil Council's trade networking visit with international buyers today. Using rubber gloves as an example, Johari stated that Malaysia is not the only producer; China and Vietnam also manufacture them, and their exports face similarly high US tariffs, in some cases even higher than those imposed on Malaysia. 'This creates a highly competitive environment. The same applies to furniture; many countries produce furniture, including Malaysia. 'Ultimately, buyers make their decisions based on design and quality. If our designs are unique and appealing, there will still be demand, even if tariffs raise the final price. 'If the US imposes tariffs of 10% plus 25% or 5% plus 25%, that simply becomes part of the cost for buyers,' Johari said. Touching on exports, Johari said that last year, 40% of Malaysia's palm oil exports were directed to North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asean markets, beyond Malaysia's traditional trading partners. Exports to North Africa increased by 63.5% in 2024, while Sub-Saharan Africa saw a 26% year-on-year rise during the first five months of 2025. He said that this growing reliance on Malaysian palm oil to meet edible oil requirements highlights the importance of strengthening long-term partnerships and ensuring efficient and stable supply chains. 'Each region represented here today has distinct drivers of palm oil demand. In North Africa, Egypt serves as a strategic re-export hub, supplying markets across the region. In Sub-Saharan Africa, demand is rising for industrial applications, particularly in food processing, whereas in Asean, rapid growth in refining and food manufacturing continues to drive the need for a high-quality, reliable palm oil supply.' Johari said that by supporting the development of the downstream sector, Malaysia aims to embed its palm oil more firmly into local and regional value chains, adding economic value beyond the supply of raw materials. 'This approach not only strengthens supply chain integration, but also encourages joint ventures, technology transfer and local processing partnerships, fostering a long-term, resilient and shared industrial growth.' At the networking session, Johari said that for many decades, Malaysia has been a top producer of palm oil in the world. The palm oil plantation area in this country covers roughly 5.7 million hectares across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. The commodity is an export-oriented sector for the Malaysian economy, with 15.4 million tonnes out of the 19.3 million tonnes, or 80% of the palm oil produced was exported in 2024.
