KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Malaysia and China have agreed to strengthen cooperation in developing smart city pilot projects, with plans to establish smart city command centres in Malaysia’s second-tier cities like Ipoh and Seberang Perai.
The initiative was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and China’s Housing and Urban-Rural Development Minister Ni Hong, in conjunction with the Asean-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction 2025 in Guilin, China.
Nga said these projects will serve as living laboratories for testing smart technologies, energy-efficient designs and community-centric housing models.
“By collaborating with China, we can foster mutual learning and adapt proven solutions to local contexts, from smart home integration and digital infrastructure to artificial intelligence-driven housing management, data-driven urban services, and affordable housing models for middle-and low-income groups,” he said in a statement.
As part of the collaboration, Malaysia will draw lessons from China’s advanced urban platforms, like Hangzhou’s City Brain and Shenzhen’s Smart City Data Platform, to establish smart city pilot projects.
The pilot projects include deployment of smart infrastructure, including energy-efficient systems, home automation, smart metering, and IoT-based building management, as well as digital connectivity for residents, including integrated apps for facilities booking, security, maintenance, and community engagement.
Also included are green features such as solar energy, waste separation systems and water-saving technologies, as well as social innovation in housing design, with elderly-friendly and family-centric elements.
During the meeting, Nga also invited China to participate in the Asean+3 Real Estate Conference (AREC) 2026, which will, for the first time, welcome South Korea and Japan as strategic partners.
The four-day event will be held from July 29, 2026, at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) in Kuala Lumpur.
He also proposed an exchange training programme between Malaysian and Chinese government officials to enhance skills in urban planning and public policy.
“The exchange programme will provide a valuable platform for our government officials to share expertise and learn best practices. This collaboration should not end at knowledge-sharing alone but be followed through with project implementation in Malaysia,” Nga said.
As the UN-Habitat Assembly president, the minister also welcomed China to play a more active role in advancing the global urban agenda through financial contributions and policy endorsements.
He encouraged China to support the integration of the New Urban Agenda into the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), whereby the document is scheduled to be launched at the Fourth Ministerial Meeting on Urbanisation and Climate Change (MM4) on November 11, in conjunction with the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
“Urban challenges are no longer confined within national borders. Advocating the New Urban Agenda requires a truly global approach, where countries work hand in hand to integrate sustainability and inclusivity into urban development,” Nga said.
Malaysia stands ready to work with China and the international community to ensure that no one and no place is left behind in the pursuit towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the 2030 Agenda.
