Kuala lumpur: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has received the MalaysiaGBC Leadership in Sustainable Cities Award 2026 for his role in advancing sustainable urban development. In a Facebook post today, Nga said the recognition reflected the collective efforts of his ministry, local authorities, industry partners, and communities in building cities that are sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nga emphasized that sustainability is a fundamental necessity in the face of rapid urbanization, climate change, and resource scarcity. He noted that sustainability must become a foundational pillar in building homes, designing public spaces, and managing cities effectively.

Nga explained that the ministry is incorporating sustainability across the urban ecosystem through initiatives such as the National Housing Policy 2026-2035. This policy promotes modern construction technologies, including the Industrialised Building System and Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction.

He highlighted the MY Public Space initiative, undertaken in collaboration with UN-Habitat, which aims to develop green, inclusive, and community-centred public spaces. Additionally, smart traffic light systems and command centres are being deployed to improve urban management.

Nga addressed waste management concerns, citing that Malaysia generates more than 39,000 tonnes of solid waste daily. To address this, the country is moving towards a circular economy, guided by the Circular Economy Blueprint 2025-2035 and the development of waste-to-energy facilities.

He also mentioned the Malaysia-Cambridge Urban Platform, which, with expertise from professional bodies such as the Malaysia Green Building Council (MalaysiaGBC), could help develop internationally recognized green assessment tools, particularly for ASEAN.

The award was presented at the MalaysiaGBC Leadership in Sustainability Awards Dinner 2026, held in conjunction with Cities Climate Connect 2026 on Thursday.