Penang:Penang has announced the launch of two strategic smart city development plans aimed at enhancing data and technology integration and improving urban management efficiency for sustainable state development.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow introduced the Penang State Smart City Master Plan 2040 and the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Smart City Action Plan 2030 as key platforms to coordinate smart city initiatives and ensure that the benefits reach the populace.
Chow emphasized the significance of the Penang Urban Intelligence Observatory, State Data Exchange, and Smart Penang Dashboard as integral components in creating an interconnected state data ecosystem. This ecosystem is intended to support more precise and effective decision-making processes.
At the 2026 Penang State-level World Town Planning Day celebration held at the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre, Chow highlighted the necessity of strategic and data-driven urban planning in tackling issues such as floods, traffic congestion, waste management, and rising urban temperatures.
He also mentioned Penang's strengthening position as a major economic contributor, with exports reaching RM113.2 billion in September 2026. From January to June of the same year, 177 manufacturing projects were approved, involving RM17.32 billion in investments and potentially creating 19,337 jobs.
State Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee Chairman H'ng Mooi Lye stated that the Penang State Smart City Master Plan 2040, crafted by PLANMalaysia Penang, focuses on seven key sectors Smart People, Smart Living, Smart Environment, Smart Government, Smart Economy, Smart Mobility, and Smart Digital Infrastructure. The plan underscores the importance of technology, innovation, and digitalization in enhancing urban management and service delivery.
H'ng also noted that the MBPP Smart City Action Plan 2030 aims to enhance municipal services, mobility management, digital infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and community well-being to improve residents' quality of life. The World Town Planning Day celebration was organized by PLANMalaysia Penang in collaboration with MBPP, under the theme 'Our Cities, Our Future, Together Shaping a Prosperous, Resilient and Thriving Penang.'