IPOH: The Ipoh City Council (MBI), in collaboration with the Urban and Rural Planning Department (PLANMalaysia) and the Malaysian Institue of Planners, is the proud recipient of two awards from the Malaysia Urban Planning Awards (MUPA) and the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP).
The awards are the Smart City Rating Award, and the Outstanding Planning Achievement Award, bestowed to showcase the best examples of urban planning practices.
In a statement here today (November 9), MBI said it will receive a special grant of RM200,000 from the Local Government Development Ministry (KPKT) for the Smart City initiative.
"This is the start of Ipoh City's development to achieve a Smart City status towards our Visionary Smart City 2030," read the statement, adding that it is the first local authority in Malaysia to receive the awards.
Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin received the special grant from the Ministry's secretary-general, Datuk M Noor Azman Taib in Putrajaya, this morning (November 9).
MBI entered the Concubine Lane under the title of "Rejuvenation Of Concubine Lane" in the category of planning for the conservation of the built and natural environment and cultural heritage, as a redevelopment and improvement initiative.
The statement added that the recognition also has a positive impact and significant benefits to MBI locally as well as internationally, through an increase in the number of tourists as well as higher rentals for the building owners.
"The rent for an old two-storey shop lot in Concubine Lane is now up to RM7,900 per month. And the hipster cafes around the area also place Ipoh as the sixth most attractive destination by Lonely Planet," it said.
There were six categories in the CAP Awards this year, namely Planning for the Climate Emergency/Move to Net Zero; Planning for Cities and Human Settlements / Plan Making in the Commonwealth; Planning for Equitable and Inclusive Cities and Human Settlements; Planning in Response to Natural or Technological Disasters; Planning for the Conservation of the Built and Natural Environment; and the Cultural Heritage dan Young Planner Award.
The awards were presented by CAP President Eleanor Mohammed during the 2023 National Planning Congress held at Kompleks Persidangan Perbadanan Putrajaya, yesterday (November 8).
The CAP Award is held to spread excellent planning practices in Commonwealth countries which can then be adopted throughout other Commonwealth countries.
It also aims to promote how science and planning can benefit people and improve the well-being of communities in Commonwealth countries. – BERNAMA