Yong (centre) is seen during a photo call with (from left) Ismail, DBKU director Dr Saadiah Abd Samad (second left), Mohd Fadrillah and DBKU Development and Landscape deputy director Durie Austine.
KUCHING: Malaysia must maximise the potential of the landscape industry to drive the country towards a higher income economy.
Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said landscape architects have the ability to create development that will ensure the establishment of living environments that balances and complements the rapid growth of economic sector developments such as housing, industry, agriculture and public facilities.
“Landscape professional expertise is needed to help develop a viable built environment industry to support and contribute to the nation’s economic growth,” he said in a speech for the Malaysian Landscape Architecture Awards and Gala Night Dinner on Tuesday.
His speech was read by ministry deputy secretary-general (policy and development) Datuk Yong Bun Fou, who represented him at the dinner held in conjunction with the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Asia Pacific Congress 2014.
Abdul Rahman said the creativity of landscape architects generates landscape potentials to serve as catalysts for the development of the tourism sector.
“Furthermore, a more comprehensive effort needs to be geared towards increasing continuous landscape research and development activities to support quality and competitive landscape development.
“I would like to see if landscape architects could play multi-functional roles in providing systematic and efficient plans, implement and manage green infrastructure to address the issues of global warming and climate change.”
Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM) president Mohd Fadrillah Mohd Taib said landscape, as a by-product of man and the environment, can benefit the country in terms of economy, social well-being, integration and quality of environment.
“Nevertheless, to achieve the target, we need good landscape architectural planning and design and in order to produce a good one, we need to have good landscape architects, who understand how landscape can be designed in tandem with environment values, conforming to people’s needs.”
Mohd Fadrillah said it is time landscape architects in Malaysia be formally recognised in order for them to fulfil their professional duties at the highest level.
“Therefore, ILAM hopes that the process to have the Landscape Architects Act can be expedited. The Act is very important not only to us landscape architects to carry out out professional duties but also to protect the people at large.
“Without the Act, no professionals are liable for any misfortune in our landscape spaces and I believe we, landscape architects, are ready to assume the responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) and Kuching South City Council (MBKS) were awarded the excellence and honour award in the City Council and Government Agency – Green City Awards category.
DBKU won for its Kuching Esplanade project while MBKS won for its Palmarium Park project.
In the Landscape Consultancy Category – Landscape Design Awards, local company Urbanscape Consultants Sdn Bhd was awarded the honour award for the Residence 8 project landscape design.
The project of the year award went to Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd for its Verve Suites Mont Kiara project in Kuala Lumpur.
Among those present were Local Government and Community Development Ministry permanent secretary Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, IFLA Asia Pacific vice-president Datuk Ismail Ngah and Kuching South Mayor Datuk James Chan.