Nga (centre) leads the gimmick to launch the Malaysia SDG Cities Network and World Habitat Day at the Hikmah Exchange Events Centre in Kuching. Also on stage are Tiang (right) and Hilmy (second left). — Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Nov 7): Twenty-four local governments and councils in Sarawak have already embarked on their Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Cities Roadmap to achieve the 17 SDG Goals and 169 targets set by the United Nations (UN).
In stating this, federal Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming says the government has made it compulsory for all local governments and councils in the country to embark on the roadmap.
“I was informed that out of 155 local councils in the country, 45 have already embarked on their SDG Cities Roadmap to achieve the 17 SDG Goals and 169 targets. Six of them have submitted their ‘Voluntary Local Review’ report of progress to the UN, and 24 of the 45 are in Sarawak.
“In 2024, we will have an additional 20 local authorities that have agreed and committed to the preparation of the SDG city roadmap,” he said his speech for the ‘Malaysia SDG Cities Network and World Habitat Day’ launch, held in conjunction with the 2023 Malaysia Urban Forum at the Hikmah Exchange Events Centre here yesterday.
According to information on the UN website, the SDGs – also known as the ‘Global Goals’ – were adopted by the UN in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people could enjoy peace and prosperity.
There are 17 goals under the list of SDGs in which they are also integrated, recognising that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.
Meanwhile at the event here, Nga also said his ministry’s Malaysia SDG Cities programme conducted by Urbanice, a centre of excellence under the ministry, was encouraging cities and towns nationwide to develop their 2030 SDG Roadmap.
“The programme also empowers local stakeholders to undertake programmes and projects aligned to the global and national goals. This is important as Malaysian cities need to set their own pathways and targets to address local challenges.
“At the same time, it determines local actions to ensure that future developments will take place in a more responsible, integrated and sustainable manner. We must strengthen our bottom-up feedback system to ensure integration and co-operation on policy matters and better coordination of action plans to reduce mismatch between real needs and plans,” he said.
On the Malaysia SDG Cities Network, which was launched during the event, the federal minister said it was actually a network of local authorities, organisations and communities that were working towards the UN SDGs in Malaysia.
The network would assist to achieve the full potential in delivering sustainable solutions to pressing urban development challenges faced by cities and communities today, and would garner six multi-stakeholders partnerships as a key driver in formulating a more holistic development framework and to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs by 2030, he elaborated.
“This will further promote greater coherence among the development activities of different development providers as we enhance the liveability of our communities in cities.”
On a related matter, Nga said as the national focal point to coordinate UN-Habitat’s related activities in Malaysia, this year his ministry had lined up various programmes and activities for the World Habitat Day.
Also present yesterday were Deputy Minister II for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang and Kuching North Datuk Bandar Hilmy Othman.