KOTA KINABALU: State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor has called on the town planners to adopt a people-centric approach in pursuing sustainable development.
He said this was in line with the concept of 1Malaysia, which prioritised the interest of the people above all else.
"For example, open space in housing areas should be strategically located, accessible and useable. It should be designed in a such a way to be able to accommodate sport and recreational facilities or activities and in a big housing development, there should be a community facility such as multipurpose hall," he said.
Hajiji said this when opening the World Town Planning Day Conference, themed Planning Quest For Sustainability and People Centric, on Nov 10.
On sustainable development, he said the impact of other development sectors, including agricultural development, on the environment must not be overlooked.
"I believe that to develop sustainably means to be unselfish, to think of others as we develop and use the resources nature has endowed to us. To think especially of the next generation who will either enjoy the fruit of our wise usage of our resources or suffer the consequences of our inaction or our greed," he said.
In this respect, Hajiji said it was imperative that the Department of Town and Regional Planning in Sabah play a leading role to pursue sustainable development.
Therefore, he said, this conference was timely and appropriate, particularly in exploring new ideas.
"We should explore the Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS). If need be, challenge status quo. After all, the basic purpose of planning is to make our state a better place to live in," he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Hajiji said the state government would monitor and set the maximum parking fees, especially in new private-owned car parks in the state capital, soon.
"We want to ensure that they do not charge exhorbitant parking fees," he said. He said Kota Kinabalu City Hall was trying its level best to provide parking lots for cars, thereby minimising congestion. -- Bernama
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