KUALA LUMPUR: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming urged the international community to promote people-public-private partnerships for sustainable cities and communities.
Speaking at the 12th World Urban Forum Business Assembly in Cairo, Egypt he said a better quality of life for the citizens cannot be delivered without the full participation of the private sector.
“As you know, 70 per cent of all global wealth is in private hands. Without your help as the business assembly, urbanisation will not be sustainable,” he said in his keynote address, adding that good governance was pivotal to ensuring that the 4P principle was executed in a transparent and accountable manner.
To facilitate genuine partnership, he said it was important for member states to develop national physical plans that clearly identify opportunities for co-investments from the private sector.
He further called upon the international community to adopt Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) indicators as the basis for financing and investing in cities.
“More importantly, I call upon multilateral financial institutions to provide financing and grants to enable the private sector to crowd in resources to allow us to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he added.
He added that humanity should be the core value of urban planning and sustainable development in line with the Malaysia MADANI aspirations, adding that Malaysia’s recent progress has been built on a solid partnership with a vibrant business community.
“Together, we have upgraded informal settlements and provided affordable housing and basic services to ensure that no one is left behind in our urbanising world,” he said.
The 12th World Urban Forum brought together ministerial representatives from 84 countries, four heads of state and 1,359 city mayors or representatives, attracting a total of 28,000 registered participants.
Established in 2001 by UN-Habitat, the forum aims to share strategies among countries for addressing urbanisation challenges and collaboratively develop sustainable development solutions.
Meanwhile Nga had officially inaugurated the Malaysia Pavilion at the 12th World Urban Forum, in which the significant event brought Malaysia’s MADANI Humanity Values commitment to an international audience.
In his opening remarks, he emphasised the critical role of human values in sustainable development reflecting Malaysia’s aspirations under the MADANI framework.
“Home is where the heart is, where values are nurtured and where dreams take root. As our cities continue to be hubs of economic growth, we must ensure that they are also places we can call home,” he said.
With over 76 per cent of Malaysia’s population currently living in urban areas—projected to reach 80 per cent by 2030, Nga highlighted the need for cities that embody the best of Malaysian culture, diversity, creativity and resilience.
Nga also outlined the government’s commitment to climate-resilient urban planning, advocating for green building practices and enhancing housing policies to ensure no one was left behind.
“Through initiatives like the People’s Residency Programme, we are dedicated to providing affordable, quality housing, ensuring every Malaysian has a place to call home, regardless of their background or income level,” he added.
The Malaysia Pavilion features 21 exhibition partners including the Selangor State Government, local authorities, private sector representatives, as well as prominent universities and the forum is estimated to have attracted over 28,000 participants from 84 countries, making it a vital platform for global dialogue on sustainable urban development.
