By Amanda L
KUCHING, Oct 26: Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) is progressing towards Smart City Level 2 status after attaining Level 1 under national rating criteria, says Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.
He explained that DBKU is strengthening its smart-city agenda through digitalisation and technology to improve urban governance and service delivery.
“Among the initiatives being implemented are smart street lighting, smart traffic lights, geographic information systems (GIS) and closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems,” he noted during his welcoming address at the Sarawak Urban Forum (SUF) 2.0 at Hikmah Exchange Event Centre (HEEC) today.
These initiatives are supported by DBKU’s i-DBKU platform which provides more efficient, integrated and user-friendly digital services.
Dr Abdul Rahman also highlighted DBKU’s collaboration with the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) through a memorandum of understanding, opening opportunities to utilise space technology and satellite data for urban management.
“The collaboration could support urban planning, environmental monitoring, land-use planning and disaster management, helping the city respond more effectively to future challenges.
“A future-ready city should not be measured solely by modern infrastructure, technological advancement or economic growth, but also by its ability to adapt to change and maintain residents’ quality of life,” he stressed.
He added that urban development must balance environmental protection, heritage preservation and community well-being.
To ensure local policies remain inclusive, DBKU established community councils for children, youth and senior citizens, giving residents across age groups a voice in decisions affecting their environment.
Following these community-focused efforts, DBKU was recognised as a candidate for Child-Friendly City under the Child Friendly Cities in Sarawak 2026 initiative. It was also selected as one of five pilot cities worldwide for the Healthy Cities and Positive Ageing City project running from 2025 to 2027.
Dr Abdul Rahman concluded that the success of a local authority should ultimately be measured not by awards and recognition, but by public satisfaction, community confidence and genuine improvements in residents’ quality of life. — DayakDaily
