By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 14: A conversation last year between Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Mayor Dato Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif has resulted in the first partnership between the two councils, aimed at fostering innovation in city management, enhancing public spaces, and promoting sustainable urban growth.
Wee said the idea emerged when they realised MBKS had yet to form such a partnership with a fellow Malaysian city, despite having ties with eight cities in China, one in South Korea, and one in Japan.
The milestone was formalised today in Kuala Lumpur with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which Wee described as a privilege as it marked a partnership that will shape the way both cities grow, innovate, and serve their residents.
The MoU outlines five key objectives: sharing best practices on smart city governance and technology, improving urban landscapes and public spaces, promoting local food heritage and gastronomy tourism, encouraging healthy lifestyles and community wellness, and supporting sustainable, environmentally friendly city development.
Under the agreement, both councils will cooperate through knowledge exchange and training, joint events, campaigns and pilot projects, study visits and staff attachments, as well as participation in each other’s city programmes.
Wee said DBKL has long been a benchmark for city governance in Malaysia, with proven experience in managing a complex and fast-growing metropolis.
“We look at DBKL’s integrated transport initiatives, its smart city applications and its urban regeneration programmes. These are proven ideas that we can adapt to benefit Kuching South,” he said.
He added that MBKS also brings significant strengths, being recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and a Craft City, a member of the Alliance for Healthy Cities, and the first local authority in Sarawak to join the WHO Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities.
“These recognitions reflect our expertise in cultural tourism, community wellness, and inclusive urban design,” he said.
Wee further stated that the benefits of this collaboration are clear, as MBKS’s UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative can work alongside DBKL’s community education programmes to create safer and more nurturing spaces for children.
“Our Age-Friendly City strategies can benefit from DBKL’s experience in urban accessibility. DBKL’s smart parking and urban mobility systems can be adapted to improve convenience and efficiency in Kuching South.
“Beyond projects and programmes, this partnership will open doors for staff development, with teams from both councils gaining exposure to new methods, tools, and perspectives. This will strengthen institutional capacity and foster a culture of innovation within both organisations.”
Residents, he said, will see the impact in cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods, better connectivity, more vibrant public spaces, and stronger community engagement in both cities.
“This is not a competition but a partnership built on mutual respect and shared ambition. Together, we can build cities that are efficient, sustainable, and humane,” Wee stressed. — DayakDaily
