By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 21: Sarawak is looking to Vienna’s Aspern Seestadt, one of Europe’s largest urban mega-projects, to reshape its northern frontier by adopting a smart-city blueprint to drive economic growth in Limbang and Lawas over the next decade.
In a recent statement, this initiative was highlighted during a working visit by a Sarawak government delegation, led by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan to the Austrian urban development project. The site is a renowned example of urban transformation, having turned a former airfield into a thriving, mixed-use district through phased and coordinated planning.
The delegation was received by representatives from Wien 3420 AG, including Executive Board member Robert Gruneis, who shared insights on the project’s long-term development framework and implementation model.
“The Aspern Seestadt model serves as a vital benchmark for integrated planning that combines multiple urban functions within a single coordinated framework.
“The planning approach integrates housing, employment, education, recreation, public transport systems, green spaces, and economic activities in a structured environment, which is highly relevant to Sarawak’s long-term development needs,” he said in a statement.
He added that this approach aligns with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), which prioritizes balanced growth that combines economic expansion with social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment Sarawak (MINTRED), noted that the Austrian experience will help Sarawak strengthen its local planning framework, particularly in ensuring that future development in Limbang and Lawas is both structured and execution-focused.
Specifically, he emphasized the need to incorporate low-carbon and climate-responsive elements into the region’s blueprint, which includes compact urban design, mixed land use, robust public transport connectivity and green infrastructure systems.
“Such planning considerations are important in ensuring that future development in northern Sarawak remains resilient, efficient, and attractive for investment,” Awang Tengah said.
Sarawak is currently laying the groundwork for the Limbang Lawas Local Plan 2035 to guide long-term spatial and economic development in the northern region. Ultimately, the State expects the 2035 master plan to deliver a clearer, more coordinated framework capable of boosting border trade, logistics, tourism, services, and agriculture-based industries, while strengthening regional cooperation with neighboring Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Kalimantan. — DayakDaily
