MALACCA, Feb 4 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Sri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today proposed that urban resilience and adaptation address poverty eradication and inequality, two issues that are generally associated with urbanisation.

Addressing these issues was one of the key thrusts of the 11th Malaysia Plan which endeavoured to enhance inclusiveness towards an equitable society, he said.

Equitable opportunities must be provided for Malaysians, especially in low-income households in urban centres, to fully participate in economic growth, he said in his keynote address at the 2nd Asia-Pacific Forum on Urban Resilience and Adaptation in Bandar Hilir here.

Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron and Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof were also present at the event. More than 100 people from 31 countries are taking part in the three-day forum. 

Ahmad Zahid said there would be no resilient cities without resilient people and, as such, the effort to build resilient cities must start from the people. 

“Resilience is not just being able to bounce back. It also the ability to grow and prosper despite the shocks and falls. Resilience should be integrated and inclusive,” he said.  

He said urban communities would be further empowered to become a productive and prosperous society by strengthening the family institution, nurturing the potential of youth, enhancing the role of women in development, upholding the needs and interest of children, enhancing the living environment for the elderly and empowering persons with disabilities.

Ahmad Zahid said that as a developing nation, Malaysia firmly believed that national efforts were crucial in achieving sustainable development and a resilient economy.

“In fact, these objectives from the very onset have been incorporated into the government’s five-year development plans since the Third Malaysia Plan,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid said climate resilience and biodiversity protection were also important factors in developing good urban resilience, and that the concept was not new to Malaysia. 

“The past five years have seen the implementation of 194 flood mitigation projects which shielded nearly one million people, and 34 hazard maps were developed to facilitate disaster prevention and development in major risk areas,” he said.

He said flood mitigation efforts would be further improved through innovative solutions, taking into account the intensity and frequency of extreme weather. 

“An action plan for generating investments from flood mitigation is already in place.

“Long-term flood mitigation solutions will be strengthened through the implementation of integrated water resource management, river basin management and flood management,” he said. — Bernama