PENANG government has always been actively cooperating with private companies to move towards the goal of becoming a smart state.
State Housing, Local Government, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh said the state has carried out a series of initiatives during a 2019 Malaysian-Taiwan Smart City and Green Technology forum at Spice Convention Centre in Relau on June 5.
Several participants, speakers and urban scholars from Taiwan and Penang were invited to attend and exchange ideas on the creation of a smart city as well as achivement of a better sustainable green environment.
“At present, Penang’s 3G network coverage rate has reached 100%, and 4G coverage rate is at 97.7%. The Penang government is also preparing to move towards the 5G era,” Jagdeep said in his speech.
He pointed out that among the several initiatives Penang took were the Penang Digital Library, S.T.E.A.M. lab and Maker Fair, Smart Bus Stop, Trash 2 Treasure effort, Crush Aedes Totally (CAT), Intelligent Operation Centre and Penang smart parking (launching in August 2019).
Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Centre (ISTI), Industrial Technology Research Institute deputy general director Dr Jack Chang, who was also present, said many local governments or countries were aiming towards achieving sustainable city.
“Today’s forum brings together private companies and related organisations to share their insights on smart cities and explore how to use them together. Different ways to move towards the same goal,” Dr Chang said in his speech.
Also present were TAITRA president cum chief executive officer Walter Ming S. Yeh, Penang Institute analyst Tan Lii Inn and other invited guests.
Story by K.Thaarshenii
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis