SEREMBAN City Council hopes to make the state capital a smart and low-carbon city, Mayor Masri Razali said.

He said this would be realised through strengthening digital infrastructure, facilitating mobility, increasing urban resilience, sustainable environment and community empowerment.

“We want to prioritise safety issues including the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras as well as involving the community.

“It is not just physical changes like buildings but we want to use more of the information technology approach.

“The system will be used more, and people may not need to go to city hall anymore, just go online.

“Investors in this state can just use data… on population numbers, the areas to be explored and so on,” he said at the launch of the Seremban smart and low carbon city action plan 2027 today.

Towards this end, he said RM7.8 million has been allocated to upgrade the existing high-pressure sodium vapour (HPSV) lamps to LED, wi-fi installation, smart portals, and upgrading the Geori and integrated accounting systems.

He said solar panels will be installed at Wisma MBS and Seremban wet market, in addition to plans to expand them to other buildings in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We also will reduce vehicle usage in the city and encourage the use of electric vehicles… in our plan we want to close the roads at a time in certain areas during the weekends,” he said.

He said the council will also develop Nilai town-orientated transport and communication nodes through a chain of economic sectors that promote creative and new incubation, niche markets and alternative tourism.

“In Nilai, there is a commuter station… which has never been utilised for development, while almost 30% of the land in Nilai town is residential.

“I am confident the plan will create a good image for us and thus attract more investors to this district,” he also said.

In the meantime, Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun hopes that other local authorities will also follow, by creating smart and low-carbon cities in line with the national development agenda. – Bernama, March 20, 2023.