‘City status will accelerate development’
Community leaders believe that Seberang Prai’s city status will accelerate its development.
Penang Heritage Trust vicepresident Khoo Salma Nasution said Seberang Prai could enhance its planning capabilities to develop a more cohesive and socially inclusive urban centre.
“Seberang Prai Municipal Council takes the lead in many ways, especially in building capacity for Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals. It was the first municipality in Malaysia to join the Compact of Mayors for climate action.
“With the new city status, it can expand its functions and enhance planning capabilities to develop a more cohesive, socially inclusive urban centres, as well as sustainable and connected public transport, while preserving the environment,” she said.
Think City chairman Datuk Anwar Fazal said the city status gave Seberang Prai a higher global profile and prestige, especially with a mayor as its head.
“It makes it equal to the Penang Island City Council. To be called a city now, residents there can feel prouder with their address, and the many wonders of the place will become better known.”
Municipal Council president Datuk Rozali Mohamud said with the elevation, Seberang Prai could bear bigger responsibilities and be on the same level as other international cities.
He said the council had laid out several strategies to improve its competitiveness.
Rozali said Seberang Prai aimed to be an inclusive city with a people-centric administration, with improved connectivity and mobility via the use of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and cloud computing.
“We will focus on efficient service delivery, with the motto ‘speed and simplicity’, and towards that end, we will set up cyber counters, as well as physical counters.
“We will also look into reducing carbon emission from 8.05 tonnes of carbon dioxide (tCO²) to 4.66tCO², with the aim of being a low carbon city by 2022 through less building, transportation, infrastructure, production and consumption emission, as well as increasing carbon sequestration.
“The low-hanging fruits are increasing recycling rate by 70 per cent, adding more bicycle lanes, using LEDs, planting 150,000 trees by 2022 and reducing waste by 50 per cent from 1.6kg per person in 2016 and 1.09kg per person in 2017 to 0.8kg per person in 2022,” he said.
Rozali said the council would also focus on increasing river water quality and green connectivity, reducing traffic congestion, increasing closed-circuit television cameras, improving efficiency and connectivity of parking through smart parking and handling illegal dumping.
“Our focus will also be on rejuvenating the old Bukit Mertajam, preserving Butterworth’s heritage, and exploring the tourism potential of Seberang Prai,” he added.
Subscribing to the principle that “no one should be left behind”, he said Seberang Prai would also build disabled-friendly facilities and amenities.
Rozali said there would also be efforts to create more pocket parks and upgrading existing parks to international standards.
Lastly, he said, they would also create a “happiness index” to measure the people’s level of happiness.