TASK 5: LOCAL AGENDA 21

KKKA 6414 SUSTAINABLE URBAN PLANNING

NURUL LIYANA RUSMAN P61498 | SEM 1 2013/2014 LECTURER: PROF DR RIZA ATIQ O.K RAHMAT

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ITEMS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to Local Agenda 21

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2.0

CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING LOCAL AGENDA 21

3.0

ASSESSMENT ON SHAH ALAM

4.0

PROPOSED LOCAL AGENDA 21 PLAN 4.1 Public Transportation System 4.2 New Development 4.3 Recycle Center 4.4 Local Needs Met Locally

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5.0

CONCLUSION

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TASK 5: LOCAL AGENDA 21 Task 5:

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You are given a task by the mayor of your hometown to evaluate and give suggestion on how to plan the town in accordance with Local Agenda 21. Write a brief report on your evaluation and suggestion.

1.0 INTRODUCTION Shah Alam is located within the district of Petaling and Klang in the state of Selangor and one of the major cities in Klang Valley. Shah Alam has also been undergoing rapid city expansion and annual population growth rate of 3%. Due to this expansion, Shah Alam is currently bordered by the cities of Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya in the east, the district of Klang in the west, the district of Kuala Selangor and Selayang in the north and the district of Kuala Langat in the South. Shah Alam is divided by sections, consisting of Section 1 until 35 and Section U1 until U13. Shah Alam was announced as the most sustainable city in Malaysia by Federal Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) Peninsular Malaysia. The assessment was done through a collection of information based on indicators by Sustainable Urban Indicators Study Implementation (MURNInet) by the DTCP. Through MURNInet, the sustainability of a city will be assessed based on several factors such as housing, utilities and infrastructure, economy, environment, sociology and social impact as well as management and financial. Based on the indicators, Shah Alam achieved an overall score of 89.07% at the state level and 88.60% at Peninsular Malaysia level. In July 2000, Shah Alam has been chosen as the project pioneer for Local Agenda 21, representing the local authority for urban area. Since then, Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) has put the values of sustainable development as one of the agenda in carrying out the social, economic and physical development in Shah Alam. Some of the initiatives that had been implemented by the city council are as follows (see Figure 1 until 6): i. ii. Public parks based on hierarchy. Maximising the usage of public area that can be integrated into suitable landscape and recreational area. iii. Providing infrastructure facilities integrating with interesting concept and landscape. iv. v. vi. Green City Program. Master Plan for bicycle track in in section 14, the city center of Shah Alam. Shah Alam Trees for Life Program Page | 2

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vii. viii.

Recycling Competition at the school level Composting Program with free starting kit and free supply of EM and Bokashi for 6 months for those who are interested.

ix.

Community Orchard

Figure 1 Public parks based on hierarchy

Figure 2 Public area that are integrated with suitable landscape and recreational area. Page | 3

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Figure 3 Infrastructure facilities with interesting concept and landscape

Figure 4 Green City Program Page | 4

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Figure 5 Master Plan for bicycle track in section 14

Figure 6 Shah Alam Trees for Life Program *(Figure 1 to 6 are from Inisiatif Kearah Pembangunan Mampan Shah Alam by Ybhg. Dato Haji Mohd Jaafar bin Haji Mohd Atan)

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1.1. INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL AGENDA 21 Local Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken locally, nationally and globally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts the environment. It is a product of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil in 1992, involving 178 governments who voluntarily voted to adopt the program. Followings are the major aims of Local Agenda 21: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Resources are used efficiently and waste are minimised. Valuing diversity and local distinctiveness. Pollution is limited. Diversity of nature is valued and protected. Local needs are met locally wherever possible. Everyone has access to good food, water, shelter and fuel at reasonable cost. vii. Everyone has skills, knowledge and information to enable them playing their part in the society. viii. ix. x. Available opportunities for practising different culture, religion, etc. Peoples good health is protected. Access to facilities, services, goods and other people is not achieved at the expense of environment or motorised vehicles. xi. People live without fear of personal violence from crime or persecution of their personal beliefs, race, gender or sexuality. xii. All sections in community are empowered to participate in decision making. xiii. xiv. Links are developed with other parts of the world. Fairer distribution of wealth, both between countries and between different groups within countries, placing a special emphasis not just on the needs but on the rights of poor and disadvantage people. The purpose of Local Agenda 21 is to translate sustainable development principles and objectives into practical action at the local level. In order to achieve this, local governments are required to consult with the local community, minority groups, business and industrial organisations (see Table 1) to create a shared vision for future sustainable development and to develop integrated local

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environmental plans, policies and programs targeted at achieving sustainable development. Local Authority Community Private Sector Commercial and District Council Public Industrial Non-Formal Sector Municipal City Hall/Municipal Hall User NGO Mass Media Local Committee Community Representative Professionals Table 1 Parties involved in implementing Local Agenda 21 The suitable implementation method of Local Agenda 21 is devised and agreed by both local government and the local community. Each Agenda 21 is drawn up based on the characteristics of that area and also the objectives and needs of the populations that live there. The following outline may be used as guidelines to develop Local Agenda 21 at the local level: i. Identify the main issue of concern in the local authority area, objectives and specific targets for achieving sustainable development. ii. Specify the action to be taken and the person responsible to work towards these objectives and targets. iii. iv. Define the details of how the progress will be assessed and reviewed. Publish the details involving all of the above (such as an environmental charter, policy document, a review of the Local Agenda 21 process and future outlook, etc) in a simple and clear manner, and made it widely available and acceptable.

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2.0 CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING LOCAL AGENDA 21 If local governments are to be successful in their efforts to implement Local Agenda 21, they have to overcome several barriers such as the following: i. ii. Traditional institutional structures that hinders participatory decision making. The influence of elections and new governments on the priority setting process for the community. iii. The lack of general understanding in sustainable development principles and process by local elected officials, staff and stakeholders in the community. iv. The tendency for Local Agenda 21 processes to focus on traditional environmental policy and activities. There are also a number of outside forces that can create barriers and delay or obstruct the success of implementing the Agenda: i. Private market barriers where there are no government policies that forced the private sectors to take sustainable actions. For example, those who do not require manufacturers to assume responsibility for the costs of disposing the product packaging materials they use, can make it difficult for local governments to meet their targets where in this case, waste management. ii. Public market barriers can encourage unsustainable behaviour. For example, business costs to provide employees with free automobile parking are tax deductible in some countries, while the costs for employers to provide public transit passes are not, which becomes a problem for cities that are trying to meet targets for greenhouse gas reduction and improved air quality. iii. Legal and regulatory barriers can prevent local governments from giving preferential treatment to developers who offer special measures to increase environmental or social benefits in their projects. iv. Jurisdictional barriers can leave the local governments with little or no authority to deal with local problems directly. If Local Agenda 21 is to be implemented successfully, local governments plans will need supports from the national government policies and programs, and a few existing Local Agenda 21 efforts that are linked to national level strategies. There is also a strong need for systematic assessment of local councils performance against Local Agenda 21 to understand how ecologically sustainable development goals are being achieved.

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3.0 ASSESSMENT ON SHAH ALAM Shah Alam is currently the fastest growing industrial centre in the country with the existence of industrial areas such as Section 21 and 26. Proton, SilverBird and Toyota are among the big companies that house their main factory in Shah Alam. However, being an industrial city, Shah Alam needs to improve on its air pollution control especially since Shah Alam was one of the badly affected cities during the recent haze crisis that schools had to be closed. Being one of the key industrial cities in Malaysia with rapid development growth, Shah Alam has plenty of job opportunities that promotes positive upward trend in terms of population growth. This will also provide smaller businesses with good marketing opportunities to expand their businesses and create more job opportunities. With more job opportunities, it is expected that the population of Shah Alam will also increase with the migration of people to Shah Alam, creating affordable housing shortage. The average income people will be forced to live outside the city, where the rent or house prices are more affordable and far from their workplace. People will be forced to travel at long hours, bringing in more motorised vehicle in and out of the city. Shah Alam will face with traffic jams and air pollution at a daily basis. There are also a few institutions of higher learning in Shah Alam such as Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM), Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Management and Science Universiti (MSU) and Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, an industrialrelated education centres. Almost every section in Shah Alam is also provided with high school and primary school. This is on par with the aim of Local Agenda 21 to ensure that everyone has skills, knowledge and information that enables them to play their part in the society. Recently, the awareness for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle has been growing in Shah Alam. Free Starter Kit with free EM and Bokkashi for 6 months, Recycle Competition at the primary school level, Shah Alam Trees for Life campaign, Herbs Park, community orchard are among the efforts made by the city council in order to expose the people of Shah Alam to sustainability. The developments in Shah Alam has also taken sustainability into its agenda with the implementation of integrated green space, green city program, public parks based on hierarchy, and integration of public space into suitable recreational area. Shah Alam City Council has certainly taken steps to implement the Local Agenda 21 in the city and create awareness in its people. However, bigger efforts need to be made especially in mega projects that are taken place in Shah Alam. The definition of mega projects should not only be limited to Page | 9

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construction but big campaigns, expos, conferences, seminars and etc should integrate sustainability into its agenda. Generally, the implementation of sustainable values in Shah Alam is not wide and aggressive enough to reach the aims of Local Agenda 21. The campaigns and sustainable development values enforced by the city council only reach out to certain people while most of them are still in oblivion. The sustainable values in the development needed to be seen.

4.0 PROPOSED LOCAL AGENDA 21 PLAN Shah Alam City Council has already started to educate its people in sustainable living and development. However, more aggressive actions are needed to ensure wider coverage of understanding among its people and reaching the aims of Local Agenda 21. 4.1. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Currently there are four KTM Komuter stations in Shah Alam that lie on the Port Klang to Sentul line. Mini bus and express bus service are also provided from bus terminal at Section 17 to several popular places in Shah Alam and major cities throughout peninsular Malaysia. Rapid KL, the largest bus operator in Klang Valley also provided its service in Shah Alam. However, Shah Alam public transportation system only covers the popular areas and city centre. Most people in Shah Alam still rely heavily in private vehicles to go from one place to another, mainly resulting from lack of awareness and difficulties in finding public transportation. Improving the
public transportation system will reduce the issues of traffic jams and improve the air quality in Shah Alam. One of the fastest methods to aggressively integrate public transportation in Shah Alam transportation system is to upgrade the bus service. The service should have wider coverage with more user friendly facilities and system. The frequency of buses per hour should also be increased while ensuring accurate buses timing. The current bus terminal located in section 17 could be utilised as the central stations for main interchange between buses and regional buses. Shah Alam City Council can also launch a massive campaign and provide incentives in the effort of encouraging people to use buses. Furthermore, this will

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help generate the profit needed by the bus operator to continue upgrading its system and providing excellent service. Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) such as implemented in Curitiba, Brazil is a good example of an inexpensive and fast transit service. Its aim is to combine the capacity and speed of a light rail or metro system with the flexibility, cost and simplicity of a bus system. The 5 elements in BRT are as follows: i. Right-of-way This system has been done in Kuala Lumpur in which the buses and taxis have their own lanes. Shah Alam could implement this system starting from residential areas outside the city going in. ii. A busway alignment in the center of the road Its own busway alignment can avoid curb-side delays. However, major upgrading works need to be done if this element is implemented. Nevertheless, it can certainly be done according to stage, starting from the areas currently experiencing new development. iii. Stations with off-board fare collection This will reduce boarding and alighting delay related to paying the driver. Rapid KL is currently practicing this system by implementing MyRapid Card, rapidpass and Token. iv. Bus stop platform level with the bus floor Levelling the bus stop platform level with the bus floor will reduce boarding and alighting delays caused by steps. Buses should also be equipped with ramp to ease passengers with disabilities during boarding and alighting. Examples of the bus stop platform level are shown in Figure 7 and 8. v. Bus priority at intersections Giving the priority to buses at the intersection could avoid intersection signal delay.

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Figure 7 The bus stop designed as a tube. It unique design speeds up the flow of embarkation and debarkation because it happens at level. (source: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/5001/lessons-from-a-southamerican-bus-rapid-transit-system/)

Figure 8 The bus stop platform level with the bus floor (source: http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/344) 4.2. NEW DEVELOPMENT All new development in Shah Alam needs to enforce sustainable values in its agenda. It is important that Shah Alam City Council have a standard guidance or rules and regulations to ensure the implementation of sustainability in any new development. For example, in Kronsberg, Germany they have a Kronsberg Standard, obligatory to all developers and was applied across the board. It especially affected the areas of energy, rainwater, building materials and the Page | 12

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ground. The following are a few initiatives that can be adopted by Shah Alam City Council for future new development in Shah Alam: i. Compact Structures and High Building Density The aim is to minimise the usage of land by implementing high density construction. As the development approaches the countryside or edge of the city, the density and height of the buildings will decrease. The built up, urban quality of the town scape is the result of design parameters that set the no of storeys, building heights and lines along the streets. ii. Sustainable building for new offices Walls that face the daylight the most could be installed with solar panels that generate at least 1/5 of the power needed for the building. Ceiling for the lobby could make use of the sloping design concept that reflects natural lights. Implement recycling by providing centralized recycling bins (see Figure 9) for every floor and use only energy saving office supplies and electrical products. iii. Integrated green space with infrastructure This concept has already been implemented in Shah Alam such as landscaped drainage system, parks and wetlands and planting trees along the streets. However, to promote walking and cycling in Shah Alam, trees should be planted along the pedestrian sidewalks wherever possible to provide shade (see Figure 10). iv. Minimised construction waste Developers should be required by the city council to use materials for construction that are non-toxic and recyclable. The developer must also meet certain target imposed by the city council, such as 80% of the construction waste is not landfilled. v. Mixed residential Mixed residential is providing housing that is suitable for all types of race, age, lifestyle, income, etc. The objective is to avoid social segregation. A good social mix is the most important requirement for lively and successful communities. vi. Compact City concept The concept is for the people to have access to their workplace, foods, recreation, nursery, other people and etc, within walking distance or at least by public transport. By implementing this concept, the number of

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motorised vehicles on the road will be reduced, improving the traffic jams and air quality.

Figure 9 An example of centralized recycling bins implemented at Vikki Science Park, green building in Finland (source: http://en.cyclopaedia.net/wiki/Viikki-science-park)

Figure 10 An example of pedestrian sidewalk with shade in Singapore (source: http://thinkinginsomniac.wordpress.com/category/mit/) 4.3. RECYCLE CENTER Shah Alam City Council should continue its effort of promoting recycling by implementing a recycle center in every section. Encourage the Shah Alam people to recycle by launching a massive campaign where they could exchange their Page | 14

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recyclable trash with bus tokens/passes, fresh produce or money. At the same time, the existing composting program should be widened to certain target area for starters, with complete monitoring system by the city council to ensure the continuation of the program. 4.4. LOCAL NEEDS MET LOCALLY Currently, the city council has implemented a program called community orchard as stated before. The concept of community orchard could be implemented at a wider coverage. For example; every section should have its own community orchard that produces common vegetables and fruits. Wherever possible, vertical farming concept could also be implemented. 5.0 CONCLUSION Shah Alam is currently on the right track to promote a healthy way of living to its people. However, more aggressive implementation concept needs to be enforced by the city council to ensure that the message is delivered to every people living in Shah Alam. Awareness to sustainability can be a huge setback for Shah Alam City Council to reach the aims of Local Agenda 21 in the near future.

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