DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTAL

THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA

KKKH 4284 SUSTAINABLE URBAN PLANNING
TASK 5: LOCAL AGENDA 21

STUDENT:
AHMAD NAZRUL HAKIMI B IBRAHIM
A133762
LECTURERS :
PROF. IR. DR. RIZA ATIQ ABDULLAH BIN O.K. RAHMAT
DR. MUHAMMAD NAZRI BIN BORHAN
PN. NORLIZA BT MOHD AKHIR


Task 5: 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.

Picture 1: My hometown
Local Agenda 21 is a comprehensive programme for action relating to sustainable development, was
adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit) in Rio
de Janeiro in 1992. A fundamental tenet of Agenda 21 is that development must be sustainable, that is, it
must be able to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. The strategy of sustainable development is one, by which
communities seek economic development approaches that benefit the local environment and, at the same
time, enhance the quality of life. Local Agenda 21 grew out of Agenda 21 and is aimed at forging a
partnership between local authorities and the public they serve, so that they may work together to plan
and care for their surroundings within the context of sustainability. There are six key elements according
to the Local Agenda 21 Malaysia. Based on these elements, the evaluation and suggestion are listed as
below.

Element 1: Managing and improving the local authoritys own environmental performance
Evaluation:
The involvement of multiple agencies and departments in urban management had made it
difficult to coordinate many actions and in turn affects the effectiveness of those actions.
The various roles that are expected of these local authorities to attain a live able city with
a high quality of living had put pressure on those authorities to acquire a strong organization.
The pressure is left more intensely by small; and medium sized local authorities that lack
finance, manpower, skills and equipment in providing the expected services.
Suggestion:
The challenges that been facing require the respective parties be more focused in undertaking
parties be more focused in undertaking each and every responsibility in urban development.
Good urban administration and management need to take into consideration the
capability of each local authority as each local authority as each differs in terms of manpower,
skills and financial capacity to provide good service for its population.
The local authority, as the main agency responsible to urban management, needs to
update the administration and management system to optimise its financial revenue including
new sources, upgrade its capacity to enable towns to become more competitive and viable,
strengthen human resources by employing skilled and experienced staff as well as expand the use
of technology.
The local authority, as the main agency responsible to urban management, needs to
update the administration and management system to optimize its financial revenue including
new sources, upgrade its capacity to enable towns to become more competitive and viable,
strengthen human resources by employing skilled and experienced staff as well as expand the use
of technology.


Element 2: Integrating sustainable development aims into the local authoritys policies and
activity
Evaluation:
Rapid urban development has contributed to the degradation of environmental quality especially
the quality of water, air and noise. Many rivers which are major sources of water have undergone
degradation in water quality due to the pollution from domestic waste, industrial effluents,
suspended particulates from soil erosion and heavy metal pollution from factories. Air pollution
has also increased due to emission from motor vehicles, industrial development and use of non-
environmental friendly fuel sources. Furthermore, increased human activities and high
population density have also generated noise pollution in urban areas.
The sustainable developments are less in these areas. The large number of private vehicle
ownership puts pressure on the capacity of the existing road network especially for larger
conurbations. The inefficient public transportation resulted in the tendency for the urban
population to opt for private vehicles instead of the public transport. In the long term, this will
have negative impact on the competitiveness and the attraction of those cities to draw local and
foreign investors.
Suggestion:
The development of an urban system needs to be based on clear system of hierarchy so that the
provision and distribution of facilities and infrastructure will be more efficient, thus, preventing
wastage of national resources.
Urban development needs to be carried out within a specified area to ensure urban sprawl
is avoided. Towards this end, land use development should be based on the adopted development
plan and comply with all policies, programmes and action plans proposed by the respective plan.
Urban development should be implemented in accordance with the principles of smart
growth with emphasis on redeveloping suitable areas especially in urban centres and brown field
areas, preserving green areas for recreational purpose and conserving environmentally sensitive
areas. This is to prevent development from encroaching upon agricultural and environmentally
sensitive areas, to promote the optimum usage of existing infrastructure and to revive the
attractiveness and liveliness of the urban centres.
ELEMENT 3: Awareness raising and education
EVALUATION:
These element need to be improved
SUGGESTION:
The public should also be encouraged to adopt the 3R concept of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Such programmers can be organized at a neighborhoods level. The policies that have been
formulated and the guidelines to be drafted, shall form the basis for a comprehensive framework
to guide, control and manage new development and improvement works in Kuala Lumpur
Good access to high quality public, social and cultural facilities will contribute a great
deal to the improvement of the quality of life of the residents. Marang District Council can
provide good governance by recruiting the participation of residents in the improvement of their
living environment.
The public participation should assist in achieving sustainable development in optimal
utilisation of available resources environment, should be promoted and enhanced.
ELEMENT 4: Consulting and involving the general public
EVALUATION:
This element has been implemented through the area. They may include residents / tenants
associations, youth club, senior citizen group, sports club, activity/hobby societies, and
environment/conservation organization
SUGGESTION:
All parties, in particular local authorities should be more innovative, transparent and efficient in
promoting urban development that is of quality, healthy, competitive and progressive.
The concept of eco-partnership, which places emphasis on the concerted efforts of
various stakeholders such as private enterprises, various government agencies and community
based and non-governmental organizations (CBOs and NGOs) to carry out study activities aimed
at increasing public awareness on sustainable environment, should be promoted and enhanced.
Setting up a special environmental or local agenda 21 forum to discuss and propose
solutions to environmental problems that can be involve representatives of group.
ELEMENT 5: Partnerships
EVALUATION:
These element need to be improved
SUGGESTION:
Partnerships should have concrete value addition to the implementation process and should be
new that is, not merely reflecting existing arrangements.
Partnerships should bear in mind the economic, social and environmental dimensions of
sustainable development in their design and implementation.
Partnerships should be based on predictable and sustained resources for their
implementation include mobilizing new resources and, where relevant, result in transfer of
technology to and capacity building in, developing countries
ELEMENT 6: Measuring, monitoring and reporting on progress towards sustainability
EVALUATION:
These element need to be implemented.
SUGGESTION:
Those who choose to register their partnership should provide transparent, participatory and
credible information and reporting, focussing on their contribution to the implementation of
goals, objectives and targets of Local Agenda 21.
Such reports, which should be in writing, could also include an update of progress
towards stated objectives, lessons learned, identification of opportunities, problems, constraints
and proposed solutions. Registered partnerships should submit a regular report, preferably at
least on a biennial basis
The policies that have been formulated and the guidelines to be drafted, shall form the
basis for a comprehensive framework to guide, control and manage new development and
improvement works in Marang, Terengganu. In order to implement these measures, the
Environment Unit under the Health Department of Marang District Council should be
strengthened to regulate and facilitate coordination with other stakeholders both inside and
outside Marang District Council.
Many challenges faces the town of Marang in this new millennium, transformation of Marang
into a sustainability town will certainly involve concerted efforts by all parties involved. In line
with this, the importance of governance and good governance is eminent in administration of
developing town like Marang, Terengganu.