Chapter 1

Introduction
Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) like numerous other government agencies has made
several attempts to move into the IT era. Amongst its better known effort was the ambitious
LAPIS (Land and Planning Information System) Project in the early 1980s which would have
propelled the organisation into the electronic frontier. But LAPIS, which included elements of
GIS, remained a study for various reasons including difficulties with technology which was very
unfriendly and required expert programmers (who were in short supply) to hard-code the
applications.
More recently, the Town Planning and Development Department in MPPP purchased a
GIS system comprising the PC Arc/Info software, A0-size digitizer and design-jet plotter
but it has remained relatively underutilised. A combination of factors including the lack of
in-house expertise in GIS (and IT in general), no end-user applications, staff shortage
and even technology-phobia[1] had resulted in this apparent inability to carry-through the
desire to bring the planning office into the IT era.
MPPP is not alone. It is typical of the many local governments and planning departments
in Malaysia which had embarked on computerisation programmes but found out the hard
way that hardware and software are insufficient ingredients for success. To date, there is
not a single planning department in Peninsular Malaysia which can claim to have
successfully integrated IT into the everyday operations of the planning office. The
success stories have been limited to the use IT (including GIS) for project-based planning
analysis or land use modeling for several planning studies (e.g. structure and local plan
preparation) and projects.
THE EXPERIENCE OF PLANNING AGENCIES IN MALAYSIA
As more local authorities, state planning offices as well as the Federal Department of
Town and Country Planning begin to embrace IT in line with the Federal Governments
vision to create the paperless government, we must ask : What will it take to develop and
implement a successful GIS or IT project for the planning office? To answer this question
we examined the reasons for the failure of previous efforts.
In the course of our research, we have visited numerous planning departments and
talked to planning officers and consultants involved in IT-related planning projects. We
have examined the experiences of PEGIS in Penang, SMART in Parit Buntar and other
similar systems in Taiping, Ipoh, Butterworth, Melaka, Kuantan, Petaling J aya, Selangor
State departments, DBKL and the Federal J PBD and found some commonalities in the
failure of the systems to meet expectations. The major problems are :
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(a) Improper and inadequate user needs study had resulted in the design of
applications which do not integrate the technology into the day-to-day chores of
the planning office. The consequence is that instead of bringing innovation the
technology actually adds to the workload since the staff have to continue with the
paper-based systems as well as duplicate their work by performing essentially
data-capture operations for the IT-based system. For instance, the staff of a
local authority continued to extract data manually for the tabulation of statistics
because the required data were not captured and even when parts of the data is
stored in the IT-based system no facility was provided for easy retrieval. In
another case, the system was incapable of allowing a commonly used method of
retrieval, that is, application for approval based on lot numbers. The system was
only able to retrieve information by application number (i.e. file number).
(b) Related to the above is the issue of competency and familiarity of IT
professionals and consultants when dealing with the complex nature of
government procedures for development approvals as well as the technical
aspects of planning and development control. For instance, the concepts of
common terms such as zoning, density, plot ratio, cadastral maps, layout, etc.
are alien to people who are otherwise experts in IT. These experts are also
unfamiliar with the activities and functions of various levels of the planning in the
country. The learning curve for the consultants can be very long, especially so
because each local authority has its own culture and way for doing the same
thing. In most cases, consultants do not spend much time studying the needs of
the client in detail (often relying on second-hand information which are taken at
face value). Often, this is due to the limited funding provided by the clients and
the diverse nature of the jobs the consultants undertake resulting in their inability
to allocate sufficient attention to particular projects leaving details to
inexperienced or junior staff. For example, one vendor practically stationed its
programmer at the local authority and left them to fend for themselves.
(c) The lack of in-house knowledge and confidence to pursue GIS-based projects
independently is a very critical factor in all the government departments visited.
GIS is perceived as complex and difficult to learn without formal training.
Basically, the staff do not even know how to initiate an IT project. This perception
must be changed because software developers have now given a great deal of
attention, time and money to develop intuitive and friendly interfaces.
(d) There is no culture or tradition for data-sharing. This is an especially critical
problem when the project involves several departments but the system and data
is centralised and managed by a separate agency. The individual departments
resent the fact that they have little or no control over their traditional areas of
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jurisdiction. For example, data normally kept by the department for their
operations must be duplicated and stored at the central database but they face
bureaucratic red-tape if they wish to access data from other departments which
are also stored in the same database. For certain departments, they also lose a
source of revenue. In addition, for almost all these departments, it also means
they have to assign staff to capture the data in a digital format which is not
directly usable for their paper-based operations because no end-user
applications were developed at the same time. On a positive note, the NALIS
Project has adopted a decentralised approach where each department will be
the custodian of data generated by them.
(e) Lack of funds, especially amongst smaller authorities, had resulted in under-
powered or incomplete systems in terms of hardware, software, end-user
applications and digital database. One local planning authority ended up with
only a notebook, an application and limited data with no means to proceed
further. Another local planning department is now into its second pilot. In the first
pilot, it ended up with only hardware and software with no applications.
(f) Expectation of plug and play not fulfilled by vendors. Professional and
technical staff at the government departments expect to receive the package and
start using it for their work. Usually they end up only with the hardware and
commercially available uncustomised software. If they are unlucky, they may
also end up with a package which is unfamiliar to other users who would
otherwise be able to help or get them started.
(g) Wrong or inadequate advice by vendors had resulted in acquisition of
inappropriate technology. In one case, a raster-based GIS system was
purchased for a department dealing mainly with parcel-based (lots) operations
such as development approvals. The system was eventually clogged-up with
huge scanned images and has since been abandoned. The USM Team also
encountered a group which tried to promote what it claimed to be an innovative
scanning method for data capture which in fact turned out to be more
cumbersome and time-consuming than straight-forward digitising.
(i) A general perception that computers adds to the workload. This is related to (a)
above.
(j) Inability to assign or mobilise department staff for the GIS project. This is caused
by the high staff turnover especially amongst the professional and technical
staff. IT is not perceived as a priority even though its use could considerably
overcome the staff shortage. For instance, one planning department typically
have to spent about four weeks laboriously colouring land use (zoning) plans of
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the entire local authority area for approval by the state authorities. Any changes
before final approval will require the entire sections to be re-coloured because of
the legal status of these plans. This is inspite of the fact that they have a full GIS
system at their disposal. The problem is that they have not been able to
commission the system because of lack of expertise on the one hand while the
urgency for preparing the zoning plan leaves little time to try out the new
system.
(k) Inadequate or poor documentation of studies and systems design by
consultants and vendors. This results in little dissemination of knowledge from
one project or local authority to another.
(l) Low priority accorded to planning applications from IT or MIS staff at the local
authorities because of more pressing demand from payroll and revenue-related
activities.
The experiences of these various agencies must be given serious thought in any future
effort to use IT for the planning office.
THE ISLAND PROJECT
In May 1996, initial discussions where held between the USM Consultant Team and the
Director and other senior officers of the Town Planning and Development Department,
Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) exploring the possibilities for undertaking a
GIS project for the Department. This culminated in a presentation of the ideas and
concepts for the development of ISLAND, an enterprise-wide information system for the
business of local governments related to land and development at a meeting chaired by
the President of MPPP, the Honorable Dr. Teng Hock Nan, and attended by MPPP
Heads of Department and invited guests from MPSP[2] and J PBD[3]. A follow-up paper
outlining the concepts for ISLAND was also submitted[4].
The Approach for Development
The approach for the development of ISLAND is to start from the end-users, that is, the
individuals in the various departments who have to perform the series of inter-connected
tasks associated with the control and development of land. This approach recognises
that it is the users who drive the demand and are therefore the key to success. The
project will encourage extensive involvement of all staff (perhaps in stages) focusing on
day-to-day office routines and chores. IT must be made relevant and indispensable to
the users. The users must choose IT as the preferred mode of work.
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An incremental approach will be taken giving priority to high profile applications identified
in conjunction with the user departments. This should not be mistaken as a piecemeal
approach because a comprehensive overview will be adopted to ensure that all the
modules will eventually be integrated as a seamless application. This approach will :
a. Recognise the traditional areas of jurisdictions and control - data-sharing is
obviously critical but by decentralising authority and control, the individual
departments will not feel threatened but will instead be motivated by departmental
pride to keep the system up-to-date and operational.
b. Introduce cost-effective and easy to use applications which exploits the benefits
of IT - the system will be developed on desktop technology affordable to all
departments with emphasis on a quickstart requiring little or no formal training or
instructions.
c. Cultivate the users into the IT mode of carrying out chores - users will come to
regard IT as second-nature.
THE MPPP PILOT PROJECT
This Pilot Project implements some of the ideas and concepts contained in that paper.
Specifically, the project will generate the following products:
i. Planning Enquiry Module using the Windows-based GIS ArcView 2.1b (later
Version 3)
ii. Planning Permission Module using Microsoft Access for Windows 95
iii. Digital Cadastral Maps
iv. Digital Zoning Plans
v. User Needs Report
vi. Application Systems Report
This User Needs Report is a key document which will be used as the basis and guide for
the development of the two applications listed above.
PROGRESS TO DATE
Currently, about half of the 74 map sheets (1 inch : 4 chains) have been digitised using
PC Arc/Info to create coverages with topology. The process of edgematching and
mapjoin is being undertaken to create a seamless map of Penang Island. Concurrently,
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the capture of cadastral attributes (lot numbers + administrative unit codes) is being
carried using the interactive mapping and table editing capabilities of ArcView. The
creation of the digital zoning plans will be undertaken using a similar approach with the
digital cadastral maps as the basemap to attach zoning classes as attributes.
We are also initiating discussions for the State J PBD and MPPP to exchange digital data
to promote the culture of data-sharing between agencies.
MPPP on their part has initiated steps to install the local area network for the planning
department and will acquire network-ready desktop computers and required software to
operationalise the applications being developed by this pilot project. The USM Team has
made certain recommendations to the Department in a brief submitted in October 1996.
It included the acquisition of high-end Pentium (166 MHz 32 RAM) computers running
Windows 95, 100BaseT Hubs, ArcView 3 and Microsoft Office Professional (including
WORD, EXCEL and ACCESS) for Windows 95 for the first phase of the computerisation
programme for the Department.
ORGANISATION OF REPORT
Chapter 2 describes the structure and functions of MPPP and the planning department
focusing on matters related to development control. A discussion of the need to re-
examine job specialisation and obsolescence is provided in the context of office
automation.
Chapter 3 provides a detailed analysis and synthesis of the treatment of applications for
planning permission. Instead of a running commentary of the step-by-step tasks
involved, the chapter identifies major activities (and sub-activities) involved to accomplish
the task of processing such applications. An analysis of the requirements of the Town
and Country Planning Act 1976 and the TCP Amendment Act 1995 is also provided to
determine statutory obligations which can be enforced in the computer-based system.
This analysis will form the basis for identifying the sub-modules in the application system
for carrying out which each of the activities (in chapter 5).
Chapter 4 tabulates all the data requirements into categories and items using the
principles of normalisation in data modeling. The data model will be further modified and
refined during the process of application systems development.
Chapter 5 briefly outlines the modules and sub-modules for the treatment of applications
for planning permission in the computer-based environment.
Chapter 6 concludes the report will some observations about the deficiencies of the
paper-based system which will be overcome by the use of IT.
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[1] There are indications of interest among the technical staff to use the technology
but unfamiliarity with what is perceived as expensive and sophisticated technology
has created the fear that their lack of skills may inadvertently destroy the system.
[2] Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai.
[3] J abatan Perancang Bandar dan Desa.
[4] Lee Lik Meng, et al, ISLAND (Information System for Land and Development),
Concepts and Ideas, J une 1996.
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