When we talk about smart cities, we should also consider what is needed to make a city truly smart. In Malaysia, this move towards a connected future is inhibited by the fact that different components of the smart city ecosystem are being developed separately due to lack of funding, legislative shortcomings, and the inability to integrate existing legacy systems.
This siloed approach goes against the core purpose of smart cities, which is to promote connectedness. This is why it is essential to examine national data-sharing policies and work towards a data-sharing future to enable urban areas to thrive on innovation, especially in areas like public transportation.
Wong emphasises that the value of a smart city depends on what the people choose to do with the technology, not just how much technology it may have. — QUEENIE WONG
Queenie Wong from the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Institute emphasizes that the main mission of a smart city is to optimize city functions, drive economic growth, and improve the quality of life for residents using smart technology and data analysis. She believes that the value of a smart city is based on how people use the technology and the effective use of data.
She also highlights the importance of being able to perform daily tasks on personal devices and cites the example of the increased use of QR codes in Malaysia, especially during the recent pandemic. She mentions that the adoption of cashless payment solutions like Maybank’s MAE and Touch n’ Go has increased across different businesses.
Wong stresses the need for better integration of different smart payment solutions and the importance of securing data in a smart city environment. She believes that companies can provide better services to customers by leveraging data to improve the services they offer.
She explains that in this digital environment, consumers have high expectations for service availability, and a lot of backend processes such as verification and payment confirmation happen seamlessly through data analytics and infrastructure.
According to Wong, smart cities also create opportunities for data-driven services, such as loan approvals and credit card applications, based on an individual’s financial behavior and credit rating. She emphasizes that smart cities are not just about advanced infrastructure, but also about increasing the number of services available to residents.
She also mentions the need for adequate preparation for the adoption of electric and autonomous cars, including data collection and processing to enhance the overall user experience.
Wong believes that Kuala Lumpur is already a smarter city, but there is room for improvement in terms of connectivity and data-driven decision-making. She points out that existing smart infrastructure in Malaysia, particularly in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, and Cyberjaya, is not fully utilized to its potential.
In conclusion, Wong stresses that technology adoption in smart cities should be a two-way street, where both the city and its residents benefit from the advancements in technology.
