LOCAL AGENDA 21: MALAYSIAINTRODUCTION

Local Agenda 21 (LA21) is a programme to forge partnership between Local Authority, privatesector and the local communities that serve to work together, to plan and care for their surroundings towards sustainable development. The programme is based on Agenda 21 which isglobal action plan towards development for 21st Century resulting from Earth Summit at Rio DeJaneiro, Brazil in June 1992.

THE OBJECTIVES OF LOCAL AGENDA 21 PROGRAMME

To expose the local community and private sectors to the sustainable development issues.

To clarify the roles of sustainable development are our responsibility.

To conclude that the strategies and LA21 action plans are based on local sustainabledevelopment issues.

To implement the LA21 action plan in the form of sustainable development projects.

LOCAL AGENDA 21 IN MALAYSIA

The pilot programme aims at promoting sustainable development at the local level by creatingand strengthening participation between local authorities, local communities and the privatesector. Four councils were selected from both the urban and rural sector:

Urban Sector

Petaling Jaya Muncipal Council,Miri Municipal CouncilKuantan Municipal Council.

Rural Sector

Krian District Council

ANALYSING MALAYSIA LA 21

There are

5 elements

in Malaysia LA21 project:1.Formation of Partnership2.Community based Issues Analysis3.Action Plan4.Implementation and monitoring5.Evaluation & feed back

CHALLEGES IMPLEMENTING LA 21 IN MALAYSIA

This is the observation of Hardev Singh from Universiti Teknologi Mara Melaka:

1.The lack of private sector participation

Afraid of financial contribution

Pressures on business such as profitability, health and safety, and product quality.

2.The missing linkage: The need to strengthen the NGOS and CBOS in LA21

Unclear and vague policy of the participation of NGOs in sustainable development activities

Over involvement of certain groups such as the environmental groups and underrepresentation of certain groups.

Community based organizations (such as Residents Associations) have a restricted membership and also lack of funding.

3.Financing LA21

Budget deficits and have difficulties to commit themselves to long term sustainabledevelopment projects.

Development projects do not provide immediate economic returns.

4.Inter-agency Relationships

Lack of a holistic approach to implementing LA21 within the councils. (e.g.: Most of the LA21 processes are linked to the departments of planning within the council)

Such practice lead to a serious misunderstanding of Agenda 21 and its structural demands.

Other studies had found that most failure in projects initiated by government either it at thefederal or local government are linked to their limited capacities or disinterest to meet theobjectives. According to Mariana Mohamed Osman, Syarifah Norazizan Syed A Rashid, NobayaAhmad (2008) from University Putra Malaysia, the failure is due to 4 factors:

1.Unwillingness to act appropriately (for political reasons or for lack of profit, nodemocratic pressures, no accountability to population, no developmental state, national or state government allocating city or municipal or district government’s responsibility without necessary powers, and resources).

Inability to act (weak, lack of funding and professional competence, hampered byinappropriate legal, regulatory and financial framework)3.Inefficiency (poor or weak infrastructure and service provision)4.Official standards are unrealistic based on level of investment, funding and other resources. (staffs and capacity building)