Kuala Lumpur Towards a sustainable city. A critical compendium.

By Amirul Hakim bin Jamil1

1
Faculty Built Environment, Department of Architecture,
University Technology Malaysia, Skudai, 81310 Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia.
* Amirul Hakim (email: amijam33@hotmail.com)
Revised 28 April 2015

Abstract

Sustainability is how biological systems remain diverse and productive for the healthy environment. Therefore,
creating and preserving healthy environments are necessary for the survival of humans. Nowadays, the
current rapid growth of the population demand for a massive development and it is an urge for us to conduct
a sustainable development while sustaining the ability of our natural systems. Productive natural system will
continue to provide the ecosystem services and the natural resources for us. Sustainable development has
been overly interpreted in terms of three domains, environmental, economic and social. This paper will
address the issues of social culture, governance and the environment ways to solve it with the guides of some
good several case study from well-known and established sustainable city.

Keywords: urban, green, sustainable strategy, social interaction.

Introduction

According to the history, Kuala Lumpur was founded in 1857 at the confluence of the Gombak River
and the Klang River, which now houses the Kuala Lumpur Jamek Mosque. Ampang road in Kuala
Lumpur is well known portraying commercial and corporate image of the Kuala Lumpur city itself.
Though observation, it can be found that most of the high end hotel, huge corporate office and the
embassy building were planned to be situated along the stretches of Ampang Road.Before the
arrival of the Chinese people for the tin mining purposes, Kuala Lumpur was previously
occupied Javanese, Mandailings, Bugis and Rawa. Raja Abdullah, who is also the representative of
the Sultan is the Klang Malay chieftain was opened the tin mines, thus contributing to the
development of Kuala Lumpur. Ampang, the earliest areas in the Klang Valley, opened for tin mining.
Thus, a road was built to connect Ampang to Kuala Lumpur which formed Jalan Ampang until now.

The issues has been arises from the scope of the social culture, governance and the environment.
Somehow we need to address this issue and come up with some good and precise action plan in
order to create and maintain a sustainable Kuala Lumpur for the future.

Figure 1 shows a visual identification from Jalan Figure 2 shows a View towards AKLEH highway
Ampang and Klang river
Environmental Issues

The current massive development of Kuala Lumpur has given rise to many common problems, such
as air pollution and environmental degradation. These issues with adding up with high carbon
emission somehow contribute to the global warming and heat island in the Kuala Lumpur
environment. The destruction of trees and green areas to accommodate urban development gives
such a deep pressure towards the green area in the city. In addition to that, from many researchers
paper, the increase of industrial development and vehicle traffic has resulted in higher levels of air
and water pollution in this metropolitan region. A study of pollution in Kuala Lumpur recorded high
levels of heavy metals in the soils and in dust. It were higher than acceptable standards (MOHD and
BADRI, 1988). Due to all this matter, the quality of the existing urban greenery was also questioned
in terms of structure and diversity (ZAKARIY A and JEFFRI, 1989).

Figure 3 shows a zebra crossing at Jalan Figure 4 shows image of the Klang River at Jalan
Ampang Ampang

Governance Issues
The government has come up with many visionaries plan for the city. However, the initiative in
striving the vision has been questioned over and over again. The development of the policy and
guidelines still irrelevant for the current age and era as it only revolve around the higher parties and
the current noted politician. Thus, it is an urge to redesign and put up some discussion on the
development of the protocol for designing the uniform design guideline. In Malaysia, public
participation is not just an alternative for better planning, but is a requirement as stated in planning
Law (Dasimah Omar 2009). Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) and the amendments
require public participation in the process of preparing development plans (structural plans and local
plans) in Peninsular Malaysia. Although there are some sort of public participant during the process
of development the urban guideline of Kuala Lumpur as it stated in the Federal Territory (Planning)
Act 1982 (Act 267), the public participation programme has failed to deliver the relevant
information to the major people who participated in the program.
Social Issues
Massive process or urbanization has made Ampang Road of Kuala Lumpur as one of the most
insensitive road towards the social. From the latest observation and analysis, it has been found that
Ampang Road has less public gathering Space, less shading and furniture on pedestrian path and not
enough concentration of special use or activity along streets. The society need some spaces that are
residual & transitional, ambiguously defined & constantly that evolving based on the users need.
This spaces usually neglected as part of the important spaces as it exists in between valued &
valueless space & in between public & private domain. Some of the theoretical urban designers and
planners call this space as an orphan space and it has been revolving with their public talk and paper
but still there were lack of the implementation towards the current planning of the Kuala Lumpur
city.

Figure 5 shows the waiting area for school kids Figure 6 shows some students were standing
at Jalan Ampang while waiting for the bus

Green Environmental Strategy

City tree planting has been justified by referring to GRAF (198I) who mentions that 0.4 hectares of
tropical forest removes I 00 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so that city tree planting
can eliminate a major problem in tropical cities.

Referring to the quote above and with the current observation towards the Kuala Lumpur city, we
still need more trees in our urban area. It may sound a lot more clich but it is actually the current
fact for the people to face it. The tree should act as a shading purpose and as a green lung for the
city. The city planners should enhanced more on the protection of the forests and green open
spaces. Rising land values for building and infrastructural development in Kuala Lumpur has been
putting a lot more pressure on the need to conserve or retain green spaces for the benefit of the
community. It has been suggested that the only way to sustain green areas for environmental
purposes was to gazette them by legislative means (ZAKARIY A, 1990).

Many years ago, the state treasurer of Selangor has proposed to build a Taman Tasik Perdana, one
of the major parks of the city during 1889. Furthermore, a major effort to plant trees in the urban
area began in I973 as a result of the awareness by the authorities of the deterioration of the
environment due to rapid urbanization. The objectives were to improve the environment and image
of the city for investment and tourism, and also to improve air quality and for climatic control
(HUSSIN, I993). However, the people should not be dependent on this park only. The park need to
be serve as a green seed to the surrounding and the future development in Kuala Lumpur
 Figure 7 shows example of dense and shade Figure 8 shows Pokok Angsana at Taiping Lake,
tree Perak

We do not need aesthetical tree just for the city appearance. We need real sprawling tree branches
with high dense of leaf that act as an oxygen maker and shading device for us.

The Governance Strategies

It is essential to create a cooperation between local authorities, professional consultants, scientic
advisors and the public. It has been agreed that the interaction between the authority and local
inhabitants is not a common practice in many city administrations.

The draft of the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan applied the methods of public exhibition and public
hearing for the public to participate after the draft KLSP was prepared. However the public
participation programme failed to deliver good sufficient information to the majority of the
participants. From the research done by some researchers, Dasimah Omar and Oliver Ling from
Univiersiti Teknology MARA Shah Alam (2009) it was found that organising series of workshops was
an effective method of public participation for development plan. Through the two-way
communication kind of workshop, it could create a dialogue session that provides feedback,
established trust and credibility in the community and to ensure the planning authority to fulfil their
obligations on the needs of the public, in particular the participants. In addition, it could let the
public to be involved in the earlier process, receive feedback and address them before making any
decisions.

Figure 9 shows a DBKL internal hearing and Figure 10 shows KL mayor receive boxes of
meeting complaints from city
Nowadays, planning and designing new urban green spaces is often much easier than maintaining
the existing green spaces. Perhaps it is easier to discover the financial backers for implementing the
new spaces. Positive steps towards upgrading the urban green spaces have not been implemented
due to an inability to provide proper long term maintenance. For the next action plan, it is highly
suggested that the city hall should allocated budget in maintaining the existing green infrastructure
before come up of new idea on introducing a new one.

Last but not lease, putting green spaces issues into practice remains a major challenge. That is why,
some national urban policy documents in Europe show that the Urban Sustainability subject has at
least made it onto the political agenda. It has to be promoted by the higher people that have the
credibility and power to change the current image of the Kuala Lumpur city.

Social Enhancement Strategy

The Vision: To maintain and enhance the essence of Ampang Road as the the heart of Kuala Lumpur
City. Enhanced by supported activities and bringing the concept of pedestrian friendly street
architecture with the corporate image of Ampang Road.

In a way to strive for the sustainability, people tend to forget that somehow human need foods for
their inner peace, human need to be comfortable & happy with its own environment. Thus, a
multiple question revolve in order to answer this particular statement. The statement of the social
sensitivity.

Figure 11 shows in-between space in New York Figure 12 shows a Pocket Space in New York
City City

It is compulsory to create more urban pockets with a good space hierarchy from public spaces, semi
spaces and private spaces for every planning of the city. It is now time to consider that lane and
what it might became a hidden resource to be recognized (Cook, 1998). Narrowing pathways with a
good seating arrangement or public furniture will enhance the social interaction within the street
itself. In addition, with a good pedestrian friendly landscape, the public spaces will enhance more
spontaneous activity & meeting. Lastly with a good eyes on street, the street will become safer for
the people.
Ray Oldenburg has been come up with the necessity of having a third place in the city. Third Place. A
gathering space or node with activities that is close to public. Ray Oldenburg is an American urban
sociologist who is known for writing about the importance of informal public gathering places for a
functioning civil society, democracy, and civic engagement. This place should be highly accessible
and inclusively for public without membership. It should be open during working and after working
hours. It is necessary playful mode in some of our urban spaces to provide psychological comfort. Of
course not to forget with a good enhancement of the street scape to prevent negative exposure
such as criminal, dirty, visual attraction or emotional attachment toward that particular spaces.
Street and sidelines are the main public space of the cities, the most vital organ of the city (Jane
Jacobs, 1961). Jane Jacobs was an American-Canadian journalist, author, and activist best known for
her influence on urban studies.

Corporate Social Responsibility. A new marketing system named that has been introduced recently
to fulfil the social needs coherently to boost the publicity of one particular business name. As the
road of Ampang was occupied with the suits, it is actually the best moment and place to apply the
Corporate, Social Responsibility to the society. It will create more exclusive liveable spaces that
can be shared with the community. The researcher surely aware and confirm that with a good
landscaping and space enhancement, definitely the spaces is not a habitable space for the criminal
or homeless people.

Figure 13 shows a Main Components of Figure 14 shows a Components Breakdown of

Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility model
Case Study. Techniques, Mechanism & Methodologies in analysing cases.

Hammarby Lake City, Stockholm.

Hammarby Lake City is a part of Stockholm municipality, currently undergoing major urban
redevelopment. It is located on both sides of Lake Hammarby sjo, bordering Nacka Municipality to
the east. New plans for most of the Sodermalm area Norra Hammarbyhamnen in the early 1990s
opened the door for a redevelopment of the entire area around the water expanse Hammarby Sjo.

The municipality of Hammarby City has set a high a high requirement of the ecological standard for
the new development of residential apartment. According to their authorities, there shall be a total
of 25 to 30 meter square of spaces with park area and at least 15 meter square of courtyard space
for every apartment. Furthermore, it is stated that the courtyard space shall be sunlit for at least 4
hours during the season of spring and autumn. These requirement somehow give such a healthy
liveable and sociable within the compound of high density of residential area. In order to give
benefit to the biological diversity in some area in the city, the development of the abandon green
public spaces shall be in the sense that can be well known as biotopes. The new development shall
be protect the valuable natural area and the existing the existing. There should be no potential
contradiction or obstacle in applying these methods in Kuala Lumpur.

Figure 15 shows an Aerial View of Hammarby Figure 16 shows an Aerial View of Hammarby
City. City with greenery.

Byker Wall, Newcastle City

The Byker Wall is the name given to a long unbroken block of 620 maisonettes in the Byker district
of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. They were designed by architect Ralph Erskine and constructed in
the 1970s. The wall is just part of the estate which covers 200 acre

The urban planning of the byker wall by Ralph Eskine emphasize on variety of plant and colourful
environment socially and visually. The individual social planning upkeep by extending the existing
landscape to their own private area. It has been understood that tall building disturb the urban
fabric by blocking wind flow, bring up a huge urban fabric by blocking wind flow, bring up a huge
shadow and enhance visual blockage. Due to this matter, the urban designer create a link block to
bring down the insignificant scale from tall housing. Apart from that, the housing designer design
such an independent garden that act as a semi private space for the communal housing of the Byker
Wall. There are also public green space designed to cater social needs of the Byker Wall.

The tree canopy area was 39 acres and equals to the 35 percent of the total site area. By this
calculation, it obviously shows that the development can reduce heat island effect as the figure meet
the urban green requirement. However, it has been argued that the perimeter wall of the
development creates a huge edges and separates the people itself from the city.

Figure 17 shows The exterior of Byker Wall Figure 18 shows a Greenery public space inside
Byker Wall

Spatial Planning for Sustainable Singapore.

Singapore has been well known of its green approach when designing and developing its own city.
The first objectives are to maintain green spaces and reduce the reliance on private car
transportation for a good livable home. Next, their challenges are to create a green economy and
increase the domestic recycling for a sustainable city, and greater community engagement. These
are some of the key areas highlighted in the latest Singapore Sustainable Blueprint 2015.

Figure 19 shows an aerial view of Singapores Figure 20 shows Marina District at Singapore
Urban Fabric
Since 2005, over 1,650 buildings in Singapore have been made environmentally friendly, and the
government is set to do more. Its Sustainable Development Blueprint outlines a number of green
targets for 2030 including a recycling rate of 70 percent; a 35 percent improvement in energy
efficiency; and 80 percent of buildings to be certified green.

Singapore has set at 50 hectares by 2030 in the 2009 blueprint for sky rise greenery or rooftop
gardens. Today, they have 61 hectares in 2013 and it was a huge significantly increment towards
time. The pressure of urbanization has provided impetus for intense urban concentrations and the
skyscraper to be the most ubiquitous development type (Wong and Yeh, 1992 and Perry et al.,
1997). In Singapore, accessibility is a prime consideration and every of their planners have put for a
greener Singapore with a greater variety of green spaces in their vision to create a dynamic,
distinctive and delightful world class city in the next coming century (Urban Redevelopment
Authority, 2001).

Conclusion
The connectivity between the urban structure and green open spaces are important. Everyone
should be thinking of doing the urban green strategy wider and in a bigger scale. In order to bring a
huge good impact & chances for a healthy country, it is a must to promote the value and the
necessity of green spaces beyond the administrative and political boundary. The movement should
be in the form of campaign, a manifesto or a revolution. The connection between the urban
structure & the green spaces are important. Thank you