KUALA LUMPUR: Fifty years after becoming the first settlement in Malaysia to be granted city status on Feb 1, 1972, Kuala Lumpur is now moving towards becoming a more sustainable, resilient and prosperous city for more than its two million people.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah said to achieve the aspiration as well as the Kuala Lumpur City For All vision by 2040, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will focus on efforts to strengthen governance, traffic management and flood prevention.

"I hope and am confident that the city will continue to grow rapidly if we focus on the three key aspects and agendas for the next 50 years.

"Public expectations are getting higher and higher. Therefore, DBKL must work harder to increase its efficiency and create a dynamic urban environment, not only in terms of its attractiveness and liveability but more importantly to become the country's economic driver," he told Bernama.

Mahadi said among the aspects that are being fine-tuned is efforts to improve first- and last-mile connectivity which includes pedestrian walkways, to achieve the target of 70 per cent public transport ridership by 2040.

He added that the traffic management system at the Kuala Lumpur Command and Control Centre (KLCCC) Operation Room had also been improved with the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras with artificial intelligence features that provide effective automated solutions and enable authorities to disseminate information directly to the public.

"It provides warnings and solutions for expected situations that enable DBKL to be one step ahead in monitoring changes in river water levels as well as making necessary preparations in the event of flooding.

"For example, we were more prepared to control the floods that hit Kuala Lumpur recently through the prevention efforts and the use of the monitoring application that enables us to take rapid action to prevent flash floods," he said.

Mahadi said the aspects of the urban economic needs were also emphasised in improving the ability to create job opportunities for the formation of a sustainable city and to achieve holistic development in the long run.

"Efforts are also being taken to make Kuala Lumpur as an investor-friendly city in order to create more job opportunities and reduce the unemployment rate.

In line with the importance of dynamic and sustainable governance, Mahadi said DBKL also placed emphasis on urban planning best practices such as low carbon emission, congestion-free, pedestrian-friendly and having adequate facilities.

Also, he said, DBKL would double its city beautification and greening efforts in addition to safeguarding the environment.

"After almost 40 years of implementing the greening mission with the goal of making Kuala Lumpur a 'garden city', of course, we want to enhance the target by creating a 'city in the garden'," he explained.

He added that more creative and innovative use of land resources was also taken into account to achieve the quality and sustainable development goals and accommodate growth by 2040.

Kuala Lumpur celebrates its Golden Jubilee today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its declaration as the first city in Malaysia in 1972.

It also coincides with the Federal Territories Day which is celebrated on Feb 1 every year to commemorate the declaration of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan as a Federal Territory.

-- BERNAMA