What does it take to make KL the world's most livable city?

Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) chief executive officer Tan Sri Michael Yeoh said today that the cost to make Kuala Lumpur the world’s most livable city would involve more towards the change of attitude rather than money.

“Instead of costing a lot of money I think the cost would be more on changing our attitude. The government must be able to take tough decisions and the residents must be more disciplined and change their mindset.

So it’s not the question of spending but the question of changing our attitude,” he told Astro Awani at a forum entitled ‘Making KL the World's Most Livable City’ at Berjaya Times Square Hotel and Convention Center on Tuesday.

Commenting whether KL is able to achieve the target of being the world’s most livable city, he said it is possible if everybody including the residents and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) ensure that the vision is achieved.

Yeoh said KL still has quite a long way to go but if it can among the top ten most livable cities, then it is on the right track.

“I would say between five to ten years time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Scomi Group chief operating officer for Transport Solutions Kanesan Veluppillai said that KL city must overcome some factors including urban transport dilemma, growth in motorization and congestion, neglected pedestrian facilities and poor quality public transit.

He said the city must undergo an integrated approach to its urban transport system.

Klang Valley and Kuala Lumpur in particular are set to be listed among the top 20 most livable cities in the world in the next seven years.

This makes way Malaysia to become a high-income nation by the year 2020 as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Part of the government's National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) is to transform the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley area into a world-class urban conurbation with excellent economic growth.