Delhi Diary: Melaka Promotes Sustainable Living Via Green Initiatives

By Shakir Husain NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (Bernama) – While New Delhi and several other major cities in India have been enveloped by smog, and hurdles in overcoming pollution, a small state in Malaysia finds the road clear to a green future. Melaka is pursuing a number of energy and infrastructure schemes to ensure sustainable living and become a model state in Malaysia in achieving its environmental targets. The Melaka state government is implementing a long-term strategy with clear goals in energy efficiency, smart technologies, better use of resources and healthy lifestyles, Chief Minister Idris Haron said. "We know that the green economy will be the most important tool and instrument for us to be standing at par with other developed states and cities," he told Bernama in an interview during a recent visit to New Delhi. From reducing plastic use to tapping renewable energy sources, Melaka's campaign relies on policies, technologies and raising public awareness. The rehabilitation of the Melaka River, which historically served as a key trade route in Malaya and had become a "fishermen's jetty" in recent years, was an early success in these efforts. "It was once a lifeless river. There was stink and bad odor, and encroachment of the river bank was a serious problem. So we came up with a programme to revive the river (to its former pristine state)," Idris said. With help from the Malaysian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the federal government, Melaka undertook a series of measures to improve the sewage system, irrigation network and waste water management. Encroachments were removed and a policy on beautifying the riverfront was introduced. "It took us about 10 years to reshape and rehabilitate the river (and its surroundings)," Idris said. With its illustrious history and cultural heritage, Melaka not only wants to preserve its past but also intends to be future-ready. Promoted by the Malaysian government to be at the forefront of modern environmental plans, the city is engaging with its counterparts working on a sustainable future. The chief minister and his delegation took part in the second annual meeting of the Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) from Oct 30 to Nov 2 in New Delhi and shared Melaka's experience and practices in sustainable development. GPSC consists of 27 cities in 11 pilot countries and their efforts to adopt an integrated approach to urban planning and financing, according to the World Bank, which leads the initiative. Idris said Melaka's plans were in line with the country's pledge to cut carbon dioxide emissions up to 40 per cent by the year 2020 compared to the 2005 levels as announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen. At the COP21, also known as the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, Malaysia said it intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030. The commitment was for 35 per cent reduction on an unconditional basis and a further 10 per cent was conditional upon receipt of climate finance, technology transfer and capacity building from the developed countries. "Realising that vision will only happen by introducing initiatives physically. We also need to inculcate good practices among Melaka citizens, we need to raise awareness among schoolchildren as well as the public at large," Idris said. One campaign that asks people to avoid throwing litter in public places has the slogan "Don't Mess with Melaka." Referring to the Melaka State Structure Plan 2035, Idris told the forum in New Delhi that Melaka is "constructing a new document in charting our growth in the next 20 years." He said "the game-changer for Melaka green ambition arrived at the right time" when the Malaysian government selected it as the pilot state under the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) green cities initiative, along with Medan and Batam in Indonesia, and Songkhla and Hat Yai in Thailand, in 2012. The state collaborates with a number of international bodies, including the Asian Development Bank and the German-based International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), under the supervision of the Melaka Green Technology Corporation in finding solutions to the challenges posed by urbanisation and climate change. Melaka's Green City Action Plan aims to make it a green technology state by 2020 and one of its first initiatives was to prepare a carbon inventory. The state set up the International Green Training Centre two years ago and the facility provides training for environmental programmes in Malaysia as well as for the region. To encourage construction of energy-efficient buildings, the state has a certification scheme called Melaka Green Seal. Another major focus area is the public transport sector. "We are in the process of studying the transportation system of Melaka. This would include redesigning the road network as well as introducing electric buses as a mode of public transport," the chief minister told Bernama. Two years ago the government had introduced two electric buses in a pilot project. "It has been successful and embraced by people and will be expanded to make it a true mass transport system. In the next phase there will be 400 buses," Idris said. Melaka is all set for a green future and could serve as a role model for others. -- BERNAMA