Nga Calls For UN-Habitat Collaboration To Promote Green Spaces, Build More Public Parks

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has called for collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to promote green spaces and develop more public parks across Malaysia.

This follows a bilateral meeting with UN-Habitat executive director Anacláudia Rossbach during the 12th World Urban Forum, held in Cairo, Egypt, from Nov 4 to 8.

In a statement today, Nga highlighted Malaysia's commitment to building and upgrading 100 public parks annually over the next decade, aiming to complete 1,000 new or upgraded parks by 2034.

“There is an urgent need for green public spaces, particularly in fast-paced urban areas, to provide residents with essential mental health benefits and improve overall well-being,” he said.

While Malaysia is committed to funding these initiatives, Nga suggested that UN-Habitat establish standardised guidelines to create a global benchmark for recognising and endorsing high-quality green spaces.

This could include the introduction of certification or awards to highlight these spaces, ensuring their global recognition as well as quality preservation.

In the 2025 Budget, the ministry received an allocation of RM100 million to develop or upgrade 100 MADANI recreational parks.

-- BERNAMA