MALAYSIA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS (MLAA12) GALA NIGHT
OFFICIATING SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
THE HONOURABLE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
MALAYSIA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS
(MLAA12) GALA NIGHT
THE WEMBLEY HOTEL
GEORGETOWN, PULAU PINANG
25 MARCH 2022 (Friday)
Thank you to the Master of Ceremony
Yang Berhormat Dr. Hajjah Norlela bt Ariffin
Penang State EXCO for Agrotech and Food Security, Rural Development and Health
Y. Bhg. Datuk Azhar Arshad
Mayor of Seberang Prai City Council
Y. Bhg. Dato’ Haji Zamani Ahmad bin Mansor
Mayor of Shah Alam City Council
Y. Bhg. Puan Hajjah Rotina binti Mohd Daik
Director of Jabatan Landskap Negara
Y. Brs. Assoc. Prof. LAr. Dr. Suhardi Maulan
ILAM President
Y. Bhg. Dato’ Seri Koe Peng Kang
Executive Vice President of S.P Setia Berhad
Y. Bhg. LAr. Dato Hj Ismail bin Ngah
ILAM Past President
Distinguish Guests,
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good evening to all.
Firstly, I would like to thank the organizing committee for inviting and having me as the Guest of Honor at this year's Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards (MLAA) Dinner. Indeed, this is my first time as the Chief Minister of Penang to attend the Institute of Landscape Architects (ILAM) prestigious gala dinner. My heartfelt congratulations to ILAM for your outstanding efforts in making it to this 12th annual MLAA and Gala Dinner 2022.
I with this would like to express my warmest welcome to all of you to Penang and extend my enormous salute to all this year's MLA Award winners. Each of whom has made significant contributions to the nation’s development. It is, indeed, an honour for me to be here with so many landscape architects and other professionals to officiate the opening of tonight’s event.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Without a doubt, there are many urban spaces where landscape and nature coexist to create meaningful spaces. However, as cities become denser and more compact, innovative planning and design to integrate nature and the built environment becomes increasingly important. This is where I believe landscape architects can play a significant role in promoting healthy community living by providing scenic, economic, ecological, social, recreational, and educational opportunities.
As such, I am pleased that over the years, ILAM and the Penang State Government has been collaborating in many beneficial ways. The State Government, for instance, supported and witnessed the success of the IFLA2020 World Congress, held in George Town, Penang, last August. It was a congress that reached beyond just a gathering of landscape architects and built environment professionals.
The congress discussion and deliberation were just in line with the holistic action plan of the Penang2030 vision, which aims at improving liveability, economy, civil participation, and balanced development to achieve " A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation". It demonstrated that, while our urbanisation and environmental crisis may pose numerous challenges, they also provide opportunities for innovative solutions that landscape architects can offer.
I am delighted that the outcome of this congress has elevated Penang to the forefront of inspiring others, and we are honoured to be able to support ILAM in continuing to be the leader of the landscape architecture industry in the eyes of the world.
This year in Penang, the MLAA by ILAM have proven to set another deep benchmark of Malaysia's landscape architecture industry. I am proud to see that the Malaysian landscape architects have displayed their notable works and are responsible for landscape design, site planning, environmental restoration; parks and recreation planning; green infrastructure planning, and provision, all at varying scales of design, planning, and management. These aspects are aligned with our focused-on SDGs of reducing carbon footprints and being resilient to climate change.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In order to create more green spaces, parks, and natural settings where people can congregate and socialise as well as to achieve the targeted SDGs, the State Government has implemented a number of policies and action plans at the state level, including the Cleaner, Greener, Safer, and Healthier Initiative.
Each policy and action plan the state undertakes is guided by the Penang2030 vision, which is branched into the visions of both city councils to create a People Centric Low Carbon and Smart City (MBSP) and a Smart, Liveable and Happy (ILHam) City (MBPP).
It primarily focuses on e-governance, mobility, environment, social and economy. The goal is to create data-driven delivery policies and a digitalised city that fully utilises technology to implement sustainable development projects. It is critical that we recognise that the environment can be better protected by combining technology and sustainability.
I hope that by leveraging technology, landscape architects in Penang will be able to propel themselves even further in fulfilling the state's missions of creating a liveable environment and transforming this beautiful island the paradise of nature and haven of heritage cities, as showcased in tonight's MLAA awards.
Having said that, I believe that the MLAA programme will expand opportunities for a more vital landscape architecture profession and will continue to play important roles in integrating the built and natural environments, especially in the cities of developing countries such as Malaysia.
It is my sincere hope that all of you here tonight will continue to excel in your efforts to advance the landscape architecture industries, bringing Malaysia to the next level in terms of social, environmental, and economic advancement.
With these words, I hereby announce the Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards and Gala Dinner 2022 officially open. Once again, congratulations to all awards recipients and winners. Enjoy the night.
Thank you.