STATEMENT : HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE MIDTERM REVIEW OF THE NEW URBAN AGENDA

NATIONAL STATEMENT

FOR

HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE MIDTERM REVIEW OF THE NEW URBAN AGENDA

DELIVERED BY:

THE HONOURABLE MR. NGA KOR MING

MINISTER OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

MALAYSIA

16^th July 2026

General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen

1. Malaysia is honoured to address this High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda. As a rapidly developing nation, nearly 78% of Malaysia’s population are urban, generating approximately 75% of our national GDP.

2. As cities continue to shape the future of our societies, strengthening sustainable and inclusive urban development is no longer a choice—it is an imperative. Malaysia remains steadfast in its commitment to the New Urban Agenda, guided by our Malaysia MADANI framework. This vision balances economic development with dignity, ethical governance, and inclusivity.

Distinguished Delegates,

3. Sustainable cities are not built overnight; they evolve through commitment to plan-led development. In Malaysia, we say, "Sikit-sikit, lama-lama jadi bukit"—brick by brick, layer by layer, a mountain is formed. With this long-term vision in mind, allow me to share Malaysia’s core advancements across three critical pillars:

1. First: Empowering Statutory Urban Governance through Data-Driven Measurement

Sustainable urbanisation cannot be achieved through policy declarations alone; it needs robust legal frameworks. We have eliminated policy fragmentation by establishing a seamless hierarchy from our National Physical Plans down to parcel-level Local Plans. To drive evidence-based action, we deployed the MURNInets 2.0 network. This framework standardises dozens of indicators, allowing 156 local authorities to be assessed against urban sustainability and SDG benchmarks under a single, unified national framework.

2. Second: Delivering Affordable Housing and Social Inclusion

Under the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021–2025), we successfully delivered over 1.1 million affordable homes, securing a national homeownership rate of 77%. This remains a core priority under the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026–2030), where affordable housing and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) will be aggressively prioritised to lift up low-income vulnerable households, ensuring urban development is equitable.

3. Third: Championing Green, Resilient, and Circular Cities

Our cities face acute climate threats, from severe flooding to urban heat islands. In response, Malaysia delivered 216 MADANI Recreational Parks between 2024 and 2025 alone, a RM53.5 million investment benefiting over 3.2 million residents. We have now formally pledged to construct at least 1,000 new public parks by 2035.

Excellencies,

4. Rapid growth inevitably brings complex challenges. To dismantle institutional data silos, Malaysia is embracing agile, predictive urban planning through the Malaysia Urban Observatory (MUO). As a proud new member of UN-Habitat’s Global Urban Observatory Network (GUO-NET), the MUO stands ready to contribute our data insights to the global stage.

5. In collaboration with UN-Habitat, Malaysia launched and convened the Asia-Pacific Urban Agenda Platform (AP-UAP) at the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku in May 2026. Bringing together 58 Member States, the Platform provides a unified framework to strengthen regional collaboration, break down silos, and translate dialogue into meaningful action. We look forward to hosting a dedicated regional gathering of the AP-UAP in Kuala Lumpur in August 2026.

Excellencies and distinguished delegates,

6. True urban resilience goes beyond brick and mortar. It is about safeguarding human lives, livelihoods, and opportunities. To accelerate the New Urban Agenda, Malaysia calls for 3 collective actions:

1. One, scaled-up investment in climate-resilient infrastructure;
2. Two, deeper digital integration to make cities responsive, not just reactive; and
3. Three, stronger South-South cooperation to scale up local solutions for global crises.

7. Excellencies, there is an ancient Asian truth that reminds us: If you plan for a year, sow rice; if you plan for a decade, plant trees; but if you plan for a century, build resilient communities.

8. The challenges ahead are formidable, but they are matched by our capacity for innovation and shared progress. Let us seize this moment to build inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities—ensuring that no one, and no place, is left behind.

Thank you.