11MP Malaysia will develop four major cities, namely Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, as growth catalyst cities in order to maximise benefits for the residents and to stimulate national development under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP).

The cities are selected based on their potential in terms of population size, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), existing major infrastructure, concentration of higher learning institutions and geographical advantage.

The 11MP, carrying the theme ‘Anchoring Growth on People’ and tabled by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in the Dewan Rakyat today, states that cities play an important role in a nation's growth as finance and logistics hubs, as well as magnets for talent seeking new opportunities.

This is because competition for investment and talent globally is now between cities and no longer just at country level as cities provide investment and trade opportunities, as well as improving connectivity with rural or suburban areas.

Specific city competitiveness plans will be drawn up based on six principles: enhancing economic density; expanding transit-oriented development; strengthening knowledge-based clusters; enhancing liveability; adopting green-based development and practices; and ensuring inclusivity, to ensure communities have ample opportunities to participate in social, political and

economic activities.

The competitive cities plans are included as one of the 11MP core strategies of re-engineering economic growth for greater prosperity, and will be drafted by the respective local authorities in consultation with the private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholders.

Therefore, by 2020, the competitive cities of Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu that been identified as game changers in the 11MP will have undergone a step-change in their economic growth, importance as talent hubs and liveability, and set to be the examples for other cities.

Meanwhile, the government will strengthen the regional economic corridors to fuel regional development and to balance the geographic development across Malaysia.

By the end of the 11MP, it is targeted that investment will reach RM236 billion across all corridors, and provide 470,000 job opportunities.

Key initiatives

The key initiatives for the regional economic corridors during the 2016-2020 period are as follows: East Coast Economic Region (oil, gas and manufacturing); Northern Corridor Economic Region (agriculture, automotive and aeronautical industries); Iskandar Malaysia (tourism and logistics hub); Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Pan-Borneo Highway) and Sabah Development Corridor (palm oil downstream processing).

The development of the regional economic corridors will be enhanced through a strategic review of the corridor development master plans and increased investment, improved infrastructure as well as talent skills development.

This is to ensure that local communities continue to benefit from the investment and economic growth in these areas, according to the plan.

- Bernama