Malaysian Urban Design Association

21/05/2026

Potential collaborations with HKIUD

Meeting with Mr. Eli Korvitz, Chair for International Relations, Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design (HKIUD) with Perekabandar Council Member, Ar. Choo Heng Huat at MITEC. We have been approached by HKIUD to sign an MoU with their organisation recently. As a small and young NGO championing good urban design in Malaysia, we are honoured and humbled that such an established organisation like HKIUD would be interested to sign an MoU with us. They have signed MoU with many other Urban Design organisations all over the world and is closely linked with the Urban Design Group, United Kingdom.

This meeting is to discuss the signing of the MoU and the future collaboration that we can established between PEREKABANDAR and HKIUD. One of the major concern would be knowledge sharing in facing the challenges of urban design in the Asia region. Urban design is still a lesser known territory in Malaysia with not many professionals being formally trained in urban design as a field of expertise. We hope through this MoU, Malaysia will recognise the importance of urban design in the process of shaping our cities for a sustainable future.

30/04/2026

Peristiwa bersejarah pada 29 April 2026

29/04/2026

MoU signing between Malaysian Urban Design Association & Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur

PEREKABANDAR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DBKL to strengthen the role of urban design in shaping Kuala Lumpur.

This partnership supports the implementation of KL Local Plan 2040, reinforces Kuala Lumpur’s position as a UNESCO Creative City of Design and aligns with Malaysia’s growing global urban agenda.

Urban design is not just about aesthetics; it is about creating cities that are liveable, inclusive and meaningful.

The collaboration will focus on training, capacity building, and strengthening institutional frameworks, including the proposed Urban Design Unit within DBKL.

A key message remains clear:
Urban transformation must protect identity, community and long-term value.

Cities

29/04/2026

MOU Signing PEREKABANDAR and DBKL

Alhamdullillah, after 40 years of personally being involved in urban design that includes 6 years championing for good urban design practice in Malaysia through Perekabandar, we finally signed an MoU with DBKL today. Such a historic moment and achievement for a small NGO like us. In sya Allah we would help provide enhanced training for DBKL personnel and build their capacity in urban design with focus on improving the quality of the built environment in the city. This is timely as DBKL braced itself to start implementing the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 that was gazetted last year.

Thank you DBKL and IDB (DBKL training centre) for the trust given to us. We are deeply honoured and humbled indeed. We are looking forward towards implementing this collaboration.

Professor (Rtd) Dr Shuhana Shamsuddin
President
Pertubuhan Rekabentuk Bandar Malaysia (PEREKABANDAR)

09/04/2026

For our reference, we need third forces to be involved in this process.

09/04/2026

Urban Design Training for DBKL

We have completed a 3 day training program for DBKL staffs on Urban Design Methods and Procedure, led by our President, Prof (Rtd) Dr Shuhana Shamsuddin assisted by several colleagues from the Malaysian Urban Design Association (Perekabandar).

The objective is to nurture adoption of urban design as the implementation tool to translate the Local Plans policies to be actionables and deliverables on the grounds, providing clear direction in terms of the appearance and identity of KL with the implementation of the KL Local Plan 2040 in the future.

04/04/2026

04/04/2026

Our seminar on People Centred Cities happening now.

30/03/2026

Apa yang kita boleh belajar dari Kyoto tentang pembangunan bandar?

Bagaimana sebuah bandar bersejarah seperti Kyoto mampu mengekalkan identiti warisan yang kuat, walaupun berada dalam arus pembangunan moden yang pesat?

Melalui pemerhatian lapangan di Kyoto, jelas bahawa kekuatan bandar ini bukan sekadar pada seni binanya, tetapi pada cara ia memahami dan menyesuaikan pembangunan dengan landskap semula jadi.

Dibawah sokongan tajaan ‘The Sumitomo Foundation’, penulis berkesempatan ke Kyoto dan mendapat perkongsian dari Yukio Heki daripada Kyoto Community City Center (KCCC) dan Wakamaze, bahagian Pemuliharaan Landskap, City of Kyoto.

Menurut mereka, bentuk muka bumi Kyoto memainkan peranan penting dalam membentuk struktur bandarnya. Bandar ini terletak dalam sebuah lembangan yang dikelilingi bukit di utara, timur dan barat. Keadaan ini bukan diubah atau diratakan, tetapi dijadikan asas perancangan.

Pembangunan ditumpukan di kawasan tanah rata, manakala kawasan berbukit terus dipelihara sebagai latar landskap bandar.

Hasilnya:
• 🏢 Bandar lebih padat dan efisien
• 🚶‍♂️Jarak perjalanan lebih dekat
• 🚲 Lebih mesra pejalan kaki & basikal
• 🏞️ Alam semula jadi kekal sebagai latar bandar

Menariknya, walaupun Kyoto bermula dengan susun atur grid sejak abad ke-8, bentuk bandar menjadi lebih organik apabila menghampiri kawasan berbukit. Kawasan seperti Sannenzaka dan Ninenzaka memperlihatkan bagaimana topografi dan seni bina tradisional digabungkan untuk membentuk ruang bandar yang unik dan berkarakter.

Apa kaitannya dengan Malaysia?

Di Malaysia, Bandar Diraja Kuala Kangsar mempunyai pertalian sejarah dan geografi yang sangat rapat dengan Kyoto. Jika Kyoto merupakan bekas bandar diraja empayar Jepun, Kuala Kangsar p**a memegang status kebanggaan sebagai Bandar Diraja negeri Perak.

Lebih menarik, Kuala Kangsar juga mempunyai latar semula jadi yang kuat—dikelilingi bukit-bukau dan sungai yang membentuk imej bandar yang sangat unik.

Namun persoalannya:

• ❓Adakah kita benar-benar menggunakan kekuatan ini dalam perancangan bandar?
• ❓Atau kita cenderung “meratakan” identiti tersebut demi pembangunan?

Pengajaran utama dari Kyoto:

Pembangunan mampan bukan sekadar teknologi atau kepadatan semata-mata. Ia bermula dengan memahami dan menghormati konteks semula jadi serta sejarah bandar.

Apa pandangan anda tentang pembangunan bandar warisan kita? Kongsikan di ruangan komen di bawah.

Penghargaan: Pemerhatian lapangan ini dijalankan di Kyoto oleh penulis di bawah tajaan The Sumitomo Foundation, Fiscal Year 2023 Grant (23804006), Jepun.

Penulis,
Dr Nor Haslina Ja’afar
Jabatan Seni Bina & Alam Bina
FKAB, UKM

23/03/2026

People Centred Cities Through Design and Creativity
*Register now*