Sinkhole-prone areas must be assessed before development approval, says ministry

PUTRAJAYA: Technical assessments and inspections of aging utilities in sinkhole-prone areas must be conducted before local authorities approve any development, the Housing and Local Government Ministry said.

The ministry said the decision was made at the 51st National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"This approach is crucial to ensure public safety and geological risks are addressed from the early stages of development planning," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said NPPC also urged state governments to improve the provision of quality public open spaces and expedite their gazettement to ensure public access to safe and comfortable recreational areas, while promoting healthy lifestyles and strengthening community interaction.

It also approved the Fifth National Physical Plan (RFN5) and the Third National Urbanisation Policy (DPN3) as strategic frameworks for the country's physical and urban development.

RFN5 is the country's highest-level spatial planning document, covering Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan until 2040. It focuses on sustainable land use, natural resource conservation and greater resilience to climate change and disasters.

Its targets include implementing smart city initiatives across 115 local authorities, maintaining at least 50 per cent forest cover and providing 1.6 million hectares of potential land to support economic growth.

DPN3, which runs until 2035, covers 203 cities under 101 local authorities in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan. It aims to ensure urban growth is planned in a more structured, inclusive and sustainable manner, taking into account demographic, economic and technological changes, as well as climate change challenges.

The ministry said the council also considered the Putrajaya Structure Plan 2050 draft, which outlines the development direction for the national administrative centre.

The plan includes a target population of 305,000, the provision of 83,438 housing units, achieving carbon neutrality and the use of artificial intelligence in urban management.

The meeting also agreed to the Perlis State Structure Plan 2040, which outlines development strategies including the Perlis Inland Port, the Chuping Valley Industrial Area and the strengthening of the state's granary areas.

"Overall, the decisions of the 51st NPPC reinforce the government's commitment to ensuring the country's physical and urban development is planned, sustainable, inclusive, resilient and responsive to future changes, in line with the Malaysia Madani aspirations," the ministry said.