589. Redefining Smart Cities with Mayor Maimunah Sharif

·24 min·2 clips

Mayor Maimunah Sharif reveals her daily 'vitamin P' secret for overcoming urban challenges.

The episode opens with host Mustafa Sherif introducing Mayor Maimunah Sharif as his role model at the Smart City Expo in Barcelona. Mayor Sharif starts by sharing her secret to health and focus: 'vitamin P' for passion. She defines a smart city as people-centered, focusing on local problem-solving rather than technology. In Kuala Lumpur, she highlights the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040, developed through 73 public engagements. Mayor Sharif contrasts project timelines, noting one took nine years without engagement but only nine months with it. She outlines leadership needs: vision, data, tools, funding, and governance. Kuala Lumpur's smart city projects include 102 electric buses, AI reducing travel time by 20%, and pothole detection every 10 minutes. Challenges include mobility, data integration, and human capital. Mayor Sharif mentions ASEAN initiatives for smart cities and AI cities. She discusses the role of mayors in politics, explaining that city budgets require ministerial approval. Her 2022 agenda involves implementing the local plan, focusing on heritage, affordable housing, and climate resilience. The episode ends with advice: young people should offer solutions, not just complain, and everyone should love their city to prevent issues like clogged drains.

As heard by us

A grounded look at smart-city work through buses, alerts, pothole checks, and shared civic responsibility.

At Smart City Expo in Barcelona, the mayor frames the smart city as a matter of practical delivery, not just civic ambition. The conversation keeps policy tied to everyday movement and maintenance, including Kuala Lumpur's planned 70 percent public-transport split, 102 electric…

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Hear a mayor translate smart-city ambition into electric buses, AI traffic alerts, flood warnings, pothole detection, and vitamin P.

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