For some of us, travelling is an avenue for reflection and inspiration. Seeing a new place and/or experiencing a new culture allows us to reflect on what we have and gives us the motivation to seek improvements.
Without a doubt, the experience and knowledge gained from my trips especially those abroad have inspired me with many ideas to improve myself, my family and the community. By simply comprehending the ordinary activities of the common people around the world, a new sphere of ideas becomes apparent.
Insignificant at first sight, a closer examination draws out the importance of the activities of the people albeit with different perspective from different people. For me, the significant realisation was that these activities were made possible due to the structure and growth of the city as well as the mindset of the people. These activities form part of the pivotal elements that make a city liveable, likeable and eventually, a world class city.
Going down memory lane, I remember seeing hundreds of people practising Tai Chi in one of the parks in Beijing. In other parts of the world, young executives are commonly seen reading the newspapers on their way to work via the Metro in Paris; children running freely around the playground in Sydney; students performing at a music festival in Hong Kong; families having fun at a carnival in London; and the list goes on.
One would enquire: “What is so special or significant about these ordinary activities that other people in different parts of the world do?”
Let's take the Tai Chi exercise in Beijing as an example. In my view, it reflects the health consciousness, community spirit, and the value of volunteerism practised by the society in Beijing. The group leader of the Tai Chi exercise conducts the exercises on a voluntarily basis. In return, he/she is joined by people of all ages who are interested in the exercise for health reason, community kinship or simply, as a form of relaxation. This creates a healthy society and a sense of belonging among the community, something of which we could promote in Malaysia.
My last article touched on the macro aspects of making Kuala Lumpur a world class city. Now, let's cover the social and cultural aspects which form the other integral parts that would contribute to this vision.
The social and cultural characteristics basically address the “software” aspects of the society. The elements that form this “software development” include peace, prosperity, history, culture, education, entertainment and the rich diversity of the society. With these elements in place, bountiful benefits can be achieved.
Let's reflect on the examples that I have shared earlier. What allows the children to run freely in a playground or why do young executives have the luxury to read the newspaper on their way to work or how does one get students to perform at a music festival or run a carnival for families to enjoy?
There is probably more than one answer to all of the questions. One thing that is common is the fact that all these activities are made possible when the city is allowed to flourish, free of crime and has world class facilities for people.
We can achieve the same by changing our mindset from “wait-an- see” to “let's explore”. We can work together to prevent crime and encourage the use of public amenities such as parks with care through education and public awareness. An improved public transportation system to ease traffic congestion and enhance workforce efficiency is definitely a must.
In terms of human resources development, a well thought and long-term plan is required to retain local talent and attract professionals from abroad. Educational institutions must provide a high level of quality education and encourage students to have a balance exposure to the arts and sciences in order to cultivate greater creativity which would benefit the society as a whole.
To generate a greater sense of belonging and to promote community living, city stakeholders can organise more social events and entertainment events, such as cultural performances, open air concerts, carnivals and sporting events. Significant events will bring in the tourists and can eventually become attractions for the city.
Living in a multi-racial and multi-cultural society, we get to enjoy the differences that come with this diversity and uniqueness. For example, we are pampered with a seemingly endless variety of food and eating out is a real gastronomic treat. Imagine having a simple meal and drink of your choice at a mamak stall and paying less than RM10 for the whole dining experience. Malaysia, especially KL, is a gourmet centre for the locals and tourists alike. I believe every Malaysian would attest to that and agree that food is the common element that brings people together.
We should therefore put emphasis on sustaining and enhancing this social and cultural uniqueness to our benefit. Each of us plays a part in contributing to the transformation of KL and of the country. Let us start by equipping ourselves with good practices so that KL can earn the recognition as a world class city and place Malaysia more prominently on the world map.
The diversity of our food, culture and heritage is the hidden gems ready to be uncovered and once discovered and polished, they will make KL and Malaysia shine and reveal their true beauty.
Datuk Alan Tong is the group chairman of Bukit Kiara Properties, he was the FIABCI World President in 2005-2006 and was recently named Property Man of The Year 2010 by FIABCI Malaysia.
By The Star (by Datuk Alan Tong)
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