While the modern world moves rapidly toward smart city development, there’s an ongoing dialogue on the gradual pace of Smart Cities’ deployment in Malaysia. While investment and business models often dominate this conversation, the crux of the problem might lie elsewhere.
A Mismatch in Resources and Expectations
On a recent visit to a prominent local council, an astonishing revelation came to light. Despite boasting a sizeable IT or Smart City operations team (almost 50 members), they find themselves overextended when managing diverse Smart City projects. Over-reliance on external vendors for implementation further underscores their limitations in in-house development.
Now, let’s juxtapose this scenario with other local municipalities. Their IT departments often function with a mere workforce of less than five. These few members are swamped with existing IT operations, leaving minimal resources to embark on expansive Smart City endeavors.
The Scale of The Challenge
For context, let’s delve into the Malaysia Smart Cities indicators, which total to a hefty 85. To expect a team of five or fewer individuals to tackle even half of these indicators seems not just ambitious but verging on the impossible.
Such limited resources pose severe constraints on project management, especially given the intricacies associated with Smart City projects.
Talent & Resource Constraints – The Root of The Slow Progress
Beyond investment hurdles and business models, the stark disparity between the required talent and available resources might be the true Achilles’ heel in Malaysia’s smart city deployment.
Being under the government’s wing, these local councils face bureaucratic tangles when it comes to staff augmentation. Without a smooth pathway to hire adept talent or a systematic plan to reallocate existing workforce to pivotal Smart City initiatives, these projects remain stymied.
Moreover, the absence of pivotal roles like Chief Smart City Officer or Chief Data Officer leaves data silos unaddressed, hindering integrative solutions and strategic alignment.
The Way Forward
If Malaysia is to realize its vision of emerging as a leader in Smart City deployments, a paradigm shift in the approach is paramount. The government must spearhead initiatives to address talent and resource bottlenecks. Only by fostering a conducive environment – rich in talent, strategy, and collaboration – can we truly accelerate Smart City deployment.
Addressing the resource challenge is not just a requisite for rapid deployment but also vital for ensuring the efficacy and sustainability of Smart City solutions. As the old adage goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In Malaysia’s Smart City quest, it’s time to fortify this link.
