Collaboration key to shaping attractive cities, economic success

How can Malaysia create cities that not only function but also attract talent and drive economic growth?

In a recent interview with Sinar Daily, Think City Managing Director Datuk Hamdan Abdul Majeed discussed the challenge of aligning different ideas to create spaces that foster innovation and shared prosperity. This approach to urban development is explored in the continuation of a special report on how Malaysia's cities can evolve to meet the needs of the future.

SHAH ALAM - Building attractive cities could drive economic growth, serve as hubs for talents.

Think City Managing Director Datuk Hamdan Abdul Majeed emphasised the need for collective collaboration to create vibrant and attractive cities that enable shared prosperity.

He said the real challenge in this journey has been building collective momentum.

"The real challenge lies in bringing as many people as possible on the same journey, ensuring collective effort towards creating great spaces rather than being on opposing sides.

"While we may have differing ideas, it is important to converge on the same path, and that’s the journey we’ve chosen in remaking cities," he said in an interview with Sinar Daily.

Hamdan said as a city maker, his focus has been on steering this collective effort, recognising that cities thrive when their people come together to shape vibrant, inclusive and forward-thinking spaces.

He stressed that Think City's mission quickly expanded beyond advocacy, wind up in their framework, cities, people, and economy.

This approach he said highlighted the need for attractive, "sticky" cities that drew and retained talent, driving innovation, investment and sustainable growth in a talent-driven world.

"If you don't make your places attractive, then you are not going to be successful," he added.

Hamdan emphasised that "sticky" cities thrived by offering safety, security, efficiency and a sense of possibility.

He said these qualities attract talent, capital and technology, fostering vibrant environments where people flourish.

He added that more than functional spaces, such cities stood out globally through their unique identity and soul.

He also pointed out that while countries once competed for prominence, cities have now taken the lead in this competition.

Nowadays, he said cities competed for talent, investment and innovation, utilising their geographical location, cultural heritage, built environment and natural assets as key advantages.

Hamdan emphasised that without investing in these elements to enhance a city’s appeal, achieving long-term success became difficult.

This shift in perspective influenced their approach at Khazanah, where the traditional focus had been on economic investments.

Recognising the importance of spatial dynamics, he stressed that they shifted their focus to prioritising the transformation of places, recognising that cities were, at their core, about people.

"I realised that we need to consider the spatial aspect equally, as it is something we've learned during this journey, but it is also about transitioning and remaking myself in the world of investment.

"In investment, we often focus on hard numbers and returns, but in this field, we’re remaking places and that can only be done with people, because cities are all about people and people make cities," he said.

He also emphasised that investments in infrastructure or capital alone cannot drive sustainable growth unless cities were designed to foster human connections and creativity.

This shift, he said required him to transition from his background in economics and investment banking to becoming a city maker, a role that blended economic strategy with urban development.