Regional planning authority in Malaysia: legal and institutional framework

The idea that local authorities should be the ones determining the affairs of their local authority areas is an engrained rule in the structure of the Malaysian style of government. Of late, regional planning has gained prominence with the realization that it promotes effective and efficient use of resources and reduces regional imbalances and poverty as well as may help in achieving sustainable development. Malaysia has the legal framework for establishing a regional planning authority that crosses the boundaries of two or more states, yet none has been set up to date. This paper analyses the related provision, examines the proposed institutional framework and identifies the challenges that the government may face in establishing a regional planning authority, including political will, state autonomy in a federal system of government, and the scope and powers of such authority. A comparison of the setting up of regional authorities in Australia and Canada is also included, being countries applying the federal system of government like Malaysia