Y.B. Datuk Bandar,1 Y.B. Datuk Ong, Menteri Kerajaan Tempatan, Penyelidikan dan Teknoloji, Saudara-saudara sekalian,
Saya turut merasa gembira kerana dapat hadir bersama-sama pada Pamiran ini yang khusus diadakan dalam bidang perayaan Hari Bandar Raya.
Saya sukacita bahawa Pamiran ini diadakan serentak dengan kerjasama Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia yang telah mengambil inisiatif melancarkan Rancangan Enviro 2000 bulan September lalu.
Tidak syak lagi, Pamiran ini membawa munafaat yang besar, khususnya kepada penduduk-penduduk Ibu Kota Kuala Lumpur, kerana mereka bukan saja dapat mempelajari sejarah perkembangan Bandar Raya hingga hari ini bahkan dapat pula sama-sama menjelajah ke alam masa depan tahun 2000 seperti yang dapat disaksikan bersama-sama di sini.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is indeed a great pleasure for me to be invited here today and to officially open the City Status and Enviro 2000 Exhibition.
Last September, I had the privilege of launching the Enviro 2000 project. I am pleased to see that within three months, it has caught everyone's imagination and has become a household word.
This Exhibition to my mind is both beneficial and timely. For one thing, this is an excellent idea to inform and educate our people of the tremendous potentials which are open to us and the coming generations. The rapid transferance of information combined with advanced analytical method would enable us to embark on broad national planning, not only concentrating on economic goals but more clearly defining our cultural and environmental objectives.
Indeed, with current technological development, nothing will bar our road to a modern future. If our nation is to progress and most certainly we must—we should mobilise all available resources both in public and private sector, utilising the reservoir of technological skill and knowledge to the fullest.
It is a widely accepted fact that our modern society will require more and more planning as we face the rapid tempo of technological development. With its enhanced status today, the city administration must necessarily strengthen itself so that it can proceed with new vigour in its plans for further development.
Naturally, there is great expectation on the part of our people for the future. There is obvious need for greater co-ordination between public institutions as also between public and private
institutions. I am confident with the combined effort of the City Authorities and UDA on the one hand, and the Pertubuhan Akitek on the other, we can expect a tremendous change to Kuala Lumpur and its environment even before we enter into the 21st century. Of course, the important thing is not only the external facade but it is equally vital to provide the city an identity or soul of its own.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Truly speaking, this Exhibition provides us an exciting adventure into our past and the future. In his address just now,the Hon'ble Minister of Local Government, referred to the current study being undertaken for the whole of the Klang Valley. The significant fact to us is that in our search for a national indentity, it is preferable to build up on our past heritage. Kuala Lumpur City has been closely associated with the political and economic progress of this country; it is, therefore, logical that it should remain the living symbol of our political identity as a nation rather than seek a new Brasilia.
In this connection, I would strongly endorse the suggestion made by the PAM President2 to take this Exhibition on a tour around the country. Most of our towns are themselves developing rapidly and there are a number of new towns on the blueprint in the newly-opened areas in Jengka, Pahang Tenggara and Johor. There is much that our people can learn from this Exhibition. It will definitely inspire our younger generation that this kind of future is not only for the advanced nations of Europe and America, but right here in our Kuala Lumpur. What better demonstration of futuristic life than this bubble-home!
Saudara-saudara sekalian,
Saya berharap Pamiran ini akan mendapat sambutan hangat dari rakyat Negara ini dari jauh dan dekat yang sudah pun berhimpun ramai menyertai Perayaan Bandar Raya. Saya dengan penuh sukacita mengisytiharkan Pamiran ini dibuka dengan rasminya.
- Y.B, Tan Sri Lokman Yusof.
- Encik Hisham Albakri.
