Digitalk #9 Smart City: Research Method, Experiences, and Implementation

Today, urban life has played an important role in the development of the world’s socio-economic schemes. More people are migrating to live or work in the city, so the cities in the world are getting bigger. This generates new problems in the dynamics of urban development, especially with regard to inadequate infrastructure to accommodate rapid population growth. The concept of smart city emerged as one solution to help solving the problem. Technological developments and increased awareness of municipal governments around the world on its importance make the realization of smart cities more likely in the near future.

Research Manager of CfDS, Viyasa Rahyaputra, stated that the realization of smart city can provide new benefits for residents and municipalities. Simplification of bureaucracy through digitalization of services can make urban life easier and more efficient. The various benefits provided by smart city implementation make the realization of the concept should be prioritized in urban development. However, it should be noted that the realization of smart cities should not only focus on infrastructure development, but it should also ensure that people are able to adapt to and maximize the infrastructures and facilities provided. This can be assessed through the Human Development Index level – for example, one of the most renown smart cities, Singapore, has relatively high Human Development Index level.

Meanwhile, Event and Training Manager of CfDS, Umar Abdul Aziz highlighted one of the obstacles in the implementation of smart city; most smart city programs, including those initiated by local governments, are lacking sustainable aspects. These programs are only seen as projects initiated by a particular administration or entity, not as a long-term commitment. Therefore, the implementation of smart cities encountered various obstacles such as bureaucratic and legal uncertainty or lack of commitment from relevant agencies to continue the program in the long run. In more extreme cases, the unpreparedness of the social and economic structures of society to new developments can lead to horizontal conflicts, such as the tension between online transportation and conventional transportation.

Implementation of smart city is one of the challenges that countries will face in the future. The emergence of innovations in various sectors including economy, transportation and communication make its realization inevitable and necessary. The next step to do is to ensure that smart city policies are effective and able to help as many as possible. One of the points that should be underlined is ensuring that the quality of human resources is able to keep pace with technological advances.