Advancing sustainable city development through inaugural ICSSC 2026

Official launching of ICSSC 2026 on May 6, 2026 at Imperial Hotel, Kuching.

KUCHING, 8 May 2026: The inaugural International Conference of Sustainable Smart Cities (ICSSC 2026) took place at Kuching’s Imperial Hotel from May 5 to 8, 2026, bringing together delegates from Malaysia, Greece, Thailand, Cambodia and Italy for 4 days of international collaboration and knowledge on smart city development, sustainability, digital innovation and capacity building. 

Organised by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak Campus and supported by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), ICSSC 2026 aims to advance digital transformation, sustainability and talent development while positioning the state as a competitive and innovation-driven region, further reinforcing the state’s aspiration under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

“Malaysia’s smart city journey began in 2018 with the MySmart City Strategies, which introduced a national framework for coordinated urban development. Kuching was one of 5 pilot cities, where early interventions focused on addressing congestion and flood risks using smart mobility systems and environmental monitoring technologies,” said Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Prof. Dr. Sim Kui Hian, in a speech read by Mayor of Kuching South, Dato Wee Hong Seng during the launching of ICSSC 2026 on May 6, 2026.

Dato Wee Hong Seng reading a speech by Datuk Amar Prof. Dr. Sim Kui Hian during the launching of ICSSC 2026.

“ICSSC 2026 plays a key role in bridging global expertise and local implementation through knowledge exchange and innovation-focused programmes,” he added, expressing his hope that the conference would serve as a catalyst for new ideas and collaborations to advance sustainable smart city development, thanks to the participation of various representatives from universities, industries, government agencies and international organisations.