KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is embarking on an initiative to transform the city into one of the world's top ten most connected cities within the next three years.

Federal Territories Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today that ""a connected city does not just mean faster Internet speed but a city that could encourage innovation and tourism, thus supporting the local economy"".

In order to reach this target, he said, DBKL would be launching three main focus areas which it believed would collectively deliver the required results.

The focus areas are improving broadband connectivity, web-based applications and e-service, and public information technology (IT) facilities and resources.

"DBKL is confident of the necessary foundation required to meet this target. Therefore, we would like to take a leading role in achieving this aspiration," he said in a statement.

Tengku Adnan said DBKL was committed to ensuring all segments of its population would equally benefit from this progress in technology and it would pay particular importance to ensuring ICT services that meet the needs oftourists, the urban poor and the government segment.

"In order to ensure all parties comply with the legislations and regulations, DBKL will be playing a more proactive role in terms of governance and compliance as a way to improve the entire industry in a single programme.

"A tighter enforcement as such will result in easier implementation of macro-level initiatives that will benefit the entire industry in the long run," he said.

"In ddition to this, DBKL will also be looking towards upgrading and standardisation of various ICT infrastructure within the city.

"This will assist in ensuring the sustainable deployment of ICT infrastructure within the city, especially the new entrants without compromising the aesthetics of the city.

"DBKL will also look into ensuring that all structures are deployed in a manner which doesn't result in any health or safety implications on the general public, in line with DBKL's policiesacross all segments to ensure that health and safety practises are kept as the highest priority."

Tengku Adnan said DBKL would start reaching out to the relevant government departments and agencies to begin collaboration efforts in order to garner the required support and expertise to make this initiative a reality.

"DBKL will also start working with leading authorities globally in order to obtain an international perspective, and is confident that it will be able to make this initiative a reality which will benefit the city, its residents and the nation as a whole," he added.