PUTRAJAYA, Aug 14 — Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif has been appointed as the new Datuk Bandar of Kuala Lumpur effective tomorrow (August 15) to replace Datuk Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh who is on compulsory retirement.

The appointment was approved by His Majesty, the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim and in accordance with Subsection 4 (2), Federal Capital Act 1960.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said Maimunah was the individual responsible for restoring UN-Habitat’s position as a thought leader in the municipality sustainable, with 39 years of experience in urban planning, urban regeneration and community-led development.

She said Maimunah, 63, was once given the responsibility as co-chairman of the Secretary-General’s Task Force on the Future Cities and co-chairman of the Local 2030 Coalition and now was appointed as an adviser to the International Council for Local Environment Initiative (ICLEI).

"I believe that with this appointment, she will be able to continue her experience and contribution to lead Kuala Lumpur City Hall with full integrity, ensure sustainable development, excellence and continues progressing towards a developed and prosperous Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur,” she said in a statement here today.

"Maimunah has also earned recognition at the national and international level such as Malaysian City Planner by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government; honorary member of the Royal Town Planner’s Institute, United Kingdom; honorary fellow, United Cities of Local Government (UCLG) and ambassador of His Majesty King Charles III (King’s Foundation) in sustainable urbanism in Commonwealth countries.”

Maimunah also served as the executive director of the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) based in Nairobi, Kenya for six years and was the first Asian woman to hold that position.

Before that, she served as the mayor of Penang City Council and the president of Seberang Perai Municipal Council and has been the president of the Malaysian Local Authorities Association (MALA).

She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Urban Planning) from the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, United Kingdom before continuing her studies in Master of Science (Urban Planning) at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Zaliha also expressed her appreciation and gratitude to Kamarulzaman for all his contributions and leadership during his tenure as the Kuala Lumpur mayor. — Bernama