Kuala Lumpur, 11–13 August 2025: The ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN), established at the 32nd ASEAN Summit in 2018, continues to serve as a platform for advancing smart and sustainable urban development across 26 cities in the region. In this spirit, ERIA, in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat and CityNet, convened an international workshop on Digital Twins for Deep Sustainability in ASEAN Smart Cities in Kuala Lumpur.

The 3-day programme brought together more than 30 leading experts, policymakers, and city officials, concluding with a site visit to the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and the Malaysia Smart Cities Alliance Association (MSCA).

The workshop explored innovative applications of digital twin technologies, their role in advancing sustainability, and opportunities for collaboration amongst ASEAN cities.

Keynote speakers included H.E. Pramono Anung, Governor of Jakarta; Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA; Lim Chze Cheen, Director of the ASEAN Connectivity Division at the ASEAN Secretariat; and Vijay Jagannathan, Secretary General of CityNet.

President Watanabe emphasised that digital twin technologies are vital enablers of intelligent decision-making, improved public service efficiency, and sustainable urban solutions. Lim Chze Cheen and Vijay Jagannathan underscored that strong governance, community participation, and transparent data policies are as critical as technological innovation. Governor Pramono highlighted Jakarta’s experience, calling digital twins a ‘game changer’ in accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals.

ERIA Senior Research Fellow Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi outlined the objectives of the workshop, which featured seven interactive sessions. Cities including Singapore, Seoul, Toronto, New York, Philadelphia, Jakarta, Dharavi, and Baguio shared case studies on applying digital twins for low-carbon transition, disaster resilience, and community engagement.

Discussions highlighted the need for ASEAN cities to combine advanced technological solutions with human-centred approaches, transparency, and strong governance. Participants emphasised starting small with visible impacts, engaging stakeholders early, and building skills, while developing viable financing models for long-term adoption.

The second day featured lessons from European and Asian experiences, with experts from Portugal, France, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, and beyond sharing insights. Participants identified priorities such as robust data infrastructure, standardised key performance indicators (KPIs), innovative financing, and new governance frameworks to support interoperability and transformative urban change.

The programme concluded with a visit to MIGHT’s Smart City Experience and Next Generation (SCENIC) facility in Cyberjaya, showcasing Malaysia’s homegrown innovations in sustainable urban solutions.