Penang, a bustling center of commerce and culture in Malaysia, is well-known for its vibrant street art, charming shophouses, and iconic street food. Its state capital, George Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws thousands of tourists every day. By 2030, George Town aspires to become a smart, livable city. 

The ASEAN Australia Smart Cities Trust Fund (AASCTF) supported the City Council of Penang Island with the Penang Smart Mobility Micro-Simulation Model Development project, delivering a calibrated Vissim micro-simulation model of George Town's historic center. This will help the city address congestion, improve public transport, and enhance public spaces, to ultimately preserve Penang’s storied past while cultivating its progressive atmosphere.

This project data sheet is part of a collection that features 10 cities with direct interventions from AASCTF. Each data sheet provides a summary of the project, detailing challenges, solutions, and early impacts and benefits, as well how the solutions can be sustained long after project completion. The goal is to showcase how AASCTF has collaborated with the city and partners to catalyze people-centric smart solutions, which can hopefully be replicated or scaled in other Asian cities.

AASCTF is financed by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, managed by the Asian Development Bank, and implemented by Ramboll.