A geospatially informed governance framework for cross-boundary mobility in the Kuala Lumpur - Selangor metropolitan region

Abstract

Cross-boundary commuting between Kuala Lumpur and Selangor has created a functional metropolitan mobility region that extends beyond formal administrative boundaries. Yet responsibility for transport planning, feeder services, land-use decisions, and mobility data remains divided among multiple jurisdictions and agencies. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding how geospatial intelligence can strengthen coordination in metropolitan mobility governance. Drawing on literature on functional urban regions, accessibility, public transport integration, and cross-jurisdictional governance, the framework brings together five key elements: functional mobility demand, geospatial evidence, governance diagnosis, coordinated action, and metropolitan outcomes. Rather than presenting completed GIS or origin-destination analyses, the paper outlines how network mapping, accessibility assessments, land-use overlays, and institutional mapping can be used to identify first- and last-mile gaps, strategic mobility corridors, and barriers to inter-agency coordination. In the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor context, the framework offers a structured foundation for shared data practices, joint corridor planning, coordinated investment, and future empirical testing based on transparent mobility and institutional evidence.