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The blue economy is emerging as an important driver for economic growth that has been shifted towards innovative and sustainable solutions. Malaysia as a nation-state surrounded by waters cannot afford to ignore the importance of blue economy in stimulating its economic growth. This paper emphasizes Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) as a management planning tool for a sustainable blue economy that should be implemented in Malaysia. MSP is argued as a key that can provide sustainably develop coastal and maritime zones by enhancing the efficiency of resource management, exploitation, and utilization within an integrated management framework. To deepen our understanding of challenges and opportunities in adopting and implementing MSP in Malaysia, Kuala Terengganu-Kuala Nerus MSP pilot project is used as a case study. Terengganu’s waters in the South China Sea are demarcated by the protected boundaries of the marine parks in the sea and state parks that are competing with the urbanization along the in the coastal area. However, the development that has been carried out, to some extent, is not integrated that increases the pressure on marine and coastal ecosystems. The purpose of this discussion is to seek the answers to what extent the current and future development trends in Terengganu, generally and Kuala Terengganu-Kuala Nerus, specifically have addressed the multiple competing and conflicting uses related to socioeconomic development, marine/ocean governance and conservation.

Bio：

Nazli Aziz is an Associate Professor of Politics and Policy Studies, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development (FPEPS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). He is currently the Deputy Dean (Talent & Research) of FPEPS and was the Coordinator at Centre for Ocean Governance, Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS-COG), UMT. He is active in conducting research for various agencies, both at the state and federal levels as a researcher/consultant in Malaysia. His current research interests focus on coastal development policy and ocean governance in particular of promoting and establishing the sustainable management for marine parks in Malaysia and the pilot project of Marine Spatial Planning in Peninsular Malaysia with China’s counterparts. He has published various journal articles and books. One of his books won Malaysia’s best scientific book 2021 (social science category), awarded by the Malaysian Council of Scientific Publication (MAPIM).  In the past few years, his publications have been focused in the newly emerging trend in Malaysia of bridging the science and social science nexus, in particular of translating the marine data to action plans or strategies in relations with the state governance.