Kuala Lampur, Sept. 2 -- Have you ever noticed the colourful flowers that brighten Jalan Parlimen on the approach to Parliament House? Or the beautifully landscaped roads along Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Sultan Ismail and many of Kuala Lumpur's other main thoroughfares?

They soften the city's concrete landscape, transforming busy roads into welcoming avenues and reminding us why Kuala Lumpur has long been known as a Garden City. We admire the colours that change with the seasons and the greenery that provides a sense of calm amid the constant movement of traffic.

Yet for a long time, I never stopped to ask a simple question: Who keeps the flowers blooming?

Over the past few years, during my morning drives along Jalan Parlimen...