THE FIFTH ESTATE – A SPACE FOR ACADEMIA OR INTELLECTUAL LEADERSHIP?

The Razak School of Government (RSOG) had introduced the Chief Secretary Annual Lecture Series in 2011. This event is a platform for the academia (public and private higher institutions) in Malaysia to interact with senior officials from the Public sector. It provides both sides, including the students the opportunity to offer their insights in the building of a competitive Malaysia.  This event is targeted for the academics, public and private sector as well as the NGOs. I and Dr Alias Rameli (Federal Department of Town and Country Planning) have a chance to attend Chief Secretary Annual Lecture Series on 20 Mac 2012 at Dewan Perdana,Putrajaya International Conference Centre (PICC).The theme for this Inaugural Lecture is “The Fifth Estate– A Space for Academia?”. When I was driving to PICC and entering the Perdana Hall PICC, I  was wondering what is actually the Fifth Estate? Why the Fifth Estate? Before the Fifth Estate, what is First Estate? Second Estate? Third Estate? Forth Estate? Why all the estates are so significant to our nation? Where are we? Where do we go from here?

YBhg. Tan Sri Mohd Sidek bin Haji Hassan began his speech  to provocate a conversation, a debate even, on the role of academia in influencing opinion, shaping thinking, growing minds. And if the social media is increasingly popular and impacting the lives of our young, is there a place for academia in this space? And if there is that space, can it be considered the Fifth Estate? There is general acceptance as to these four estates, namely the clergy, First Estate, the nobility, Second Estate, the proletariat, Third Estate, and the print media, Fourth Estate. The first three estates have their roots in feudal society, some put it down to French feudal society, some to the British estates of Parliament: the Lords Spiritual, the Lords temporal and the Commons.

In his speech  mentioned that today the influence of the Fourth Estate has waned in the face of the rise of the Digital Media. Whereas in years past the print media provided the outlet for the masses, today, people especially the young, find empowerment in the digital realm of Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and other forms of social media. So is this the Fifth Estate? Sceptics have challenged utopian perspectives on the role of the Internet in democratic political processes. These critiques can be useful, but often fail to understand the very real impact of enabling individuals to network in new ways. The rise of the press, radio, television and other mass media created an independent institution: the ‘Fourth Estate’, central to pluralist democratic processes. However, the growing use of the Internet and related technologies enables the networking of individuals in ways that create a new source of accountability not only in government and politics, but also in other sectors. How does the Internet create a space for this new form of social accountability? Is it indeed enabling a ‘Fifth Estate’?

He also mentioned that the Internet is a platform for networking individuals in ways that can challenge the influence of other more established bases of institutional authority, and that can be used to increase the accountability of the press, politicians, doctors and academics by offering networked individuals with alternative sources of information and opinion. Questions about the governance of the Fifth Estate are likely to become more prominent as people realize that the Internet is a social phenomenon with broad and substantial implications for political and social accountability, as illustrated by the crisis over WikiLeaks. The development and vitality of the ‘Fifth Estate’ rests less on new policy initiatives than by responding to the strategies of its enemies -- the other four estates, and the mob, of the Internet realm.

YBhg. Tan Sri Mohd Sidek bin Haji Hassan in his speech raised a few questions,so where does this leave the academia? Can we regard academia as the Fifth Estate? Or are members of the academia a part of the Fifth Estate? I do not think the Academia can claim that they are THE Fifth Estate. Yes, they are part of the Fifth Estate if one agrees that their role goes beyond providing checks and balances. There are some points that are prerequisites for the academic fraternity to claim the status of a Fifth Estate:

a. We must believe that ours is a noble profession and that we are in it out of conviction and choice, and not out of circumstance. We must have the skills, knowledge and expertise. We are in this field because we are convinced that we can make a difference in the lives of the people we teach; that we want to be involved.
b. We must believe that ours is a profession of immense power and influence. We have the power to shape minds, thought and character. We believe that education shapes and empowers the human intellect and spirit.  So to be a force in the Fifth Estate we must reclaim our intellectual leadership. This must of course be derived from the quality of scholarship of the leaders of the universities. Therefore the academia can visible in the public eye.
c. We must believe that in the course of our work we can give voice to the marginalised. In this space we re-assert that all-important relationship between the university and society. In this we must be willing to take up the cause of the marginalised. Our research should guide the conversations on topics that concern society and the minorities who have no one to speak for them.
d.We must use our expertise to differentiate ourself from the citizen journalists that operate in the blogosphere. Many bloggers advocate the same things we dislike in the Fourth Estate. They are often biased and tend to take extreme positions, regardless of the facts.
e. Focus on the people, not on the technology. This is what sets we apart from the other folks who claim the Fifth Estate. For them it is Facebook, Twitter and their blogs. We are trained to analyse, to teach, to communicate. This is about extending our reach beyond our classroom. What power we have at our fingertips! Use it well.

The end of his speech, he mentioned that  there is a place for academia in the Fifth Estate. As much as a place for government and government officials. Like many of us here. For in the final analysis, what the Fifth Estate has to do is to influence people, and for the right reasons; in what is right, what is true and what is good. For is it not said somewhere that the voice of the people is the voice of God! 

In my opinion, conceptualization of the Fifth Estate builds on the depiction by Manuel Castells of the Internet as creating a space of flows, in contrast to a space of places. When we ‘go to’ the Internet, we enter this new space of flows that connects with people and places. This is dramatically different from a physical place, such as this hall. Both are important and serve major social roles in shaping the quality of our information environment. Academics themselves mobilize around local issues, such as university governance, as well as more international issues like copyright through mailing lists, Web sites and blogs. Even in academia, there is an emerging Fifth Estate, enabled by the Internet, providing checks and balances on the more established academic institutional structures.  Knowledge acquisition, deliverance and administration is a continuing process. Therefore collaboration between academicians and practitioners are actually for enhancing knowledge and bring the our nation more competitive.

MUTIARA KATA DR ROBIAH K. HAMZAH & PROF DR MUHAYA MOHAMAD

Setelah mendengar kuliah Dr Robiah dan Prof Dr Muhaya di Radio IKIM setiap pagi sejak akhir-akhir ini, antara mutiara kata yang sungguh indah yang boleh dijadikan panduan hidup:

1. Manusia yang mempunyai arah akan menguasai nasib dan gaya hidupnya.

2. Untuk jadi hebat tidak perlu jadi orang lain, jadilah diri sendiri.

3. Ibadah bukan beban, ia hadiah terindah daripada Allah s.wt .

4. Tidurlah bersama kesyukuran, jangan tidur bersama kesedihan.

5. Orang dungu hanya tahu setelah terkena.

6. Lihat apa yang kita lihat, fikir apa yang kita fikir.

7. Bukan semua yang disukai memberikan kesukaan akhirnya.

8. Sabar itu lebih mudah daripada tidak bersabar.

9. Jangan bertanya kepada kejahilan kerana ia akan menjawab.

10. Musuh ketat bagi terbaik adalah baik.Buat betul biar betul-betul.

11. Apabila semboyan nafsu dibunyikan, bolehlah berikan ciuman dan ucapan selamat tinggal kepada sebarang kebaikan!

12. Semakin menuju ke utara, selatan semakin menjauh.

13. Keinginan ialah penipu dalam diri yang tidak memerlukan izin untuk masuk.

14. Sesetengah nikmat itu hanya datang sekali tetapi bersyukur kena selalu.

15. Emas dan kerikil tidak boleh ditimbang sekali.

16. Fikir kematian seperti mengaktifkan penggera jam, dengannya kita terbangun; tanpanya kita terus lena.

17. Serik ialah pusingan-U terakhir untuk kembali ke jalan betul.

18. Selarikan apa kita yakin, apa kita bikin.

19. Ketagihan pujian ialah mukadimah kebinasaan.

20. Lidah seperti sebilah pedang, sarungkanlah agar terselamat daripada hirisannya.

21. Apabila semua perkara telah tewas, harapan jangan tewas !

22. Semakin kita beremosi semakin akal tidak berfungsi.

23. Sekali kita mahu belajar seisi dunia mahu menjadi guru.

24. Sekiranya kelebihan diri seluas lautan, kerendahan hati harus selebar bumi.

25. Jika hati membisik: Bolehkah aku berubah? Katakan: Tidak! Kepada soalan itu.

26. Antara lukisan dan tajuk, manakah lebih awal? Jawapannya: Sudut Pandangan!

27. Sekiranya Hamman itu baik nescaya Lembah Luxor dipenuhi masjid.

28. Syukur andainya kita boleh bersyukur.

29. Sekiranya seseorang bertanya mengenai harga diri, jawapannya ada pada kesetiaan.

30. Apabila dua orang pahlawan menghunuskan senjata beradu,yang bakal tewas berkata: Aku akan mati hari ini; yang bakal menang berkata: Aku ingin mati hari ini!

31. Puppet digerakkan oleh tali. Manusia punyai tali ghaib yang menggerakkan hidup!

32. Seorang pendita menuruni lembah, menakluki puncak gunung untuk menguasai hikmat, ia menemuinya di puncak faham.

33. Tanya kepada fitrah, jawapannya tidak pernah menipu.

34. Pada setiap butiran pasir tersembunyi hikmah.

35. Kalaulah fatamorgana sememangnya air sudah tentu gurun itu lautan.

36. Sebelum mendaki, pastikan terlebih dahulu tangga disandarkan ke dinding.

37. Dua benda perlu bergabung untuk memperolehi hasil, anak benih dengan tanah, perancangan dengan menuliskannya.

38. Sedetik menoleh kepada Allah s.wt , baru tersedar bahawa selama- lamanya kita diperhatikan oleh kasih sayang-Nya.

39. Orang yang hidup untuk memberi akan hidup dilimpahi pemberian Allah s.wt .

40.  Cintakan Allah s.wt adalah naluri terindah.
41. Jangan kerap mengucapkan kesukaran di setiap perbuatan, selalu mengucap kesyukuran.

THE ROLE OF URBAN GOVERNANCE TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED REGULATORY APPROACH FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IN MALAYSIA’S CITIES

The key roles and responsibilities of an urban transport authority should entail; budgeting and funding, integrated transport planning, standards development, fares definition and economic regulation, tendering and licensing, performance monitoring, standards enforcement, infrastructure ownership and management, ticketing and fares collection and traffic management. What applies to Malaysia? Three areas for consideration:

a. Is there a need for an integrated Transport Authority to regulate and manage the urban transport sector in the major agglomerations?

b. Are urban public transport service offerings developed based on an integrated urban and transport planning approach? Are urban transport services closely integrated to provide a seamless service proposition?

c. Is the performance management of the service providers / operators consistent, transparent and comprehensive? What sanctions are appropriate for non-performing operators?

Regulatory fragmentation has been frequently indentified as the root cause for Malaysia’s public transportation system woes. Institutional inefficiencies, lack of integration and absence of key functions are the three identified areas of regulatory fragmentation in governance that normally leads to such woes. The result will normally leave a country or city with a myriad of problems such as underdeveloped public transportation, high pollution levels, congestion issues and low safety levels. The cited examples of 6 densely populated cities i.e. London, Singapore, Paris, Hong Kong, Auckland and Berlin as places to learn from because of their quality reputation in transportation governance. In applying a comprehensive transport governance framework (policy, planning & regulation, operations and enforcement) to the transport authorities of the six cities, six valuable lessons were learnt. These consisted of:

a. Separation of regulation from operations

Regulatory and operations functions are separate with the planning/regulating body having no interest in the ongoing operations. Such operations could be performed by either public or private sector operators with the infrastructure and rolling stock being owned by the regulating body.

b. Planning integration

All planning and regulatory functions for all public transport modes that are undertaken by one organisation that facilitates integration. It was discovered that intermodal integration is ensured at three levels which are; capacity & route planning, infrastructure planning and fare planning. Transport planning is also highly integrated with urban development.

c. Functions-based structure

The transport authority adopts a function-based organisational structure to ensure integrated planning across all modes of public transport and to have a direct link with the public transport operators.

d. Budgeting and funding

Authority is typically responsible for collecting subsidies from government and allocating them to the public transport operators. The allocation is a key in managing the sector and ensuring coordination / integration. In some cases, funds are allocated by the transport authority to the local authorities for infrastructure projects like roads.

e. Active monitoring

The performance of public transport operators are monitored and evaluated against defined KPIs covering operations and environmental areas. The service contracts provides sanctions, including termination, in cases of non compliance.

f. Industry consolidation

The private sector would be consolidation into cohesive organisations that are generally done by the authorities. This move is to ensure effective regulation and to scale up investments which otherwise might be difficult to source from individuals and small operators.

BRIEFING FOR STUDENTS AND LECTURE FROM UNIVERSITAS ISLAM NEGERI (UIN) ALAUDDIN MAKASSAR 12 MARCH 2012

FDTCP INITIATIVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PART 3

Manual of Sustainability Assessment

The efforts of making urban and rural areas in Malaysia sustainable were not only done at the conceptual level or just for the purpose of assessment, but the concept of sustainable development has also been streamlined or incorporated in all levels of development plan from National Physical Plan at the federal level, to Structure Plan at state level as well as in Local Plan and Special Area Plan at the local level. Special Sustainability Assessment (SA) method has been introduced and applied in the process of preparing and finalising each local plan to ensure that the proposed future land use development of an area are in line with the aim to achieve sustainable development.

Futher enquiry about this article kindly contact :

DR. AZMIZAM ABDUL RASHID

 Research and Development Division,
 Federal Department of Town and Country Planning,
 Ministry of Housing and Local Government,
 Unit No. 50-12-2B, & 50-13-1, Wisma UOA Damansara,
 No. 50, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights,
 50490 Kuala Lumpur,
 Malaysia
 email address : azmizam@townplan.gov.my

Green Neighbourhood Planning Guidelines

FDTCP is working on Green Neighbourhood Planning Guidelines, whilst the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water is at their final stage of preparing the guidelines on Green Township and Low Carbon City. There are also initiatives by professional bodies to formulate the Green Building Index Township Tools, Residential New Construction Guide, Green Building Certification and so on.

The endeavour to promote, implement and enforce the sustainable development goal in Malaysia has now move to a new phase, in line with the international efforts to tackle the issues and phenomenon of global warming, climate change, natural disaster and so on. It has also move to anticipate the ideas of low-carbon city, renewable energy and various `green’ initiatives, such as green technology, green transportation, green building, green township, green neighbourhood and others `green’ brand and tagline.

Green Neighbourhood Planning Guidelines is an integrated manner with the priority given to the protection and consumption of natural resources, application of green technology and recycling. It seeks to preserve the environment, reduce the ecology footprint, reduce the production of carbon emission, improving public health, safety as well as generalwelfare of city dwellers.

8 Planning Principles

i.        Priority given to sustainability and environment of aspect;

ii.      Creating sustainable communities living in harmony, healthy and interact with each other;

iii.    Create high accessibility environment;

iv.    Comfortable human scale neighbourhood design;

v.      Containing the features of affordable housing;

vi.    Provide Green Infrastructure “green infrastructure”; 
vii   Energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE).

 

FDTCP INITIATIVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PART 2

Regional Plans

Under sub-section 6A(5)(b) of Town and Country Planning Act, (Act 172) requires the Regional Planning Committee (RPC) to prepare a Regional Plan for areas situated in two or more states where there is an urgent need to tackle significant strategic issues of regional importance, particularly pertaining to cross-border development and joint-facility provision. Each Regional Plan consists of spatial policies and broad development strategies to guide and coordinate development including key regional infrastructure provision, such as highways and airports.

Regional Planning Committees serves to inform and assist the State Planning Committees and the Local Planning Authorities within the region on appropriate development measures for the region aimed at sharing and optimising the use of capital-intensive infrastructure and social facilities, coordinate development, avoid duplication of investments and promote the conservation of natural resources. Regional plan / sub-regional plan may also be prepared for the conurbation covering a number of local authority areas identified in the NPP.

To reduce the wide income disparities between the less-developed and more-developed regions as well as between the rural and urban areas, Corridor Development Plans (CDP) for the various designated regional growth corridors that is, the Eastern Corridor Economic Region (ECER), the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) and Iskandar Malaysia, have been prepared and completed recently.

Malaysian Urban Indicators Network (MURNInet)

In 2002, the FDTCP has taken an initiative to promote sustainable development concept for urban area by introducing the Malaysian Urban Indicator Network (MURNInet). MURNInet is a system of evaluating and

monitoring the sustainability of cities in Malaysia through the performance of a set of sustainable development indicators identified.

MURNInet was created based on a computer network that was designed to analyze current urban conditions; effects of development, survey temporal change and formulate sustainable urban scenarios for the future based on fixed standards. This program is continued until today with continuous improvement from time to time. Subsequently, with the changing respectives and including of sustainable development issues in governments future policies and strategties, MURNInet is being reviewed and updated to keep up with current needs and future aspirations of the country such low carbon society, green township, green neighbourhood and green technology.  There are 6 main MURNInet dimensions which include :

i.        Competitive economy;

ii.      Sustainable environment;

iii.    Well-being community;

iv.    Optimum use of land natural resources;

v.      Efficient  Transportation and infrastructure; and

vi.    Effective governance

The above dimensions are divided into 21 themes and 36 indicators. One of a new indicator in MURNInet is Happiness Index Study. The study is to measure well-being of people living within the city which will take into account people's work-life balance, safety, health, governance, provision of public amenities, spiritual and environment. 

Futher enquiry about this article kindly contact :

DR. AZMIZAM ABDUL RASHID
 Research and Development Division,
 Federal Department of Town and Country Planning,
 Ministry of Housing and Local Government,
 Unit No. 50-12-2B, & 50-13-1, Wisma UOA Damansara,
 No. 50, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights,
 50490 Kuala Lumpur,
 Malaysia
 email address : azmizam@townplan.gov.my

Physical Planning Guidelines

Planning guidelines is a written statement which acts as reference for development approval by local planning authorities in controlling land use to achieve uniformity, complacency and safe execution for land use activities. For any development proposal should adhere to the guidelines that have been set. Planning Guidelines are able to create comfortable and liveable environment.

FDTCP has prepared 41 planning guidelines since 1997. However in 2008, subsequently, with the changing respectives of sustainable development issues in governments future policies and strategties, 17 planning guidelines have been reviewed with 7 new planning guidelines. The planning guidelines related to sustainable development are:

i.              Planning Doctrine and Universal Development

ii.            Housing Planning Guidelines

iii.          Industrial Planning Guidelines

iv.          Commercial Area Planning Guidelines

v.            Community Facilities Planning Guidelines

vi.          Open Space and Recreational Planning Guidelines

vii.        Island and Marine Park Physical Development Planning Guidelines

viii.      Environmental Sensitive Area Planning Guidelines

ix.          Theme Park Planning Guidelines

x.            Roof-Top Garden Planning Guidelines

xi.          Universal Design Planning Guidelines

xii.        Green Neighbourhood Planning Guidelines

xiii.      Planning Guidelines of Identification for the Brownfield Redevelopment Area

MY LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM UKM

Thank you very much to Prof Dr Hazita Azman & FSSK for this award. From bottom of my heart I'm really honored & appreciate it. Your support with encouragement frm PM Dr Hamzah Jusoh & PM Dr Jalaluddin Ab Malek during my prsent for 3 yrs in UKM will be remembered forever. Allah saja dpt membalasnya...Amin

THE ROLE OF EFFICIENT URBAN GOVERNANCE TO PROMOTE THE INCREASING PUBLIC TRANSPORT UTILISATION

The availability and improvement of public transportation should be looked upon as a consumer right of citizens. Unfortunately, citizens tend to suffer from the uncoordinated, ill planned and profit driven public transport projects that have been developed by private concerns. An example would be the failure to connect the LRT and Monorail lines in KL Sentral itself that brings about such inconvenience to would be users. ‘Sustainability’ is the key word in increasing the utilisation of public transport and this is undertaken by finding out what the general public would like and making sure it is delivered and maintained. The growing success of RAPID Penang has been brought about by its efficiency that encapsulates:

a. Services (affordable, accessible, frequent, conducive, informative with well trained personnel);

b. Enforcement (relevant authorities take responsibility for monitoring and issuing of licences);

c. Hardware (vehicles with good levels of comfort, safety and cleanliness, GPS);

d. Infrastructure (improved road system which includes bus lanes, developing/improving the bus terminals and bus & taxi stops)

The bus operations of most capital cities in developed countries have been reformed via the introduction of the ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ concept which RAPID Penang will emulate once more infrastructure becomes available. The concept entails shortened travelling distances for buses that will increase their frequency and lower the waiting time despite the transfers. RAPID Penang plans to increase the number of buses from 150 to 350 with the goal of achieving a 70:30 (private: public transportation) usage by 2010. As much has been discussed and covered regarding the various problems being faced by Malaysia’s public transport, he concentrated on short and long term recommendations to alleviate and eventually overcome these problems:

The short term steps:

a. Focusing on low/medium income groups and low vehicle ownership settlement corridors to achieve a higher modal split;

b. Lower priority on high-income groups, low density and high vehicle ownership areas as these places would/can be more effectively served by taxis;

c. Choosing suitable vehicles for feeder services with routes penetrating into densely populated settlements;
d. Review and improving the facilities and amenities (bus stop design, waiting comfort, lighting, etc) on priority routes

The long term steps:

a. Policy and strategy in restraining private vehicle usage in the urban centre;

b. Priority on bus operations and enforcement;
c. Balancing land use planning and development

With all the research and recommendations garnered on the issue over the years there should be little or no room for trial and error. An introduction on Department of Railways (DOR) that reports to the Ministry of Transport and is governed by the Railways Act 1991 & Regulations. The duties & functions of the DOR are as follows:

a. Regulating railway operations and services;

b. Prescribing minimal safety standards for railway operations;

c. Prescribing registration/minimal qualification for railway officials;

d. Promoting interest of users of railway facilities/ services (rates, standards, quality, etc);
e. Promoting expansion/improvement of railway systems/facilities/services

In his opinion on the matter on increasing public transport utilisation, there are several ways of achieving this. First and foremost, is to continuously expand the railway network as the backbone of public transport that is complemented with adequate bus line and bus feeder services. The availability of an integrated, accessible and seamless rail network is also needed that possesses a good level of capacity, comfort and reliability. Added to this, will be the need for a common ticketing system and increase in parking space for private vehicle users who would/wish to use public transport like the railway network.

FDTCP INITIATIVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVLOPMENT PART 1

Federal Department of Town and Country Planning (FDTCP) is committed to promote an integrated and holistic approach to planning and building sustainable cities through support to local authorities, efficient transportation and communication networks, greener buildings and an efficient human settlements and service delivery system, improved air and water quality, reduced waste, improved disaster preparedness and response and increased climate resilience.FDTCP efforts towards achieving sustainable development in the country can been seen through the following planning instruments and policies 

National Urbanisation Policy (NUP)

The necessity of preparing the National Urbanisation Policy (NUP) was emphasised in the 8th and 9th Malaysia Plans. Its formulation is crucial to improve the effectiveness of urban service quality to create safe, systematic, modern and attractive cities. Urban development must be steered towards the creation of an environment that offers peaceful community living, which requires equilibrium in physical, economic, social and environmental development aspects. The NUP will guide and coordinate the planning and urban development of the country to be more efficient and systematic particularly to handle the increase in the urban population by 2020 with emphasis on balancing the social, economic and physical development within urban areas. 

It also serve as the foundation to encourage racial integration and solidarity for those who will reside in the urban areas. The NUP is the main thrust for all urban planning and development activities in Peninsular Malaysia including development plans at the state and local level. This policy will outline the thrust, policy, measures and implementation plan to coordinate and manage the urbanisation process of the country. The NUP is formulated on six thrusts as follows;

i.        An efficient and sustainable urban development.

ii.      Development of an urban economy that is resilient, dynamic and competitive.

iii.    An integrated and efficient urban transportation system.

iv.    Provision of urban services, infrastructure and utility of quality.

v.      Creation of a conducive liveable urban environment with identity.

vi.    Effective urban governance.

The National Physical Plan (NPP)

The legal foundation for the National Physical Plan (NPP) is the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (revised in 2001). FDTCP is responsible for drafting the plan. The NPP concept was introduced as a result of amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act in 2001. The first NPP was approved in 2005. This NPP covers the period from 2006 to 2020. Pursuant to the Town and Country Planning Act, NPP must be reviewed every five years in conjunction with the Five-Year Plan (i.e. the Malaysia Plan).

NPP is developed out of a collaborative process between the federal government and the states. The plan itself is formulated in accordance with the objectives of urbanization and other relevant sectoral policies. The revised NPP (NPP-2) was approved on August 2010. The stated objective of NPP-2 is "to create an efficient, equitable and sustainable national spatial framework to guide the overall development of the country towards achieving a high-income and developed nation status by 2020".

Additional policies and measures formulated in NPP-2 include matters regarding climate change, protection of biodiversity, green and new technology, as well as sustainable tourism. Also included in NPP-2 is the outline measures to achieve goals of six National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) such as reduction of crime rate, widening access to affordable and quality education, raising the living standard of the poor, improving infrastructure in rural areas, improving public transport, which were set out in the course of introducing outcome-based approach into public sector programmes.

NPP-2 sets out a national spatial strategy for Peninsular Malaysia known as “Concentrated Decentralisation”. Its key strategies are to: (1) focus development along potential growth corridors (e.g. urban and industrial development, agriculture, tourism, transportation network, infrastructure and urban services); (2) focus urban development in selected urban conurbations and key urban areas; (3) spread development to lagging and non-urbanised regions; and (4) provide access to ecotourism and agricultural resources; Above (2) takes over and expands the “Selective Concentration” strategy set out in the first NPP which aimed at national development through promoting growth of major conurbations such as Kuala Lumpur, George Town, Johor Bahru, Kuantan.

ARTICLE ON URBAN REGENERATION PROGRAMME IN MALAYSIA

REVITALIZING URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF URBAN REGENERATION PROGRAMME

Abstract

Malaysia’s modern urban growth, development and urbanisation experiences may be conveniently periodised into three major periods, based on the form, structure and functions of the urban centres. . In Malaysia, given the growing conditions of neglect and degradation of the cities centers.  Since most Malaysian city centers are very old historical cities and seem to be rediscovering now the economic value of creative industries and culture. Urban revitalization and regeneration together with the issues of energy sustainability and the need to reduce pollutant emissions, are today the major challenges facing the planning of cities. The concept of urban regeneration in Malaysia’s cities to promote a “return to the city”, revitalise the city centre, restore activity in a fiercely competitive international context, and implement initiatives to improve the quality of the environment operating in a wide sense towards a smart growth.  Urban regeneration is more than just upgrading the physical environment of an area to hopefully spark private investment. However one of most critical issue in urban regeneration is gentrification. This should not be happend in the true spirit of urban revitalition. Instead of displacing the existing community, they should be relocated to the same site. Therefore urban regeneration processes accomplishes the growing importance in literature of concepts like territorial governance, institutional relational density, creativity, social capital, city branding, city image and place marketing. Kuala Lumpur City Hall is among the municipalities practices urban regeneration by recognizing it as one of the strategic directions the city will take in an effort to encourage more sustainable lifestyles.

Keywords : urban revitalization, urban regeneration, gentrification, public participation

Introduction

By 2050, the world population is expected to increase by 2.5 billion, passing from 6.7 billion in 2008 to 9.2 billion. At the same time, the population living in urban areas is projected to increase from 3.3 billion in 2008 to 6.4 billion in 2050. Thus, the urban areas of the world are expected to absorb all the population growth expected over the next four decades while at the same time drawing in some of the rural population (OECD, 2005). Most of the population growth expected in urban areas will be concentrated in the cities and towns of the less developed regions. Asia, in particular, is projected to see its urban population increase by 1.8 billion, Africa by 0.9 billion, and Latin America and the Caribbean by 0.2 billion. Population growth is therefore becoming largely an urban phenomenon concentrated in the developing world.

There will be an increasingly large population to accommodate in the context of space requirements for economic and social activities. Malaysia’s population in mid-2009 stood at 28.3 million, and the United Nations projects the nation’s population to grow to 40.4 million by 2050. Projections from Malaysia’s National Physical Plan indicate that the population of Peninsular Malaysia would increase to 26.8 million in 2020, from a total of 18.5 million in 2000. Peninsular Malaysia’s population would largely reside in urban areas of various levels and categories. While Peninsular Malaysia’s urban population stood at 65.4 percent (12.1 million) in 2000, it is expected to increase to 75 percent (20.1 million) in 2020. Spatial requirements for urban and city development would thus continue to be a challenge to meet the needs of the ever increasing population (OECD, 2001).

Cities and towns will expand in size and nature to play very important roles as engines of growth to spur development. Cities are expected to provide economic opportunities, and create conducive social environments for a better quality of life. Cities will grow, evolve and age over time into complex and dynamic systems to meet the needs of evolving businesses, employment, housing needs and lifestyles through generations. However, the urban population’s expansion over the last 50 years has placed excessive pressure upon the limited resources of the environment. Excessive industrial growth, increased motorized transportation movements and social lifestyle expectations, contribute to the expansion and continued sprawling of cities’. This gives rise to the excessive use of energy and carbon burning which affects the environment and the inner cities (OECD,2001).

At the same time, older cities now face deteriorating urban infrastructure and services, inefficient water supply, sanitation, waste management, and transportation problems as well as worsening environmental conditions. Challenges in planning and managing urban and cities development, would therefore escalate in time when land for expansion is scarce. Continued sprawling and expansion of cities into valuable greenfield areas consequently leave areas of inner cities to run down and decay in dilapidated conditions. This adversely affects the physical, economic, and social environments of inner city areas (Paddison,1993). ...to be continued ...

Futher enquiry about this article kindly contact :


DR. AZMIZAM ABDUL RASHID
 Research and Development Division,
 Federal Department of Town and Country Planning,
 Ministry of Housing and Local Government,
 Unit No. 50-12-2B, & 50-13-1, Wisma UOA Damansara,
 No. 50, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights,
 50490 Kuala Lumpur,
 Malaysia


 email address : mailto:bpp@townplan.gov.my

40 WORDS THAT AMAZE MY LIFE

1. People who have a life direction, will dominate their fate and lifestyle.

2. To be great, don’t be someone else, be yourself.

3. Worship is not difficulties; it is the most beautiful gift from Allah s.w.t.

4. Sleep with gratitude, do not sleep with grief.

5. Stupid people only know after hit.

6. See what we see, think what we think.

7. Not all we like, will give joy.

8. Patience is easier than not to be patient.

9. Do not ask to ignorance as it will answer.

10. The best is enemy of good. So doing it properly.

11. When the siren sounded desires, may give a kiss and farewell to any good!

12. The heading north, the south is getting away.

13. Desire is the self-deceiver does not require permission to enter.

14. Some blessings come only once but must always be grateful.

15. Gold and gravel cannot be weighed once.

16. Think of death as activating an alarm clock, we woke up to it; without it we continue to sleep.

17. Tired is the last U-turns to return to the correct path.

18. Align what we believe, what we make.

19. Addicted to praise the preamble of destruction.

20. Tongue like a sword, sheath that survived the pieces.

21. When all items have been lost, do not lose hope!

22. More and more emotional mind we do not work.

23. Once we want to learn, the whole world wanted to be teachers.

24. If the advantages we give as cover as ocean, humility should be as wide as Earth.

25. If the heart whispered: Can I change? Say: No! to the question.

26. Between art and title, which earlier? Answer: Point of View!

27. If Hamman Luxor Valley is good, it will fill the mosques.

28. Grateful if we can be grateful.

29. If someone asks about self-esteem, the answer is in loyalty.

30. As the hero takes up arms collide, which will be lost says: I will die today, who would win, said: I want to die today!

31. Puppet funicular. Humans have hidden a drive belt life!

32. A scholar down the valley, conquered the mountain to capture the wisdom, they find it at the top understand.

33. Ask to nature (fitrah), the answer has not been cheating.

34. At each of sand particles, is the hidden of wisdom.

35. If the water is cause of a mirage, it’s will be a sea in the desert.

36. Before climbing, check the ladder standing against the wall.

37. Two things should be combined to obtain a result, seedlings with soil, planning to write.

38. A second look to Allah s.w.t, realized that we ever observed by His love.

39. People who live to give, their live will be flooded with Allah s.w.t’s gifts.

40. Love Allah s.w.t is an instinctive beautiful.