The size and the shape base of organization in Asian cities
has drastically transformed the physical and socioeconomic
landscape.
Urban population in East Asia have increased 3% per year
while urban land expansion reached 2.4% per year.
This strain is intensifying and has destroyed many places
of historical significance.
Demand for real estate development
has turned traditional villages into modern high rise buildings
that are disconnected from the lifestyles of existing
inhabitants.
In many cases, communities have not
been involved in the process of deciding
how development should proceed.
This video presents how a Malay community
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia responds
to a recent redevelopment effort of their village Kampong Bharu.
The concerns and aspiration of the long-term residents,
land owners, and community leaders
were documented to identify their vision of the future
of the urban village.
Kampong Bharu sits in the heart of the Kuala Lumpur
metropolitan region.
A kampong is defined as a Malay village
or locality with 10,000 or fewer people
under the leadership of Village Heads.
Kampong Bharu was formed in the early 1900
when His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Sulaiman,
granted the land to the Malay's under a special condition
that the land could only be owned by the Malay people.
The 223 acre Malay agricultural settlement
survived under British Colonial rule and Japanese occupation.
As a Malay enclave, traditional Malay houses,
microscale businesses, local food and delicacies
has shaped its unique character.
As Kuala Lumpur develops, the 116 year old kampong
is now surrounded by high rise structure, including
the iconic Petronas Tower and modern office buildings.
Despite piecemeal development and extension
of commercial and residential units,
the kampong still looks similar to its early years.
Meanwhile, with only 35% of the original residents remaining,
the area has become occupied mainly by immigrants.
With the rising land value, the area
has been subjected to the real state development
scheme that would maximize the economic potential
of the properties.
However, redevelopment efforts have
been futile due to the issues of multiple land ownership, land
price disparities, and resistance
from residents and land owners.
The initiative to redevelop the land resurfaced in 2012.
With a strong commitment from the government,
a comprehensive development master plan
was prepared by the Kampong Bharu Development Corporation.
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Under parliamentary Act 733, Kampong Bharu Development
Corporation was established the facilitate
the development of the area.
The vision is to develop and to transform the real estate
in creating a better living standard while balancing
the requirement of preserving Kampong Bharu
historical values, culture, and legacy.
With a mission that no land owner or heir
of Kampong Bharu land will be left behind in this development
beyond 2020.
Inspired by the Malay and Islamic culture,
the master plan seeks to ensure holistic, inclusive,
and balanced planning that benefits the key stakeholders.
Recent visits indicate that transformation of Kampong Bharu
is now underway.
But how do the community leaders, land owners,
and residents respond to the redevelopment plan?
What are their aspiration for the future of the village?
Will the local community benefit from early development?
Zamri Mohd Saharin, the deputy director
of urban planning of Kampong Bharu Redevelopment Corporation
said that the change would offer economic and social benefits.
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Despite the advantage mentioned, the Kampong Bharu community
is struggling to come to terms with redevelopment plans.
As the skepticism and resistance persist,
understanding the aspiration of the community
may shed light on the community's concern.
Conversation with the land owners, residents,
and community leaders of Kampong Bharu
highlight that various concern and expectations.
Land owners embrace the idea of change and redevelopment
as long as it conforms to the needs
and aspiration of the Malays.
The economic sustainability and the continuity
of social and cultural identity of the Malays
were the main concern regarding the development.
The Village Heads had their own views
on how the future of Kampong Bharu should be.
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Several land owners insisted that the development
should reflect the Malay Islamic character and values
in a modern form.
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
Islamic and Malay city center.
That's [INAUDIBLE].
A Malay town.
And the first of its kind in the whole world.
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New development should bring about positive change
for a community.
The land owners realize the need to improve
the socioeconomic status of the Malays,
but they were not convinced that the development
could benefit the community.
The chairman of the Secretariat of Trade
and Businesses of Kampong Bharu expressed his concern
about the redevelopment approach.
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On the other hand, a Malay real state developer
was confident that the Malay will reap the benefit.
The need is to have suitable business model
to convince the land owners.
[INAUDIBLE] incentive.
Once we have incentive, that mean the owner [INAUDIBLE]
will get advantage as a land owner
when you want to value land.
Both land owners and community leaders
want that their interest to be safeguarded
and their voices to be heard.
They insisted that their rights to plan
the future of the kampong should be acknowledged and integrated
in the planning and decision making process.
They have to follow the [INAUDIBLE],
the voice of the people of [INAUDIBLE].
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Dr. Shuhana Shamsuddin, a professor in urban design,
shared her thoughts on the way forward
in transforming the place.
The future development of Kampong Bharu
will be more realistic if they were to push it
on an incremental basis.
But this will be done when and if the owners are ready.
If plans proceed, Kampong Bharu will be
transformed on a massive scale.
While the redevelopment is designed
for economic and social sustainability,
it may, in the end, benefit few.
Without a collective agreement from engaged members
of the community, the roadmap to a sustainable future
of the kampong remains uncertain.
Despite the challenge, sustainability
of an urban village is hinged on adapting
to change while securing the economic, social,
and cultural values of the place.
The impact of the redevelopment depends
on how people are informed about and engaged
in the education of economic and social benefits.
Giving greater voice to the people
is such [INAUDIBLE] villages could better
align city redevelopment objective
with the interests and values of people living
in the traditional enclave.
The road to a sustainable development
could be paved effectively by integrating
the principle for inclusive urban development,
adopting a place specific planning approach,
considering rights and ownership issues,
planning for equity and community benefits,
and empowering community through public participation
and engagement.
A framework for future development
should allow for a place to transform naturally
according to the current needs and aspiration
of the local inhabitants.