Pembandaran di Malaysia: Peralihan daripada Kefungsian Hierarki kepada Kefungsian Berasaskan Jaringan

Urbanization in Malaysia: Transition from Heirarchical Function to Network-based Function

Abstract

This study examines the process of urbanization in Malaysia which had been occurring for the past five hundreds years. The focus is on the transition of the urban function from hierarchical based to network based function of today. Advances in space technology especially in the development of the satellite systems resulted in distance and space being less important in the urbanization processes. Nevertheless, space-time compression become the main agenda in the urban geography at this moment. Urban planning and implementation are still based on the hierarchical theory and approach which does not exist in the reality today. This research uses secondary data mainly from the various government departments, in addition to structured observations on the field. From the structured observation it is obvious that the urbanization process is dynamic, non-linear with uncertainty and requiring deeper interpretations. Therefore, any action taken will lead to the uncertainty, and it will be getting worst as the urbanization process moves on. The urban future in Malaysia is based on network function and this complexity is articulated deeply in this article by studying the rapidly developing mega urban region area in Malaysia which stretches from the Bernam Basin to the Linggi Basin.