The social and spatial impact of settlement policies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As a multiracial country, one of the main concerns of Malaysia is maintaining
political and economic stability in the process of achieving national integration. The
plurality of society is a legacy of British colonialism and has contributed to occupational
and geographical segregation between the ethnic groups. Economic disparities between
each ethnic group has been a source of ethnic conflict. In 1970, the Government
formulated the New Economic Policy, a preferential treatment policy which favours the
Bumiputera over the non -Bumiputera. The objectives of the policy are, first, to
restructure society so as to eliminate the identification of race with economic functions
and, second, to eradicate poverty. However, while the Bumiputeras benefited from the
affirmative action programmes, the non-Bumiputeras, especially the Chinese, were
alienated by them and this lead to rising ethnic tension. Residential segregation had
divided the two ethnic groups further.
One part of the New Economic Policy is designed to foster better social relations
between ethnic groups by fostering greater ethnic mix within residential areas. The aim
of this study is to investigate social interaction patterns and levels of integration between
Malays and Chinese who reside in different types of residential areas, that is mixed and
monoethnic. The implementation of the housing mix policy is interpreted as the
Government's intention to overcome residential segregation and thereby integrate
different ethnic groups. The policy is one of the ways of bringing the two ethnic groups
into closer contact with each other in the hope of promoting better social interaction and
integration.
The first task of the research was to establish the rationale behind the policy on
residential and ethnic mix and secondly to find out if there were any significant
differences in the form of socialising patterns and integration levels between the ethnic
groups residing in different types of residential areas. The study involved the use of
interviews and social survey as methods of gathering information. Kuala Lumpur, the
capital city of Malaysia was chosen as the case study because it represented the plurality
in society. Surveys were carried out in residential areas that were both ethnically mixed
and monoethnic.
The findings of the study suggested that there are differences in social relationships
and levels of integration between Malays and Chinese who live in the different types of
residential areas. Those who lived in mixed areas were found to be more socialised and
more integrated than those who lived in monoethnic areas. However, the effect of the
types of area was not strong as a determinant of social interaction and integration and
other non spatial factors were more important. Factors like socialising patterns and place
of employment also explained social interaction and integration. Those who socialised
with other ethnic groups were found to be more integrated than those who did not.
Malays were also more integrated than non-Malays. The study also found differences in
gender and age. Although there was an area effect, it was not the same for Malays and
Chinese from different income groups and educational levels. The findings have
important policy implications.