Transformation of Urban Villages: Preliminary Findings on the Wellbeing of Small City Residents in the Fringe of Malaysian Metropolitan Region

Abstract

This article discusses some of the findings about the wellbeing of residents as a result of spatial transformation process currently happening in several selected small cities along the Selangor’s Northern Corridor. By adopting the data obtained from the field work survey and questionnaire distributed to 355 heads of household randomly selected in the study area, some of the findings include (i) the social harmony state of the residents is starting to get affected, (ii) transformation of traditional to modern lifestyle, (iii) increasingly significant deterioration of physical environment. These findings are important indicators of the effects that the fast pace of spatial transformation has on the wellbeing of the residents. These findings are important guidelines for future development planning of the study area. This is because the spatial transformation process promoted by economic globalisation will continue to happen and without proper planning, it is feared that the implication towards the wellbeing of the residents will become worse.