ppp asignmnt 1

8/2/2019 PPP ASIGNMNT 1

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ppp-asignmnt-1 1/6

Mariyam Shany Ahmed (0726648)

1 of 6

PROFESSIONAL PLANNING PRACTICE (AUP 4265) – ASSIGNMENT I

Planning is a complex and continuously evolving concept, largely reflecting its historical response to

prevailing environmental, economic and socio-cultural challenges (Thompson, 2009:11). Against the

backdrop of the statement, discuss some of the planning issues and challenges which you think are of

great significance facing our society. How can one equip oneself in order to become effective in

meeting these challenges? What will be your view of planners of the future? Please explore other

aspects of planning which you think are critical in the making of effective planners.

A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is just drudgery. But a vision with a plan

can change the world. — Proverb

Town planning service in Malaysia started in earnest in 1921, followed by the Town planning Enactment

in 1923 aimed primarily at prevention and supporting measures to cure urban ills of the time such as

slums and poor land subdivisions (Kamalruddin Shamsudin, 2005). Rapid development in the early years

after independence also meant that land needed to be administered and controlled to ensure land

availability for future use. The preparation of the National Land Code thus aimed at controlling and

guiding land development in the country. Planning urban and rural areas were given utmost importance

over the next decade resulting in the adoption of the Town and Country planning Act 172 in 1976 and its

amendment in 1995. Today, planners and similar professionals face many challenges in light of the rapid

urbanization and developmental changes the country has gone through over the past 20 years.

One of the key challenges planners face in planning for the country are due to the restrictions and

guidances in the various acts and legislations that address land and urban development. As towns grow

bigger, city boundaries expand and social, political and economical changes require different approaches




2 of 6

to tackle the subsequent issues and problems that arise. These acts and guidances are also therefore

required to be periodically reviewed and amended.

Malaysian government has currently adopted a continuous, cyclical planning system approach, which is

based on the identification of needs and goals, the formulation and evaluation of alternative courses of

actions and monitoring adopted programmes. The idea of urban and regional planning in Malaysia

originated from Britain where it was first introduced. Chadwick (1971) stated that planning is a process

of human forethought and action based upon that forethought and it is aiming at the best use of land

and greatest possible ‘improvement in the human environment’.

Planning human living environment is obviously easier said than done. The physical, socio-economic and

environmental aspects are particularly of major concerns and should be taken into consideration in the

planning process (Ahris Yaaku, Ahmad Nazri Muhamad Ludin,, Susilawati Sulaiman & Bajuri, 2005). In

Malaysia, the instantaneous emergence of cities with residential, industrial and commercial centers

proves that development is growing very fast. The course to becoming a developed country has faced

the country with many difficulties and challenges. As Bajuri (2005) points out, urban problems in

Malaysia are virtually insurmountable with respect to the vicious spiral urban squalor, squatter’s

growth, congestion and poverty, which in turn are fuelled by rural migration and resource exhaustion.

Improper physical planning also has resulted in loss of urban green, water and air pollution, erosion,

floods and haze in major urban areas of the country.

The challenges our society face are not only restricted to its physical and environmental health, but also

directly related to our social wellbeing. Rapid development and growth of large cities are accompanied

by an increase in urban poverty particularly for those living at the urban periphery, where

manufacturing and processing plants are built and where environmental protection is frequently weak.

Environmental sensitive sites such as steep hillsides, flood plains, dry land or the most polluted sites




3 of 6

near solid waste dumps and next to open drains and sewers are often the only places where low-income

groups can live without the fear of eviction. The poorest groups thus suffer the most from the floods,

landslides or other disasters that increasingly batter the cities of developing countries (Ichimura, 2003).

In Malaysia, the various approaches to combating these challenges and resultant issues arising in our

cities and communities are addressed through systematic policy formulations and the preparation of

development plans. Thus, to equip ourselves as planners, we adopt planning at various levels to ensure

that all aspects of physical, social and economic development are catered for through effective planning.

The national physical plan thus addresses mid and long term national direction on distribution of

population, utilization or water and energy, national infrastructure needs etc. at the state level, land

administration and sectoral development needs with regard to various regions are taken into

consideration for a more effective and orderly use of resources.

At the city and local level, local governments are encouraged to carry out integrated land-use planning

to comprehensively address adverse impacts of urbanization, including environmental problems. Zoning

techniques, which are applied to implement the master plan and to guide urban development to

spatially appropriate areas, include designation of sensitive land resources and areas, establishment of

buffer zones, protection of cultural resources, conservation of open spaces and urban green,

management of prime agricultural land, guiding and discouraging of excessive urban sprawl.

One of the most effective ways to tackle issues in planning is to ensure the participation of all

stakeholders who will benefit from relevant decisions and actions (Ichimura, 2003). Public involvement

in planning process should be ensured at all levels of planning activities, in combination with greater

access to relevant information and enhancement of public awareness of issues and challenges their

cities face. This also means that urban governance needs to be more transparent, promoting a

participatory approach to develop effective partnerships with and among all actors of civil society,




4 of 6

particularly the private and community sectors; thus securing greater effective empowerment of local

government.

Urban planning practiced in Malaysia is influenced by the West, especially the United Kingdom. Thus, it

is not surprising that the urban-social problems Malaysia is facing today are identical to those in the

West (Badaruddin Mohamed, 2000). Many of the urban problems that Malaysia experiences today

result from an unbalanced approach to development, where physical development has been given

priority compared to spiritual and social requirements.

I believe that the future of planning depends on today’s planning professionals’ ability to consider the

social and psychological impacts planning have on society at large. The roles of urban planning have

evolved from laying out basic facilities, zoning specific land uses (i.e housing, industrial, commercial

etc.), charting future plans for towns and cities, and controlling physical development, into specific

designs of urban spaces for a more sustainable environment. Future challenges planners are likely to

face would be to ensure a harmonious society that is residing in a sustainable urban environment where

social ills and urban poverty are reduced.

The principle of good planning is that individual, short-term decisions should support strategic, long-

term goals. This requires comprehensive evaluation and negotiation to help people accept solutions that

may seem difficult and costly in the short-term. Good planning is insightful, comprehensive and

strategic. Therefore, we as future planners should strive to truly understand problems, not just at a

single perspective but to correctly defining problems and asking critical questions. Planners should not

be limited to the first solution proposed or the concerns of people who attend public meetings, but also

find ways to ascertain the needs of those below the poverty line, minorities and rural communities

reluctant to join such discussions.




5 of 6

As planning requires preparing for a future that is often impossible to predict, forecasts should usually

describe ranges and probabilities rather than point estimates, and plans should usually incorporate

contingencies. Such contingency-based plans can include various actions, some to be implemented only

if future conditions require. Contingency planning is one of the more effective approaches future

planners of Malaysia can adopt to ensure that current planning issues and challenges can be addressed

as they evolve over time.

Lastly, we, future planners need to always keep in mind that planning tends to evolve over time, as new

issues and problems arise, new tools and approaches also get introduced to combat the various

problems faced at physical, social, environmental and economic planning aspects. For example, in recent

years social equity, environmental risk management, heritage preservation, energy planning, security,

non-motorized transportation, public health, and sustainability have all become planning issues. Smart

planners should embrace these new issues and practices so as to effectively address the issues at hand

in the most effective manner.

Planning is, without doubt, a complex and continuously evolving concept, and its prevailing

environmental, economic and socio-cultural challenges thus requires planners to equip themselves with

a broader vision of a sustainable future and to adopt approaches in planning that can help them reduce

planning issues while also ensuring a better quality of life for the people that we plan for.




6 of 6

References:

1. Kamalruddin Shamsudin. (2005). Originating Planning Focus And Hostilities Within A Slump Economy.

International Conference Of The Asian Planning Schools Association

2. Ismail Omar. (2002). Rules Affecting The Land Development Process In Malaysia – A Review On Regulation

Of Environmental Impact Assessment (Eia). 8th. Pacific Rim Real Estate Society Conference

3. Ahris Yaaku. , Ahmad Nazri Muhamad Ludin,, , Susilawati Sulaiman, , & Bajuri, H. (2005). Gis In Urban

Planning And Management: Malaysian Experience. Geospatial Solutions For Managing The Borderless

World

4. Ichimura, M. (2003). Urbanization, Urban Environment And Land Use: Challenges And Opportunities. Asia-

Pacific Forum For Environment And Development Expert Meeting

5. Badaruddin Mohamed, Dr. (2000). Planning For The Children Of The Future The Case Of Malaysia.

6. Naidu, G. (2008). Infrastructure Development In Malaysia. Chapter (7), 204-227.

7. Litman, T. (2011). Planning Principles And Practices.

ppp asignmnt 1

Documents