Category: Nation Development

The article presents information on urbanization in Malaya. The peoples of Malaya are of different racial origins, have different religious practices, different social customs and to a large degree different occupations. The influx of immigrants began when the British became interested in large scale economic development of Malayan rubber and tin resources in the nineteenth… Continue reading Urbanization in Malaya

Since the early 1970s, it has been realized that rapid economic development in developing countries leads to an acute inequality in income distribution. To prevent massive dissatisfaction among their citizens, developing countries were urged to achieve economic growth (particularly industrial growth) with distribution of income as their development goal. A good way of promoting growth… Continue reading Planning For Industrial Estate Development In A Developing Economy

The paper aims to examine the interactions between the British government and the local society in the process of selection of native headmen in Selangor, British Malaya from 1874 till World War II.  Publication: 4th International Malaysian Studies Conference; 3-5 August 2004, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi.  Author: TSUBOI Yuji. Download

The Purpose of this paper is to clarify the formation of national identity in Malaysia in terms of the historical construction of the academic field of Malaysian Studies, especially Social Sciences concerning Malaysia. In other words, it is to question the modern technology of “subject” formation in colonial as well as post-colonial situation. In this… Continue reading “Plural Society” Reconsidered

The interplay between nation and cosmopolis will continue in the 21st century, but we can be sure that the pressures will be different.  As was always the case in the past, the economic and cultural progress of cities in this part of the world, even more than elsewhere,  will be closely tied to the managing… Continue reading Cosmopolitan and Nation in a Plural Peninsula

Even with the crisis, Malaysia has recorded an impressive economic growth track record during the 1990s. Although we have made respectable gains in material wealth, it was not quite certain whether the overall quality of life has actually improved. Conventional economic measures such as GDP growth and unemployment rate can only give a narrow view… Continue reading Translating GDP Growth into Better Quality of Life

By its very nature, this profit maximization process does not inform us about the overall social and environmental impact of a given project on a society. This can be a great cause of concern because a project, especially a large dam project which is considered economically viable, will not necessarily contribute to the social development… Continue reading Sustainable development and the social and cultural impact of a dam-induced development strategy– the Bakun experience

This book contains Dr. Phua Kai-Lit’s ideas (based on knowledge learned from ther social scientists as well as his current state of thinking) on how all of Malaysians can live their lives so that all citizens can help to bring about a better Malaysia for themselves, their children, grandchildren and their subsequent descendants. Dr. Phua… Continue reading After 50 Years of Independence: What We All Can Do For A Better Malaysia

The task of nation building has posed an enormous challenge for postcolonial Muslim leaders, especially for those committed to the creation of a nation based on Islamic rules, norms and visions. Conventional wisdom holds that the discrepancy between a “parochial” national framework — based on religion — and the modern reality of a nation-state framework… Continue reading Islam and nation building in Southeast Asia: Malaysia and Indonesia in comparative perspective.

Being unsure about what it is they are supposed to be celebrating, Malaysians experience a national anxiety, and are becoming more pensive than before. The good thing about this is that their skepticism may yet evolve into constructive activism. After sound contemplation, some change must come.  Download