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5/2/1961 - Modern Malayan Suburb by Gayl D. Ness

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Kuala Lumpur Modern Malayan Suburb Malaya May Mr Richard H Nolte Institute Current Affairs Madison venue New York New York Dear Mr Nolte Malaya newness nation nowhere eviden PealinE Jaya Seven miles capital Kuala Malaya Lumpur divided highway Petaling Jaya first The appropriately marked church ultra modern office building On mysdrive through curved srees I found difficult todis inguish Pedaling Jaya Park Forest hundreds other American suburban counterparts There newness house development samesaess character American suburbia Unlike American counterpart however Peallng Jaya paradox Malaya It unique cally Malayan Although there unity Petaling Jaya Malaya First Mala reflects New Town country recent history orientation industrialization explosive relations problems clearly numerous kampongs villages As communities modern Malaya Petaling Jaya during Emergency Communists eountry terrorism A aaJor attack terrorists resettlement squatters These faraers largely Chinese provided willingly unwillingly supplies information terrorists operated cover Malaya dense Jungles In Petaling Jaya carved rubber estate provide relocation center squatters vicinity Kuala Lumpur Alaost cleared demand squatters demand SeeHanSugin AndThe Rai MDriP forasensitive accost squatters cught between terroristsdthe police GDN I higher class residential A result PetalinJaya Authority ceate federal ordinance I This Petalig Jaya middle classresidetlalestate Greaterpeaceadprosperitywere reflected rising light idustries sites I I Authority decisio evelop Petalig Jaya idustrlal residetial estate Coinciding beginning first gemeral spirit growth permeating country Now beginning Petaliag Java alost completely developed estate A modern shopping center isgoingupaolyafew acresoflaremaiforeither homes factories Malaya basic orientatio idustrializatio reflected Petalig Jaya As uereveloped countries Malaya committ program ecoomlc elopment which idustrializatio To attract forelg capital Halaya offers advantages status brings toriu I Petalig Java Malaya offers developed idustrial sites All sites leveled provided water electricity etalled Ulike ations however Malaya committed progra massive iustrializatio Steel mills temples moder idustrialism absent Petalig Jaya Malaya evelopet Malaya theew nations commitment laissez faire idustrializatio The government cosclousl decided market place determine pattern idustrial rowth The ieology expressed comsuer I Petalig Jaya umseeha producingalightidustries structuresimilartothatiay wester countries Here everything paint piano factories lumber mills liquor distilleries The latest plant opened great fling iisters Modern Malayan llngual Industries I Lion Dentifrice factory Japanese Malayan owned Petallng Jaya without critics In criticism laissez faire industrialization expected Malaya basic orientation would critlcied To Malayan Socialists Petaling Jaya failure Champions Socialists began estate squatters bought capitalists True their intellectual tradition Socialists deplore industrialization results entrepreneur rather careful planning responsible authority Here private sector developed while public sector stagnates Although people including readers The Affluent Society might agree tenor criti carries little weight To country hungry investment indusrles Petaling Jaya success Criticism little headway against hunger success Now every state wants Petaling Jaya active steps tsEen create similar estates Pera Johore PenanE Perhaps later Malaya affluent object hunger chsnged criti sympathetic auience In communal ethnic racial structure Petaling Jaya typical urban Malaya Of O00 Inhabitants about Chinese The remainder almost equally divided between Malays Indians others Only proportion Indians roughly equal proportion total national lation The Malays highly under represented Chinese highly presented Mos shops Chinese I facories capial directors Malaya houses weakening agers workers Chinese Chinese exended family I Kuala Lumpur branch University Malaya locaed Fetaling Jaya sudents Chinese The arket which Elves American suburb French provincial largely Chinese Significantly administrator Peallng Jaya Authority Malay He capable Inche Osman All years varied service Malaya administration All illustrates losive proble nation Its Malay population total predoinantly rural agrarian The Chinese population total edoinantly urban commercial Indians about population A protective policy introduced British upper levels administration staffed largely alays The greatest problem nation build viable tical great diversity There close connection between Malaya communal diversity basic orientation industrialization which evident Petaling Jaya The first which government The second represents rnment attempt The government gives highest priority industrialization rural developaent Petaling Jaya hosts cooperative college rural industries training center symbols rural development program The second ceived launch rural sector condition sustained growth There foresight sheer opportunism fanaticism involved orien tation Economic conditions aside between Chinese Malay communitie already large The differences language religion location might themselves ficient communal strife regional block voting which could paralyze government developmental efforts When these differences added great difference economic position mixture becomes explosive If economic differences between Chinese Malays reduced course which Malays brought closer contact modern urban prospects political stability considerably enhanced As harmony exist between communlties significant respected achievements Malayan leadership Unless breakthrough rural sector volatile achievements This largely conspicuous hoogenelty Petaling Jaya Here there essentially Malays Unique among Malayan towns Petaling Jaya elective there serious moves residents This illustrates features modern Nalaya The first I choose development bureaucracy Though galaya industrial developmen lai_ssez total development creature agencies Of central government Appropriately lalaya first industrial planned bureaucratic venture It governed Although members government pointed selected residents still community whose needs attended rational pateralistlc manner state bureaucracy After reaches council might formed state government Such planned towns uncommon today fiercely towns western Europe played instrumental early development industrial capitalism attach value observatioa The problems different today The entrepreneur In Petalig Jaya fight independence business according desires He merely application carefl calculations provided developed iadustrial modern ecoaomy offering coaveiences political stability Nonetheless difference structures exist suggests course industrialization follow industrialization during century I about future letters Second elective reflects appears quiescence Chinese community The Chinese accepted political situation formal disadvantage government education economic pursuits This resulted agitation equal treatment nearly might expected At present there three forces which I think might account quiescence In large attributed acceptance communities national unity portant perhaps precarious value modern Malaya Second attribute which entrepreneurs generally accept political situation allows profit In Malaya entrepreneur Chinese almost syoayms Finally there pervasive subtle force which amply Petaling Jaya For moment I shall bourgeolsification though loaded What evident Petaling Jaya today comfort The inhabitants these single family tract houses fortable white collar workers utilize their energies primarily developing their tastes consumers Even ancient powerful Chinese extended family seems In shadow Federal Building modern shopping center within pendent nuclear family These people their homes GDN I drive automobiYs They stoves refrigerators conditioners insallmen There organization square Park Forest An church Sunday The churches prosperous looking modern governmen buildings These people split goverm might Jeopardize their If sense comfort sufficien cautious close Indonesia example fearful Malay Chinese conflic bring Seen picture window needed enhance already eviable political sabiliy Malaya Malays Petaling Jaya This might sensitive dicator success rural developmen In creased rural incomes Prosperity almost certainly resul churches creased migration If igrans become partial unemploye urban prolearia succeeded parially This would ndicative increase imbalance income distribution would certainly result increased social_ economic political instability On other migrants become inhabitants Pedaling Jaya indication Malaya achieving balanced rowth desires prospects continued political sabiliy considerably enhanced Sincerely Received New York May