URBAN RENEWAL

SITI SHARA BINTI MOHD NAZRI A137808

TASK :
Kajang has transformed itself from a small old town to a big modern town by designing and
developing new township such as Bandar Baru Bangi and Bandar Seri Putra as well as extending
its CBD (central business district) such as extension to Sungai Chua. However, its centre is
inadequately transformed and most of its residences are working in Kuala Lumpur and other
external areas. Write your vision and plan for Kajang to transform its town centre and to be a self
reliance town. You may use sketches to enhance your vision and plan.

SOLUTIONS :
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban
land use. Urban renewal involves the relocation of businesses, the demolition of structures, the
relocation of people, and the use of eminent domain (government purchase of property for public
purpose) as a legal instrument to take private property for city-initiated development projects.
This process is also carried out in rural areas, referred to as village renewal, though it may not be
exactly the same in practice. Urban renewal has been seen by proponents as an economic engine
and a reform mechanism and by critics as a mechanism for control. It may enhance existing
communities, and in some cases result in the demolition of neighborhoods.

Kajang has transformed itself from a small old town to a big modern town by designing and
developing new township such as Bandar Baru Bangi and Bandar Seri Putra as well as extending
its central business district (CBD) such as extension to Sungai Chua. However, its center is
inadequately transformed and most of its residences are working in Kuala Lumpur and other
external areas.

Following is the vision and plan for Kajang to transform its town centre and to be a self
reliance town.

i.

Development is human oriented

The design and development of a city should be human oriented. Thus, the need
of people and requirement has to be in the highest priority. Basic needs of human

URBAN RENEWAL

SITI SHARA BINTI MOHD NAZRI A137808

are such cloth, food, residential and transport. After that, the next level such as
entertainment, spiritual happiness, healthcare and convenience for disable person.
But, what we found in Kajang, most of the building orientation are not satisfied in
terms of convenience for disabled and aging people. The transport system
especially bus services also not very efficient and this may be the biggest
challenge in redesign Kajang.

ii.

Environmental Consideration and Protection

Development and redesign of city does not mean full exploration and opening of
new land. In reverse, it should considering the existing landscape, topographic
and biodiversity of an area. Thus, natural environment such as reserved forest,
catchment areas and natural streams should be considered in the process of
redesign a city. The main one is the protection of Langat river as main water
source intake for seven water treatment plants in Selangor area.

iii.

Economic Growth
The main economic activities in Kajang are mainly light industries, food, tourism,
knowledge services and commercial retailing. So, the redesign of Kajang should
include the existing economic activities and review its sustainability for future
development. It is preferable to have a sustainable growth economic for Kajang to
survive without rely to resources such as capital , money or raw materials from
outside.

iv.

Natural Resources Optimization

Natural resources refer to something derived from the environment. Many of them
are essential for our survival while others are used for satisfying our needs.
Natural resources may be further classified in different way by its basis of origin.
Nowadays, Kajang no longer focus on mining due to the exhausted of tin. Thus, it
is a lesson for us not to over exploitation and relies on certain resources. In
development of Kajang, it is preferable for utilization of renewable resources such
as solar power and wind energy.

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v.

SITI SHARA BINTI MOHD NAZRI A137808

Economic Quality
To avoid greed and show off attitude, it is preferable to have socialism for
economic system rather than capitalism oriented. In capitalism economy system,
the prices of goods and services are controlled mainly through supply and demand
and also competition. Supply is the amount of good or service produced by firm
and which is available for sale. Demand is the amount of good that people are
willing to buy at specific price. Prices tend to rise when demand exceeds supply,
and fall when supply exceeds demand. In theory, the market is able to coordinate
itself when a new equilibrium price and quantity is reached. However, if the
demand of people is higher than the actual demand that they need and the supply
is maintained, this will lead to the increase of price, thus effort to provide the
supply to the people is increased and consequently environment will be victim to
be sacrificed. So, in redesign Kajang, economy activities planned will try to meet
everybody needs as much as possible and in the same time everybody is ensure to
have equivalent quality of life, which mean that gap between rich and poor will be
smaller. Economic growth will achieve its balance, which is the ideal stage. No
more over demand to increase the burden on earth. Suggested economic activities
are preferable to environmental friendly, such as organic agriculture, professional
knowledge services, green buildings development and etc.

vi.

Social Quality
In Kajang redesign development, social quality has to increase in terms of
mentally and personally, which mean that people have high awareness about
relationship between human and environment. People will start desired for simple
life and not to ultimately enjoyment of physical sense, which will lead to
unlimited exploitation of limited natural resources. Lifestyle od people have to
change from freedom in desire to freedom from desire. People who live in Kajang
have to start adapt to lifestyle change, which is not only care about themselves on
earning money, chase for glory and place wealth in ultimate position. In reverse,

URBAN RENEWAL

SITI SHARA BINTI MOHD NAZRI A137808

people have to undergo lifestyle which have close relationship with environment
and not damage the natural ecosystem for their own comfort.

vii.

Environmental Quality
After the development of Kajang under redesign development, most of the
existing natural forest will be reserved. From the well planned building
orientation and reserved places for plantation, it is believe that air quality and
atmosphere condition in Kajang are satisfactory. Besides that, together with the
utilization of renewable energy and high technology for transport systems which
able to have zero emission of greenhouse gases, this will effectively ensure
environment quality in Kajang is in good condition. However, environmental
quality is not only about air quality, on the same water and land quality also need
to be taken into consideration. Thus, high technology and engineered method
should apply on solid waste management and water resources as well, to ensure
good quality and minimum impact to water and land.

viii.

Integrated Transportation Quality

The existing main road that connecting from other places in Kajang now are
Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway, Cheras Kajang Expressway, North South
Expressway and Kajang Seremban Expressway . While the public transport that
connect the Kajang Town and the other city are commuter, Rapid KL buses and
taxis. There are also public transport travel within Kajang which are mini bus and
taxis. To minimize the environmental impact due to motorized vehicle and new
construction of access road as mentioned, the existing main road that connecting
Kajang are not adjusted much, while there are no newly access road construct.
Instead of construction new road which will encourage people to use more private
vehicle, the tramline system which travel internally in Kajang was introduced.
This tramline system is utilizing the electric energy as power of movement while
the electricity generation is from hydrogen fuel cell and biomass. Both of sources
of electric are renewable energy and cause harmless impact to environment, thus
it is advisable solution for power supply of public transport.