FEATURES
Table 1: Distribution of sample for the households head survey Study Area
Type of Settlement
No. of Households
No. of Sample
Sampling Fraction
1. Kampung Kubu Gajah
Traditional Village
350
18
5.1
2. Kampung Melayu Subang*
Traditional Village
376
36
9.6
3. Kampung Kebun Bunga*
Traditional Village
280
27
9.6
4. Division 18 – Taman Alam Megah
Planned Housing Scheme
450
21
4.7
5. Division 27 Taman Sri Muda
Planned Housing Scheme
560
26
4.7
6. Taman Tun Dr. Ismail Jaya (TTDI Jaya)*
Planned Housing Scheme
650
62
9.5
7. U1 HICOM*
Mixed Industrial & Residential Area
290
27
9.3
8. Division 14 - Shah Alam City Center*
Mixed residential & commercial area
358
33
9.2
3314
250
7.5
Total
Table 2: Vulnerability To Flood Hazards And The Reasons For Seeking Relocation No.
Reasons for relocating in a safer area
Responses (N = 250 = 100%)
Weighted Mean Score (WMS)
Strongly agree (1)
Agree (0.75)
Neutral (0.50)
Disagree (0.25)
Strongly Disagree (0)
1.
Disruption of infrastructures and utility services
183 (73.2%)
3 (1.2%)
42 (16.2%)
11 (4.4%)
10 (4.0%)
0.84
2.
Severe inundation of living, working, recreational areas
132 (52.8%)
95 (38.0%
3 (1.2%)
8 (3.2%)
11 (4.4%)
0.83
3.
Disruption of public and private transportation
98 (39.2%)
137 (54.8%)
2 (0.8%)
7 (2.8 %)
4 (1.6%)
0.82
4.
Loss/loss of value of property and assets
95 (38.0%)
124 (49.6%)
8 (3.2%)
15 (6.0%)
6 (2.4%)
0.79
5.
Reduced sense of safe and healthy environments
79 (31.6%)
48 (19.2)
75 (30.0)
25 (10.0%)
9 (3.6%)
0.67
6.
Disruption of income earning opportunities
37 (14.8%)
46 (18.4%)
63 (25.2%)
72 (28.8%)
15 (6%)
0.52
7.
Fear for loss of life
35 (14%)
44 (17.6%)
61 (24.4%)
78 (31.2%)
17 (6.8%)
0.50
8.
Reduced productivity of land
29 (11.6%)
37 (14.8%)
72 (28.8%)
86 (34.4%)
15 (6.0%)
0.48
Note: 1. Percentage of responses were weighted as (100% agreement = 1, 75% = 0.75, 50% = 0.50, 25% = 0.25, and 0% = 0 respectively). 2. WMS was calculated using the equation: ∑Wi/n for individual weighted score (either of 1, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, and 0) for each question, n = number of question) and ∑Wifi/ ∑fi for weighted means score where Wi = individual weighted score for each question and fi = frequency of the particular score.
points which demonstrate that most respondents will decide to move to a new area if the local authorities do not address the increasing frequency and intensity of flood hazards and their impact on human settlements. The weighted mean scores also indicate the priority actions that respondents needed from the authorities. A WMS above 0.75 indicates that authorities need to safeguard (i) infrastructure and utility services, (ii) living, working and recreational areas, and (iii) public 72
MALAYSIAN TOWNPLAN
and private means of transport, as main priorities in their planning and development interventions. The disruption of income-earning opportunities was not a major reason for people to relocate. This reason was indicated in the questionnaire but was not featured among the top five reasons for people to move. Instead, the diminished sense of a safe and healthy environment was a more compelling reason for people to relocate as indicated by over 30% of the respondents. This means the impact on the quality of life will
persuade people to seek relocation. This was not an unexpected critical reason considering the relatively high quality of life in the Shah Alam City as indicated by the national per capita income of USD 9,000 (NST, 2012). People can afford and possess means to relocate if they are no longer happy with their quality of life in the present place of residence. Therefore, the authorities have a responsibility to maintain the confidence of civil society by making every effort to make Shah Alam a safe, secure and healthy place or in other words a livable city.