MALAYSIA SUSTAINABLE CITIES PROGRAM: RESEARCH AGENDA 2015-2016 In Johor Baharu, the catalytic development strategies that have triggered massive luxury housing developments along the Straits of Johor are primarily oriented toward attracting foreign capital. The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) has assisted with “eco-tourism” ventures so that villages can share in the influx of Chinese and Singaporean homeowners, visitors, and increasing numbers of tourists. Eco-tourism ventures take many forms, including: village-based floating fish farms (rumahrakit) where fishing enthusiasts can stay onboard over night, locally caught fresh catch restaurants, tours through the mangroves, and homestays in communities rich in natural resources such as mangrove forests and sea grass beds. IRDA has promoted free English language learning and increased connection between villages and tourism operators in Singapore and elsewhere. IRDA has also trained villagers in alternative income schemes to further capitalize on the influx of visitors, such as handicrafts, traditional games, and the sale of small sundry goods. Despite the possibly transformative potential for the villages involved, problems have arisen. Some villagers refuse to participate. Others complain about changes in water quality and environmental conditions resulting from an influx of floating fish farms. Finally, it is questionable whether or not the infrastructure exists in these villages to accommodate very many new visitors. Despite the dependence of ecotourism business models on well-functioning ecosystems, there is not much attention devoted to educating tourists about the environmental threats to traditional ways of life. In Sarawak, large-scale development has generally not benefited indigenous people. Several advocacy groups and organizations note that indigenous communities do want development (including ecotourism) but they want it to be driven, and to the extent possible, owned by the communities themselves. A range of possible wealth-creating strategies should probably be considered to ensure more inclusive economic development. Ecotourism is a contested idea in Malaysia, although it is sometimes presented as the best or only option for securing the livelihoods of certain communities. The idea of oil palm plantations as the key to local development is similarly contested, particularly given the backdrop of vast logging and oil palm plantations throughout East Malaysia. Research that shows how both of these ideas, when crafted in a particular way, might win community support would represent an enormous scholarly contribution.
8