Beyond Sustainability: The Force of Urbanisation on the Malay Community in Kelantan

Abstract

This paper explores the relationships between migration and urbanisation in Malaysia, focusing on Malay settlements in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The findings provide a comprehensive analysis of the Malay community’s migration phenomenon and draw attention to the issue of Malay settlement. The paper provides an overview of the impact of Malay culture, arts, and identity, which are becoming progressively under pressure in Kelantan. It describes the various economic, social, and cultural aspects of the Malay settlement in order to provide a real situation. A case study in Malay settlements in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, supplemented by interviews with local villagers and 350 questionnaires was analysed to comprehend the critical challenges facing Malay settlements that led to their destruction. The paper concludes that the migration in settlements resulted in the destruction of the Malay culture and identity, as well as the continuous destruction of the population density in Malay settlements. Utopian dreams were a hope for many Malay communities that finally eroded their identity and made them resilient to facing the global phenomenon. Besides, the idea of community conservation is still new in Malaysia, which has led to a turn to oblivion in the future.