Research on the Gated Community Housing Scheme for The Formulation

RESEARCH ON THE GATED COMMUNITY HOUSING SCHEME FOR THE FORMULATION OF APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION

Sr. Dr. Azimuddin Bahari

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

ABSTRACT

A trend that has emerged in housing development is the Gated Community Scheme (GACOS) Theoretically GACOS provides an image of security and privacy. These schemes are attracting a growing number of buyers with more and more developers building such communities. Despite the increasing popularity of GACOS in the country, there has been no study on their impact on society at large. GACOS projects usually have penmeter fencing and guarded entrances and this development has caused concern among some people who view it as a form of apartheid. One could argue that GACOS is contrary to the government's commitment to develop socially balanced sustainable communities

On the other hand, arguments have been put forward that this form of development is able to provide security for the people who live within that community. Given the rising crime rates in the country, gated and guarded premises provide an assurance for residents within the gated community that they will be safe within the guarded area Moreover, there is also the feeling that there is insufficient police personnel to prevent crime. Demand for this form of housing has increased tremendously and developers are jumping onto the bandwagon to reap the economic benefits of this form of housing development without taking into account the social and legal implications. Though such development has good business prospects, currently this form of development has no legal backing and is considered 'illegal. The development has potential for social tension and social disintegration especially in relation to the management of schemes which do have properly formulated legislations.