Gated Community

I bought a GPS navigator recently so that going around to new places is made easier. With navigator and latest map, I was able to find new places even for the area that I have not been there before. However, I was lost last week for going to a neighbourhood. I travelled using the direction as shown on the GPS screen and it was clear and precise. Nonetheless, approaching the neighbourhood, I was denied entry because of the closure of the exit by man made barricade. The exit was blocked and locked. I have to turn around to look for entrance that managed by the security personnel and it took me another half an hour to reach to my destination. Perhaps this is one of the disadvantages of advance technology due to the action of mankind. The blockage makes accuracy of GPS in doubt. Perhaps this is the good of gated community, to dis convenient the strangers to a neighbourhood. Perhaps this is also a self help initiative by the residents to combat crime from happening onto themselves or their living environment.

Under the current security and safety concern, gated community is useful at least to minimise the crime perception of people. The community guarded by security personnel is a form of administrative harassment to prevent or slow down crime from happening. It is a solution at least for the communities who can afford it. However, it does not mean that crime will be diminished, but to be shifted elsewhere. The crime busters will shift their attention to the unguarded area. At the end of the day, crime will still happen to the people who cannot afford to hire the security personnel.

By putting the gate for a particular area, we are actually practicing segregation of community, divert from the best practices of planning. For a sustainable community, we plan to integrate people from diverse background, the rich and poor, the young and old. But, the segregation has actually lessen the opportunities for people to interact and mingle around. It is definitely not helping for a 1Malaysia Society.

Perhaps we should look into bigger picture of preventing crime instead of focusing at the neighbourhood area. Crime might also link to social problem, poverty, economic opportunities, trans boundary migration, fairness, justice and etc. Perhaps we should not burning the forest for a tree.