Meaning of Development

I attended a round table discussion entitled Properties Prospect Year 2011 in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area. The speaker spoke about developmental trend and housing index in various part of Malaysia. Comparatively, property investment in Kuala Lumpur area has been given higher yield to the buyers over the last ten years. This is especially so for the residential sub-sector. It is also reckoned that area with good infrastructure and connectivity will be getting more attention now. It is no surprise that area within the vicinity, but not that close to the public transportation hub is in high demand. For example, commercial properties within walking distance of MRT Station is fine, but not those directly blocked by the structure of the station.

The speaker also talked about "pro-development" in which area within the transportation hub should be given higher plot ratio for development and for mixture type of development. It is a concept of getting people to live, play, study and work in a place while travelling is required, then with the public transportation. It is an ideal situation and dream for all city stakeholders. Everyone is striving towards this goal. However, some audience did not agree for having too high intensity of development in PJ fearing that the current traffic problem will be worsened if the proposed transportation improvement is not forthcoming. Their fear is understood as many of the infrastructure projects have not executed as planned within the time frame.

I presume many have spoken about development from the physical point of view. None have actually referred development as total and sustainable development in which apart from the physical component, social, economy and environment are equally important. The discourse about pro and anti development will go on until and unless we agree to the same fundamental meaning of development. If Bhutan people are the most happiest in the World, do you think we still consider the so-called development important? Similarly, if a developed city with all the necessary and state of the art amenities as well as opportunities for a lavish lifestyle that having so much social problems and fear of personal safety is what the development is all about?

I presume basically what people want is to have a basic, simple and down to the earth life that everything is co-habit in harmony state. We want our children to go to school for knowledge enhancement that is better than us without jeopardising their quality of life. We want to earn with dignity to support our family. We want to maintain good neighbourliness with all friends. It is indeed a tall order but achievable if we all have a common understand about the true meaning of development.