Evaluation of Involuntary Resettlement of Squatters in Malaysia: A Case Study of Malayan Railway Improvement Project

Abstract

Squatters are a major problem in Malaysia. Due to a shortage of affordable housing, squatters built their houses or shelters on government or private land in most cities. From the 1980's, more land was needed for economic development, therefore the government has committed to resettling the squatters who did not have any legal land titles. However, since there is no existing government law to protect the squatters' interest, most of the squatters are being resettled by force. This has had an adverse impact on the squatters especially in regards to their livelihood. In order to improve the current situation, the authorities, based on a humanitarian point of view, have implemented “Common Practices” to resettle the squatters nowadays.

This paper will evaluate the socio-economic impact on the squatters after being resettled by “Common Practices”, mainly considering the research findings in Pantai Dalam and analyzing the weaknesses of the resettlement practices with some recommendation for better resettlement policies in Malaysia.