Description
Since 1963, Sabah has experienced an increasing rate of urbanisation due to a multiplicity of factors. In 1985, the urbanisation rate was 22.0 percent which by 1990, is expected to increase to 25.6 percent (Fifth Malaysia Plan). In relative terms, the process of urbanisation is accelerating. But in absolute terms, Sabah is still essentially a rural based society. However, the urbanisation process has far reaching policy, structural and spatial implications at both the micro and macro levels.It is of utmost concern to policy-makers that urban development and the process of urbanisation has for long been viewed in a policy vacuum. At the most, urban Structure Plans oriented towards physical planning have been formulated. While relevant for their specific purposes, they do not address macro-level issues pertinent to the necessary evolution of a functional statewide urban hierarchy. Furthermore, the general policy orientation on urban development outlined in the Fifth Malaysia Plan pays scant attention to the situation in Sabah.
It is therefore, timely that Federal authorities have taken the necessary steps to formรบlate a national urban development policy.
Sabah has been invited to submit via the EPU, a framework for urban development in the State which emphasises on policies, strategies and programmes. In view of this, a Workshop on Urban Development in Sabah: Directions and Policies was organised to discuss issues and problems related to urbanisation, and to obtain constructive feedback from relevant parties which would be useful in formulating such a framework. This Workshop was funded by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation of West Germany.
