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Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(5) April 2015, Pages: 498-503
AENSI Journals
Advances in Environmental Biology
ISSN-1995-0756 EISSN-1998-1066
Journal home page: http://www.aensiweb.com/AEB/
Corresponding Author: Nor Atiah Ismail, Landscape Architecture Department, Faculty of Design and Built Environment,
Universiti Putra Malaysia
E-mail: noratiah72@yahoo.com.sg
Malaysia Going Greens: A Study on Community Commitment towards a Greener
Urban Living Environment
1Nor Atiah Ismail, 2Nangkula Utaberta, 1Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, 2Sumarni Ismail
1Landscape Architecture Department, Faculty of Design and Built Environment, University Putra Malaysia
2Landscape Architecture Department, Faculty of Design and Built Environment, University Putra Malaysia
A RT I C LE I NF O
A B ST R AC T
Article history:
Received 12 October 2014
Received in revised form 26 December
2014
Accepted 17 January 2015
Available online 28 February 2015
Keywords:
residential garden, community, green,
urban living environment
A residential landscape is one expression of the intrinsic and cognitive values of a
relationship between humans and their environment. Experiential and
phenomenological landscapes are established when people shape their living
environment; in turn they are shaped and constructed by this living environment. In
Malaysia, the rural cultural landscape is one example of the above phenomenon,
creating a sustainable living experience. Rural villagers are communally involved in the
establishment of place identity, developing sense of place and sense of belonging
towards their living space. In contrast, urban residents of low cost housing in Malaysia
experience a different situation. Their physical living setting is pre-constructed and
unsustainable, without them getting involved. This includes not only the houses, but
also the public landscape surrounding residential areas. These “prepared” living settings
present different living phenomena compared to the rural cultural landscape. Landscape
alteration is one of the responses to the feelings of “outsideness” during the post-
occupancy period. It is known that in some places in Kuala Lumpur residents removed
the planted trees in the public landscape areas and replaced them with their desired
species. They intruded into the public spaces adjacent to their homes to create small
orchards, herb gardens and construct personal carports and storage barns. Overall, the
pre-constructed landscape has changed significantly during this period. The discussion
will be based on the qualitative research findings. It will contribute to the understanding
of how the cultural landscape in an urban residential area provides a means of bonding
people and place while creating a sustainable living ambience. This will contribute to
awareness among the policy makers, landscape architects and developers of the
importance of developing a sustainable, conducive and responsive urban living
environment for the community.
© 2015 AENSI Publisher All rights reserved.
To Cite This Article: Nor Atiah Ismail, Nangkula Utaberta, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Sumarni Ismail, Malaysia Going Greens: A Study
on Community Commitment towards a Greener Urban Living Environment. Adv. Environ. Biol., 9(5), 498-503, 2015
INTRODUCTION
Landscape architecture is one of the well-known design professions in Malaysia that is inspired by natural
environment, creating a conducive living environment with artistic touch and technological impressions. In early
1980, landscape design in Malaysia started to progress as a commercial outdoor beautifying effort
complementing massive urban development. Since then, the priority of designing landscape is mainly for profit
making, aesthetic values and prestige symbols; neglecting the everyday community needs especially in the
newly developed urban residential areas. This paper discusses on urban landscape issue a community
commitment to a greener living environment in medium cost residential area.
Malaysian government is giving high priority in providing adequate residential area for urban communities
since 1970. A government force has led to the mushrooming of development homogenous urban terrace housing
with characterless landscape design in the Klang valley of Kuala Lumpur. It is a common understanding among
the Malaysians that landscape in urban residential areas is mainly developed to embellish outdoor setting with
minimum grass and structural trees. This idea is contradicted with literature search revealing that landscape
design has great potential to contribute to the nation and to the community in various forms and benefits. For
example, a culturally responsive landscape design in medium cost housing is able to promote for a better quality
of life and at the same time contributing towards social and ethnic integration. Research by Ismail [4] informs
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Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(5) April 2015, Pages: 498-503
that the local community who resided in urban housing worked so hard to make changes to the characterless
landscape provided by developers. She refers to this activity of changing existing landscape into a culturally and
religiously responsive landscape as „landscape alteration‟.
One of the major factors inspired residents to alter their existing landscape is when they have feeling to
increase their everyday gardening experience beyond fulfilling the importance of sight pleasure. In general, the
majority of residents living in urban terrace housing are the rural-urban migrants who used to grow in
agricultural tradition. The residents‟ activities in altering existing landscape and challenges to work with a s mall
gardening area did not stop them from continuing their passion to work with soils and nurture the seeds. The
residents made changes to the existing landscape provided by developer by removing existing plants and
replacing the very limited green area with other species.
Landscape design for medium cost housing in malaysia:
One of the ways to provide convenient living environment for people is by creating a conducive landscape
design for residential areas. The government accords with this intention and therefore, The National Landscape
Department of Malaysia has been established in 1996, with the aim of “landscaping the nation”. This movement
has resulted in the provision of Green Policy for public spaces in urban areas; including the residential
developments [4,8,2] suggests that landscape has added in real estate property market since Eight Malaysia Plan
period in order to fulfil the demanding increased that aiming for better quality of life. For example a residential
project has included communal and recreational facilities, beautiful landscape with trees and flowers on the
track to attract buyers. As a result, developers are willing to challenge each other in providing attractive
landscaping in residential developments since developers are among the key players to decide on the cost in
providing good landscape development for public spaces.
Landscape design proposal require the submission plan procedures which to obtain the approval from
Municipal Council in Malaysia before implemented. Landscape changes or known as landscape alteration shows
that resident prefer to have their own garden instead of the provided landscape by developers.
It is common to have developers‟ with monetary attitude, showing their greediness to make money and
maximizing their profits by reducing the landscape cost for the majority of residential development. This
unprofessional working approach has resulted in inadequate landscape facilities, creating an irresponsive and
low quality of green spaces for community.
Commonly, the aims for landscape design for low-cost housing schemes are in contrast with medium and
high-cost housing. Development of low-cost housing‟s landscape design aims mainly to fulfil landscape plan
submission requirements as compared to medium and high-cost housing‟s: which are designed with attractive
landscape facilities and amenities. Some developers appealed to Municipal Council to minimize and
compromise the landscape submission requirements due to minimal profit return for low-cost housing
development. The request made by these developers includes reduction in number of plant species to be planted
in public spaces including trees and shrub and to compromise for the minimum cost of providing playground
equipment. As a result, low-cost housing‟s dwellers undergo living with insufficient green spaces and landscape
facilities surrounding their neighbourhood [5].
Scenario in medium and high-cost housing in Malaysia shows different issues compared to low-cost
housing as this medium and high end housing schemes are provided with attractive landscape design and
amenities. For example, the facilities are including proper playground in the neighbourhood park, landscape
elements and buffer zones along the roadside as barrier to the main road. However, the landscape provided still
did not able to fulfil the residents‟ desire to have responsive garden that is strongly associated with social needs,
cultural and religious values. The example of altered landscape as shown in Figure 1.0 prove that homeowner
prefer to have the own landscape with their personal characteristics as compared to homogenous landscape
provided by developers. This is due to the characterlessness and homogenous character the landscape provided
500 Nor Atiah Ismail et al, 2015
Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(5) April 2015, Pages: 498-503
as can be seen in Figure 2.0. The lack of character in landscape design provided refer to homogenous landscape
which resulted to unmotivated environment towards dwellers. The homogenous landscape of medium-cost
housing will discuss in details in research issues section.
Methodology:
The field work of this study was conducted in Saujana Puchong, Selangor. Meeting with people face-to-
face enable the researcher to have conversation with residents and discuss on their home garden. Characteristics
that embedded in their garden were recorded and refer to as Documenting Physical Traces. The interview
session with residents was conducted along with documenting physical traces process. Analysis of data gathered
in medium cost housing reveals that the characteristics of their home landscape reflected the cultural values that
one experienced in rural village. The majority of the residents‟ gardens displayed modern concept with high
intensity of aesthetic values. Findings of this research also indicated that there are significant ethnic influences
in urban cultural landscape that has great potential to foster social and ethnic integration in Malaysia. The
residents are happy to inform the way they share their gardens‟ elements, information, respecting each other,
making landscape as place for social activities, and participate in social events together.
The garden as the locus for social need:
The idea of garden as the locus for social need is highlighted two section; the first focuses on a beautiful
garden to be spread which emphasise the social contact occurred in various ways especially through outdoor
activities such as sharing, exchange the plants, and stop by in the garden and appreciate garden‟s aesthetic
values. The second section elaborated on the meaningful spaces found in resident‟s home garden. Data analysis
of this study reveals that a garden itself creates its own identity which can be recognised through verbal
communication. For example, the Respondent 5 refers to the house of Respondent 3 when mentioned about
flowering species. She said:
Pn. Noor have planted a lot Alamanda species in front of her house…the yellow flowers…the flowers grow
up very well since the flowers get enough sunlight…lately, my Bougainvillea didn‟t grow well as the changes of
the weather…(translated transcription)
It shows that the landscape element itself create its own identity that can be easily identified the homeowner
just by the garden‟s look.
Studies on health indicated the importance of social ties in human life as it affects the individual‟s health.
Social contact can occurred either in formal conversation or informal conversation. Commonly, residents in
neighbourhood area tend to have social contact to fulfil their social needs through greetings and short
conversation in outdoor areas. This findings of this study revealed that residents in Saujana Puchong spend their
social time through home garden by sharing and exchanging the elements of the garden itself. These activities
can help to foster social and ethnic integration in this community. When asked about sharing plants, the
Respondent 9 told the researcher on her experience sharing of some species as illustrated in figure 3.0:
My Indian neighbour next door has requested for some species…I can‟t remember what kind of plant, in
red colour…but she ask for yellow species…‟kemboja‟ tree…and then she ask my lemongrass, and pandan
leaves…she just planted them in front of her house…(translated transcription)
She continues explaining that:
Sometimes my friends and my relatives ask for my plants…they said its beautiful, and then they ask some
to bring back to their home…I feel close with my neighbours when they stop by my house in the morni ng while
having their exercise…they praised my flowers “so beautiful…”. Some of them are Chinese and Indian. They
ask “what kind of new plant do you have?”…(translated transcription)
Fig. 3.0: Edible plants that shared with neighbours.
501 Nor Atiah Ismail et al, 2015
Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(5) April 2015, Pages: 498-503
Besides the edible plants, one of Indian respondent shared flowers species with her neighbours for prayers
purposes. Similarly, the Respondent 12 purposely transformed the open space in semi-public spaces in front of
his house into a garden and planted a lot of edible species for food consumption as shown in figure 4.0 and 5.0.
He explained:
Many people ask for „kantan‟ flower, lemongrass, henna leaf, and jackfruit. I just shared with them what I
have…some Malay ladies come and ask for „kantan‟. They use them for cooking and business
purposes…(translated transcription)
Fig. 4.0: The gardens owner with his jackfruit tree.
Fig. 5.0: 'Kantan' flowers (source:www.deamira.com)
Typically, the home garden is created to fulfil various reasons for community; Garden is to provide source
of oxygen, fresh air, for functional purposes, gardening as interest, family tradition, culture, and to bring back
the past experiences and memories. This „beautification‟ of garden has expanded through direct or indirect way.
The direct way can be seen through the sharing and exchanging the elements of garden, information and
knowledge of gardening. The „beauty‟ of the garden itself tends to attract people to come and visit referred to
indirect way to spread the garden „beautification‟. For example, during having conversation with respondent 1,
she mentioned about her next door garden that can attract people to appreciate the garden as illustrated in figure
6.0:
Usually when people in this area jogging early in the morning, they will stop by in front of uncle‟s garden
(refer to next door, Chinese family)…they said it‟s so beautiful, with white „Champaka‟ tree…and they love to
smell the fragrant…(translated transcription)
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Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(5) April 2015, Pages: 498-503
Fig. 7.0: The garden that can attract people.
Medium-cost housing schemes are allocated with some portion of open spaces for each unit. Commonly,
the space is provided with typical type of landscape with single tree planted as discussed. The typical landscape
design refer to homogenous landscape resulted to the landscape alteration by residents. The landscape changes
made by residents‟ accord to their preferences influence by past experience and cultural. These experiences
associated to imitating rural cultural landscape [1,4]. Ismail suggests that one of the factors that contribute to
landscape alteration is to have space or place to fulfil their social need which enhances the integration among
communities. The Respondent 12 expresses his social need through creating the open spaces in his garden at
semi-public spaces as shown in figure 8.0. He said:
The garden is belonging to me…I have planted all the species. Previously, the spaces are abandoned area, I
manage the area and turn it into a garden…now, and most of the species produce fruits and grow
well…especially fruit trees…(translated transcription)
He further elaborated how he spends his time in the garden:
Normally, in the evening, I prefer to have my leisure time outside…so that I can have conversation with my
friends when they come to my house…we can sit on the benches or swing in the garden...it is kind of relaxing
besides I can meet and chatting with my friends and neighbours…(translated transcription)
Fig. 8.0: Creating a space for social activities.
Another example of the importance of open spaces was expressed by the Respondent 2 through his garden
setting like „kampong‟ style as illustrated in figure 9.0. He purposely created seating area in his garden to reflect
his rural cultural landscape to bring back the memories live in village. He also stresses his intention to grow all
the traditional plant species in his house compound:
Actually I have my own intention when I decide to buy this house…I want to plant all these plant
species…for example, if I planted this star fruit tree, I can eat the fruit later after it grow up and produce the
fruits…I have guava tree…that rambutan tree is not produce yet…after that, I planted coconut tree…I prefer do
something can give me benefit…rather than I planted those big trees (point out his neighbour‟s garden at semi -
public spaces)…it doesn‟t give any benefit…at least I have something for my next generation, for my children,
my grandchildren…even if I‟m not around anymore, they have these fruits to eat…(translated transcription)
Hibiscus spp. (source:
www.sssekijang.blogspot.com)
503 Nor Atiah Ismail et al, 2015
Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(5) April 2015, Pages: 498-503
Conclusion:
The findings indicated that there are ethnic and community influences in landscape characteristics of
medium-cost housing in Saujana Puchong. The landscape characteristics of this medium-cost housing scheme
embedded with spiritual and cultural values, functional values, and social values. The values embedded seen as
imitating cultural landscape in rural area. In addition, the residential landscape embedded with cultural values
potential to help to foster social and ethnic integration in this community. The green spaces were successful to
integrate social and ethnic which can be seen through the expression of cultural landscape as everyday
landscape in this residential area.
REFERENCES
[1] Aziz, N.A., N.A. Ismail, M.Y. Mohd Yunos, 2013. Stimulating the Spirit of Neighborliness among
Ethnicities in Residential Areas through Urban Cultural Landscapes, Scottish Journal of Arts and Science,
4: 41-52.
[2] Ezeanya, A.C., 2004. Malaysian housing policy: Prospects and obstacles of National vision 2020. Paper
presented at the International conference of Adequate and Affordable Housing for All. Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
[3] Ismail, N.A., 2003. Cultural responsive landscape: Planting composition in the rural Perak Malay
residential garden. A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Architecture at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Unpublished Masters Thesis, Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia.
[4] Ismail, N.A., 2010. Landscape Alteration in Urban residential Areas of Selangor, Malaysia. A thesis
submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Philosophical Doctor at Lincoln University,
Canterbury, New Zealand.
[5] Nurizan, Y., H.A. Hashim, 2001. Perumahan dan Kediaman. Serdang: Penerbit UPM.
[6] Said, I., 2001. Cultural-ethnic landscape of terrace housing community in Peninsular Malaysia. Teknologi
B, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 35: 41-53.
[7] Said, I., 2001. Pluralism in terrace housing community through ethnic garden
[8] Sreetheran, M., E. Philip, M. Adnan, S.Z. Mohamed, 2006. A historical perspective of urban tree planting
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