Malaysia-The Way Forward
Symbols of modernity: The Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur (world's tallest twin towers)
| Since the early 90s, the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, has undergone considerable reconstruction. In the nation's escalated drive for modernization, the city has come to represent the way forward. Images of modernity abound: highrisers dot the skyline, while the ground is crisscrossed by multi-lane highways, interspersed with tropical greenery. Today the bustling city offers all the comforts of modernity, while retaining the multicultural make-up of Malaysia. | |
 The meeting point of the Kelang and Gombak rivers from which Kuala Lumpur, 'the muddy confluence', derives its name. In the center, and to the right, Masjid Jamek, the 'Friday Mosque'. |
 Islam is the religion of the Malay, the country's largest and politically dominant ethnic group. Defined as the Bumiputera, the 'sons of the soil', the Malays enjoy numerous privileges over the Chinese and Indian populations of multi-cultural Malaysia. |
| Rapid modernization has not only created wealth, but with it some inevitable drawbacks. Rush hour is characterized by traffic jams throughout the city. Increased car ownership is not only a result of growing income levels but also the nation's own car industry. A joint venture between Malaysia, Japan and Korea, the Proton car has become very popular among locals. |  |
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In order to address the problem of congested traffic, a vast network of public transport has been developed. Combining underground and suspended rail transport, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) crosscuts the city, reaching out to the surrounding suburbs. The comfort and speed of the LRT has made it a popular means of transport for many urbanites. |
| In its drive for modernization, the government of Malaysia has made a concerted effort to harness the development potential of information technology. Since the mid-90s, it has actively encouraged the use of Internet among the population. Promotional campaigns and subsidized access has resulted in relatively high levels of Internet connectivity, not to mention a widespread awareness of the Internet among the population at large. |  Yahoo promotion at a shopping mall in KLCC |
 An Internet bus provides access to unserved areas through regular visits in rural Malaysia. |
 The bus contains 20 computers connected to the Internet over telephone lines or satellite. |
| Although connectivity levels in Malaysia are relatively high (some 7 % of the population is wired), to most Malaysians, the Internet remains an abstract concept. Indeed, in its drive to achieve an elevated position in the digital world order, Malaysia still faces a tall task in providing services throughout the nation. Nonetheless, the nation's IT development plans are among the most ambitious and far reaching in the developing world. |  Beyond high-tech utopia: a rickshaw carrying an advertisement for an IT company. |
The story continues with Contested Visions For images from Laos, see Vientiane and Luang Prabang Back to fieldwork in Southeast Asia or Paula's homepage © Paula Uimonen 2001 |
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