MUCH has been said and written about Malaysians who resettle in another country in search of a better life, but there is another type of movement that occurs that is not as well-known.
There is a form of migration that is not as well-known as Malaysians resettling in another country. Internal migration refers to people moving within a country’s borders, either to another state (interstate migration) or within the same state (intrastate migration). This migration can occur from urban to rural areas or vice versa. Malaysia’s development over the past decades has led many people to move from their kampung to towns and cities in search of better economic opportunities. This is common in developing countries transitioning from an agricultural base to a higher value manufacturing and industrial economy. However, recent data from the Department of Statistics 2022 Migration Survey Report shows that urban to rural migration is also happening in several states.
The report states that the rate of interstate urban to rural migration increased last year compared to 2020 in states such as Johor, Kelantan, Meleka, Negri Sembilan, and Sarawak. In terms of intrastate urban to rural migration, there has been an increase in numbers in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Pahang, Penang, Perak, and Terengganu. The main reasons for people deciding to relocate within Malaysia include accompanying a family member who gets a work transfer and moving in search of better living environments and job opportunities.
Experts say that the main factors driving urbanites to move to rural areas are cheaper housing, a lower cost of living, and major development projects in rural areas. Since Malaysia is showing signs of a reverse migration trend, with more people moving from urban to rural areas, it can be attributed to a lower cost of living and cheaper houses in rural areas. Additionally, mega projects such as the refinery and petrochemical integrated development project in Pengerang, Johor, and the development of rural locations in Kelantan, Pahang, and Terengganu into new townships are attracting urbanites.
Sub-urbanisation, the establishment of new residential communities and townships on the outskirts of an urban area, greatly influences urban to rural migration. As a state’s population grows, there is a demand for new spaces, leading to villages developing into towns and then cities. Perak is an example of how Malaysia’s development affects migration trends. The fall in tin and rubber prices in Perak from the 1930s onwards, coupled with its location between Selangor and Penang, has driven movements out of the state.
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown in 2020 may have contributed to job losses and relocation from urban areas back to rural hometowns. Remote work opportunities, cheaper housing in well-connected suburban areas, and digital nomad trends might also be driving the movement out of big cities. If these trends continue, congestion in big cities may decrease in the future.
Urban-rural migration can lead to increased economic activities and dynamism in rural areas and smaller towns, dispersing development more widely throughout the country instead of focusing on congested cities. The rising cost of living in urban areas is driving some urbanites to move to rural areas. The government’s support for rural development could create more jobs and income opportunities in rural areas, attracting low-wage workers who have relocated to urban areas to return home. However, the negative factors in urban areas need to be identified and addressed to prevent declining economic dynamism and competitiveness in cities.
The trend of reverse migration may continue in the coming years due to Malaysia transitioning to an ageing society, where the older generation prefers peaceful and less polluted communities. Rising real estate and second home investments in rural areas will further encourage urban to rural migration. This trend is positive for eradicating poverty and overcoming regional economic imbalances. New policies and incentives at the federal and state levels should be created to promote a healthy migration from urban to rural areas, such as programs to help migrant workers find employment in rural agriculture or exchange programs that introduce urban youths to rural living.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
