Evaluating The Walkability and Resident’s Perception of Safety in Residential Areas in Penang Island, Malaysia: Menilai Kebolehlaksanaan Berjalan Kaki dan Persepsi Keselamatan Penduduk di Kawasan Kediaman di Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Nurfarahin Roslan; Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali; Aldrin Abdullah; Ang See May

doi:10.37934/progee.31.2.120132

Authors

Nurfarahin Roslan School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3213-8090
Aldrin Abdullah School of Housing, Building, and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia
Ang See May May Design Sdn Bhd, Cinta Sayang Resort, Persiaran Cinta Sayang, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37934/progee.31.2.120132

Keywords:

Walkability, Perception of Safety, Convenience, Attractiveness, Urban Planning, Kebolehlaksanaan Berjalan Kaki, Persepsi Terhadap Keselamatan, Persekitaran Kejiranan, Perancangan Bandar, Infrastruktur Mesra Pejalan Kaki

Abstract

Urban walkability and the perception of safety are crucial for enhancing the quality of life in residential neighbourhoods. While interest in these factors is growing, empirical evidence on how environmental characteristics influence safety perceptions in urban areas of developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, remains limited. This study investigates the relationship between walkability, encompassing both convenience and aesthetic appeal, and residents’ perceptions of safety in Bayan Baru, Penang, Malaysia. The primary objective was to assess how these characteristics affect perceived safety, a key determinant of walkability. We employed a quantitative approach, surveying 95 residents. The results showed significant positive correlations between convenience and attractiveness, as well as perceived safety, with attractiveness having a stronger effect. Regression analysis indicated that these factors account for about 23.2% of the variance in residents’ safety perceptions. The findings suggest that improving the aesthetic quality and accessibility of neighbourhoods can significantly enhance perceptions of safety, thereby promoting walkability. This emphasises the importance of integrating functional and aesthetic considerations in urban planning and policy, with implications for creating safer, more walkable urban environments in rapidly urbanising regions. These results align with Malaysia’s National Urbanisation Policy (NUP), which advocates for sustainable, inclusive urban development, and Penang's "Penang 2030" Vision, aiming to foster a more liveable, green, and pedestrian-friendly urban setting.

Kebolehlaluan Bandar dan Persepsi Keselamatan adalah faktor kritikal dalam membentuk kualiti hidup di kawasan kejiranan kediaman. Walaupun terdapat peningkatan minat terhadap elemen-elemen ini, terdapat bukti empirik yang terhad mengenai bagaimana ciri-ciri alam sekitar tertentu mempengaruhi persepsi keselamatan penduduk di kawasan bandar di negara-negara membangun, terutamanya di Asia Tenggara. Kajian ini menyiasat hubungan antara kebolehlaluan, termasuk kemudahan dan daya tarikan estetik, dengan persepsi keselamatan penduduk di kawasan kediaman Bayan Baru, Penang, Malaysia. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk menilai bagaimana atribut-atribut alam sekitar ini mempengaruhi persepsi keselamatan penduduk, yang sering menjadi penentu utama kebolehlaluan. Pendekatan kuantitatif digunakan, dengan menggunakan tinjauan yang mengumpulkan data daripada 95 penduduk. Hasil kajian mendedahkan hubungan positif yang signifikan antara kemudahan dan daya tarikan dengan persepsi keselamatan, dengan daya tarikan menunjukkan kesan yang lebih kuat. Selain itu, analisis regresi menunjukkan bahawa faktor-faktor ini menyumbang kira-kira 23.2% daripada variasi dalam persepsi keselamatan penduduk. Penemuan ini mencadangkan bahawa peningkatan dalam kualiti estetik dan kebolehcapaian kawasan kejiranan boleh meningkatkan persepsi keselamatan penduduk dengan ketara, sekali gus mempromosikan kebolehlaluan. Hasil ini menekankan pentingnya mengintegrasikan pertimbangan fungsi dan estetik dalam perancangan bandar dan pembangunan dasar, dengan implikasi untuk mewujudkan persekitaran bandar yang lebih selamat dan lebih mudah dilalui di kawasan yang pesat membangun. Dari segi praktikal, ini selaras dengan Dasar Perbandaran Negara (NUP) Malaysia, yang menyokong pembangunan bandar yang mampan dan inklusif, serta Visi "Penang 2030" Penang, yang bertujuan untuk mewujudkan persekitaran bandar yang lebih boleh didiami, hijau, dan mesra pejalan kaki.

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