Malaysian urbanization: Policy lessons for South Africa

The urbanization record of Malaysia is reviewed, focussing particularly on the past two decades, and addressing relevant lessons for South Africa. For local policy analysts the Malaysian urbanization experience is of considerable interest, containing several parallels with the South African situation. Specifically, the post‐colonial Malaysian state sought to address major imbalances in the inherited pattern of incomes and status between the country's different ethnic communities. It is suggested that the Malaysian urbanization experience contains several policy issues pertinent to debates surrounding urban reform under late apartheid.