A GIS APPROACH TO SPATIAL MODELING FOR SQUATTER SETTLEMENT PLANNING IN KUALA-LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

The most pressing problems of rapid urbanisation in Kuala Lumpur inclu de the need for land, housing, and provision of services. The link wit h day-to-day planning problems, however, remains a critical problem. T he quality of the planning and decisionmaking process can be substanti ally improved when valid data are appropriately and efficiently handle d. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the use of geographic infor mation systems (GISs) in evaluating alternative solutions to squatter problems. After the initial development of the GIS database, it has be en used to produce various scenarios which take into account the socio economic characteristics of the squatters, the constraints of the phys ical layout of existing squatter settlements, availability of land, an d site suitability of different kinds of development. Spatial modellin g techniques are employed to examine altemative plans for the squatter areas. These plans are evaluated by means of cost-benefit analysis in corporated into the GIS database. The authors also discuss the develop ment of an interactive graphic user-interface to the GIS for squatter planning and management. This is intended to facilitate user access to squatter-planning scenarios. The interface provides flexibility in da ta selection and display, to allow physical planners and decision-make rs to view and analyse the planning scenarios interactively before dec iding on the final plan. In a concluding section some of the problems encountered are highlighted and factors which need to be considered if GIS is to be employed in this type of exercise are indicated.