Introduction of Quality of life.

MALAYSIA witnessed a fast pace of urbanization between 1990 to 2000, largely contributed by rapid economic growth and transformation. The population in urban areas increased at an average rate of 4.6 per cent per annum, about twice the national population growth rate of 2.2 per cent. As a result, the share in the urban population increased from 51.1 per cent to 61.8 per cent during the period. The expansion of urban centers as well as the establishment of new townships and satellite industrial towns also contributed to this increase. Urbanization generated new economic activities and created more employment opportunities as well as provided greater access to modern social amenities.

THE Malaysian Urban Quality of Life Index (MUQLI) was constructed to measure the changes in the quality of life in the urban areas. MUQLI is a composite measure comprising 12 areas and 29 indicators for the period 1990 to 2000. The indicators were selected on the basis of their importance and the availability of data on a time series basis, and were assigned equal weight age.