ID: 1976
Presenting Author: Saiful Bahari Bin Amra Ramly
Session: 688 - Fair Resettlement: Managing Stakeholder Expectations and Misinformation
Status: pending
Darul Hana shows how open, empathetic communication and fair compensation can dispel rumours, build trust and ensure community acceptance in urban redevelopment projects.
Urban redevelopment projects often face public anxiety driven by misinformation and misunderstanding. The Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) of Sarawak, Malaysia encountered this challenge in the Darul Hana Redevelopment Project, an effort to transform traditional riverine villages along Sungai Sarawak into a planned and flood-safe smart neighbourhood.
Early stages were clouded by rumours about forced relocation and unfair compensation. LCDA responded by embedding clear and consistent communication and ensuring fair compensation within the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) process. Through a structured dialogue framework, transparent information sharing and continuous engagement with village leaders, residents and local media, LCDA managed to correct false narratives and build confidence in the project.
The initiative successfully relocated 564 core families and 209 extended families nearby into safe, modern homes that preserve their village character and community bonds. The process demonstrated that empathetic communication, combined with fairness and inclusivity, can turn resistance into cooperation and sustain trust throughout project delivery.
The Darul Hana experience highlights that managing information and maintaining fairness are as vital as managing physical impacts. It offers practical lessons for practitioners seeking to strengthen participation, foster understanding and ensure that urban redevelopment benefits are clearly seen and genuinely shared.
Saiful Bahari Amra Ramly is a socio-economist and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) practitioner with 35 years of experience in socio-economic, rural transformation and urban redevelopment.
Coauthor 1: Khairul Hisyam Bin Abdullah
Coauthor 2: Khadijah Binti Hassan