NINE out of 10 Malaysians living in urban areas like the Klang Valley, Johor Baru and George Town anticipate  higher cost of living (92%), greater population density (85%) and greater urban sprawl (82%) within the next 10 years.

More than half of them also said life was merely tolerable or even outright unhappy, the online survey found.

The month-long TheEdgeProperty.com-Lafarge Happiness in the City Index 2017 survey found that 43% of respondents said the urban living experience was merely tolerable while another 10% said they were unhappy.

The remaining 48% said they were either very happy (18%) or happy (30%).

The online survey recorded input from 1,786 residents from the Klang Valley (1,273), Penang (321) and Johor Baru (202).

According to World Bank data, more than 75% of Malaysia’s population live in urban areas.

The survey found that those living in Penang (77%) were the happiest followed by Johor Baru (61%) and Klang Valley (49%).

Klang Valley residents said they loved the area for its leisure activities (77%), accessibility (74%) and job opportunities (74%). 

Penangites preferred Georgetown for its leisure activities (69%) and historical significance (64%), while those living Johor Baru loved its friendliness to families (62%) and accessibility (59%). 

All the urban dwellers agreed that the key issues of quality of life and personal wellbeing to be their top priorities. 

The survey found that cost of living (82%), safety (77%) and air pollution (61%) were the top 3 concerns among respondents.

On a positive note, about half of Penang and Johor Baru respondents also anticipate a greener and more beautiful city.

When asked about the attributes of a liveable city, the respondents indicated that an integrated transport system was the most important, with higher income and job opportunities tied in second place. 

Klang Valley respondents also wanted high-quality housing, while Penang and Johor Baru respondents indicated environmental friendliness as an additional key attribute of a liveable city.

The survey ran from April 28 to May 28 this year, and is part of Lafarge Malaysia’s Happiness in the City campaign for sustainable development. – October 14, 2017