This section corresponds to the discussion presented in Chapter 3 (Section 3.4.5) about the predicted impacts of changes due to development. A good understanding of the background settings for the development is essential and includes: local experiences and local
expectations, action plans for the proposed road and bridge, local available resources that are able to be provided by the affected people and communities, and the related social rules that allow relationships to be formed among the affected people and things. This understanding provides clues for estimating the reaction of individuals and communities in handling potential changes that will occur from the proposed road and bridge. The reaction of these people and communities will indicate whether the proposed road and bridge is in the position of receiving support for implementation, or whether additional and alternative effort will be needed to address the non-supporting elements prior to the implementation of the proposed road and bridge.
It is expected that the message, derived from the information collected from the early four steps of analysis, will show multiple possible positive and negative attributes to the development. The feedback given by the respondents during individual interviews for the questions related to Steps 1 to 4 of the framework, reflect the main inputs or contributors for each step. This information provides answers for a series of questions that lead to the identification of outcomes created by possible relationships, formed for the development:
i. Who are the actors who need more attention for the proposed road and bridge
development?
ii. What are the social forces (available capital) that contribute to the way actors react to
the proposed development?
iii. What are the relationships of people, the biophysical environment and development
activities that affect the outcomes of the development?
iv. What are the outcomes for the development due to the existing relationships?
Now, the question is “What are the meanings of these outcomes to individuals and
communities”? In the suggested conceptual framework, the outcomes refer to the predicted individual, collective and environmental change issues arising from the proposed road and bridge development.
Based on the understanding of connections formed between human and non-human elements in dealing with developments, and the linkages from actors to changes, the findings show the leading effects of changes established from the social forces available, that contribute to social change in the case study area.
The comments made by affected individuals and communities are used to weigh the
relationships of relevant issues in shaping social change in the case study area. It is assumed that common issues as shown as concern by the affected individuals and communities during interview sessions, tell which one of the social issues established from the first four steps plays a more important role in contributing to the prediction of social change by reviewing the local needs, expectations and potential changes of the proposed road and bridge development. For example, the findings indicate that the “willingness to stay in the village” was the issue of most concern in terms of individual change for the case study. This individual change issue could be traced from the findings found for the first three steps suggested for the framework. The findings of the early steps show that most of the respondents believe that local people themselves play an important role in shaping social change for the case study area in future. From the interviews, it can be seen that individual human actors in Beliong could be mainly grouped under two positions, either as permanent residents or as temporary residents. Their position as a permanent resident or a temporary resident was determined according to their role in the community. The residents who live and work in the case study area are perceived as members of the permanent residents group while those who only visit the case study area for a short time or during the weekends were considered as part of the temporary residents group. To the permanent and temporary residents groups, government agencies, JKKK, the Chinese Temple Association and the Malay Women Association are among the most
significant social organisations which play important roles in helping them to carry out social activities in the case study area. Respondents also mentioned that the existing biophysical features (e.g. coconut farms, internal roads and rivers) and conditions were able to affect the people in deciding plans for their activities.
When further exploring the characteristics of these factors (actors of social change), it was found that attitude, employment status, friendship and external cooperation were the main characteristics considered by the people when making decisions. The majority of the
respondents mentioned that attitude affects the decisions made by an individual as to whether to live and work in the case study area. In this case study, a preferred job opportunity and friendships with others in the case study area, were perceived to be the two main factors that contribute to a positive attitude for a person wanting to remain living and working in the case
study area (permanent resident). The temporary residents were mainly those who could not find a preferred job in the case study area. They choose to move to other places or to the city, where they can find better working and living environments. Another reason that encourages people to move to other places or to the city is having friends or relatives in those places. Respondents also mentioned that an opportunity to cooperate with external individuals or parties (public or private) was one of the key factors which attracted people to continue living in the case study area. If such an opportunity is missing, then they may move to other places or to the city. Some respondents believe that they will have better access to various types of resources and services through external cooperation. The advantages brought by external cooperation can support development in the case study area, and will create more job and business opportunities for the people. If this happens, those temporary residents may choose to stay back and work in the case study area instead of moving to other places or to the city. As well as factors relating to human beings, there are for example, two non-human factors (transportation and agricultural land) given above that may also affect the decisions made by the people as to whether to stay in the case study area as a permanent resident, or to be a temporary resident. Respondents commented that the poor transportation system and network in the case study area had become the main obstacle for new developments to be planned for the case study area. Therefore, many young and educated people choose to work and live in other places or in the city since they are not interested in being involved in farming activities and there are no other suitable job opportunities for them either. Also, the lack of a direct link road and bridge network between Beliong and the city side of the river has slowed down the existing agricultural development. The extra transportation costs for boat services to travel across the river cause additional expenses and discourages people from bringing in more development activities for the case study area.
All the human and non-human factors affect the willingness of an individual to stay in their village. At present, many people are not willing to live there and have left because of the difficulties faced due to the absence of a direct link road into Beliong. However, the situation might be different if there is a direct link road as proposed for the area in this case study. With the implementation of this proposed road and bridge development, respondents believe that it will favourably affect the degree of willingness of an individual to stay in their village. It is estimated that more people will be willing to stay in the village as the proposed road and bridge development is going to provide a better transportation system and network. In addition, with the improvement of the existing transportation conditions, all the obstacles faced previously due to the absence of a direct link road are likely to be solved. At the same
time, respondents believe and hope that this proposed development will generate other types of developments for the case study area. All these developments will create more jobs and business opportunities for the case study area; the proposed link road and bridge development is also expected to improve the living environment in the case study area and increase the living standards for the people. All of these positive factors are expected to be among the key reasons that might be likely to attract the existing permanent residents to remain in the case study area, while the temporary residents might be more likely to move back to the area. The temporary residents might move back either because they find suitable jobs in the case study area or they might move back because of the improvements in the living environment in the case study area. In addition, improvements in the existing transportation network and conditions may allow those young temporary residents, who work in other places or in the city, to move back to live with their parents in the rural environment.
The issues, discussed in the interviews, include respondents‟ perceptions of actors who may have stronger impacts on changes in the case study area and the reasons for this. As given in the example above, the understandings of the main concerns, and the perceptions of the affected individuals and communities about the impacts of the proposed development, are then considered as central for addressing social change and the leading social impacts being studied.