Community acceptance towards migrant settlements in a sustainable city: what contributes to the not in my backyard social phenomenon?

Abstract

Migrant labour plays a crucial role in Iskandar Malaysia, a southern development corridor that emphasises sustainable development. Following the influx of migrant labourers to work in the region to support the city’s fast-paced development, residential areas have established many migrant labour settlements and have raised scepticism among the local communities. This has led to a debate among the authorities about whether to remove migrant labour settlements in residential areas. However, the determinants that shape local community perception to reject migrant settlement remained unclear. This study conducted a survey among residents in the Iskandar Development Region to understand the determinants that influence their acceptance towards migrant settlements and analysed the data using partial least square–structural equation model (PLS–SEM) analysis. The findings imply that to improve acceptance of migrant settlement among the city’s community, we should give priority to resolving the local community’s concerns, consisting of four main issues (in descending order): crime and safety, declines in property value, hygiene issues, and a poor physical appearance of the settlement. To this end, this paper provides policy recommendations for both the government and the community about coping with migrant settlements in a fast-paced developing city.