Regional industrialisation policy and the establishment of industrial estates as a policy measure in West Malaysia / Che Muhamad Hariri Dahalan

In the development of policies to diversify the economy, the focus on the manufacturing sector was undisputed from the start. Firstly, the sector offered virtually a new avenue for restructuring . the economy. Secondly, the experiences of industrial countries have shown that the expansion and development of the manufacturing sector is the logical path for proceeding to a sectorally more balanced economy, Thirdly, the manufacturing sector elsewhere has shown itself to be capable, if developed, or absorbing a substantial part of the labour force. The dissertation itself concentrates, basically on that sector which has served as the driving force of development in all newly industrializing countries. It begins with a general perspective on regional industrialization aiming at reducing regional development disparities, described in Chapter I and II. This is followed by a presentation of the macro and regional economic setting in West Malaysia - in essence laying down the groundwork and providing a general framework into which the policy measures - described in Chapter IV can be fitted. In Chapter V a description of the industrial estates and the two government's agencies is undertaken, whereby particular stress is placed on the dispersal and provision of industrial estates as policy measures. In Chapter VI, an evaluation of the industrial estates as a policy measure is discussed in detail, that is to say whether the industrial estates have played an effective role in line with the regional industrialization policy.