Reader Response Draft 4

In the article “Explosive growth in Asian cities: Bright ideas to 'seize the urban moment’” by Khanna (2015), the author mentions that Asian cities have become the icon of the world's urban development trend within this decade. Asian cities are having population influx which forces these cities to expand. It is also a challenge for huge cities to provide essential services like water and housing. According to the author South-east Asia cities tackle this problem with their “flexible governments, resourceful citizens and local infrastructure innovation." Using of technological applications like QLUE can help reduce social challenge like water and flooding. The author highlights that city governments should be “generative” and not only invest in infrastructure but also use it to produce innovative “business models” that help economic growth.

While I agree to an extent that both Asia and Southeast Asia governments need to do more to improve the life of their people in their countries, governments have to make use of this opportunity when urbanization takes place in the country or city. I feel that the poorer people in South-east Asia countries will not get to enjoy benefits like improved education, healthcare and social services from this urbanization opportunity. As the benefits are inaccessible with Southeast Asia countries like Laos and Myanmar are poorer in nature and they cannot keep up with the stress from providing essential needs like housing and water to the people due to the impact of the urbanization.

Firstly, the article “Explosive growth in Asian cities: Bright ideas to 'seize the urban moment’” by Khanna (2015) examines Indonesia as one case study which describes the strategic approach that used by the Indonesian government like infrastructure upgrades or the use of advanced technology to decrease the impact of urbanization and also to contribute in the development of the country. The writer mentions that Indonesia faced overcrowding in its cities due to the problem from mass migration. It has also been mentioned in the article “Overpopulated Jakarta” (2010) mentions that it is not hard to see the problem of congestion in Jakarta and “slums” can be seen in many areas in the city which also include the river bank. The editorial also reports that the city government issued a bylaw that only allows the “entry of migrants into the city, with only those who have guaranteed jobs allowed to live in the city, while officers of the city public order agency often conduct raids against illegal residents.” But those efforts still fail to solve the problem of overcrowding in the city. As the population grew every day and as the demand of essential needs like housing and water grows; more social challenges may also pop out. Therefore, I can conclude that the poorer people in South-east Asia countries will suffer even more as times goes by with the lack of the essential needs like housing and water in their country.

Secondly, Khanna (2015) writes in the article that the use of the advanced technologies can help decrease the impact of such social issues arising from urbanization. The writer talks about Jakarta taking advantage of a “crowd-sourcing mobile application” called QLUE that allows its residents to report to the authorities on any local matters such as flooding, waste collection or traffic immediately. It was reported in Woetzel (2014) that adapting of newly advanced technology is fast in ASEAN. For example, mobile phones can be found almost everywhere across the ASEAN region but there is a significant difference in “digital readiness and capabilities by country”. For example, Indonesia is ranked 64th in the world in terms of their readiness towards newly advanced technology, yet Laos being another ASEAN country is ranked at 109th in the world. The author has also mentions that there are differences in their digital development even between countries even when they are located near each other. Therefore, not all countries can use these newly advanced technologies like mobile application to their advantages as there are huge differences between countries, in terms of their business economic performance, governance practices and affordability of such advanced technology. In conclusion, I believe that the using of advanced technologies may not be suitable to all people in South-east Asia countries, especially to those poorer people as they do not have the ability to afford such advanced technologies as they are struggling to survive in their country.

In general, the article did emphasize on a few valid points on the way how countries like Indonesia can make use of this opportunity to improve their country using various methods like the use of advanced technologies or infrastructure upgrades. However, poorer people in South-east Asia countries like Myanmar and Laos, may not be able to enjoy the benefits like improved education, healthcare and social services from the impact of the urbanization at all. As these countries will not be able to keep up with the stress from the lack of the essential needs like housing and water due to the urbanization thread in their countries and cities.

(833 words)

References

Khanna , P. (2015, June 11). Explosive growth in Asian cities: Bright ideas to 'seize the urban moment'. Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/explosive-growth-in-asian-cities-bright-ideas-to-seize-the-urban-moment

Resources:

Overpopulated Jakarta. (2010, August 21). The Jakarta Post. Retrieved from http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/08/21/editorial-overpopulated-jakarta.html 

Woetzel,  J.,  Tonby, O.,  Thompson, F., Lee, G., & Burtt, P. (2014, November). Southeast Asia at the crossroads three paths to prosperity. Retrieved from https://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwjS3sTL16HIAhUFC44KHRr_AiI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.Mckinsey.com%2F~%2Fmedia%2FMcKinsey%2Fdotcom%2FInsights%2FEnergy%2520Resources%2520Materials%2FThree%2520paths%2520to%2520sustained%2520economic%2520growth%2520in%2520Southeast%2520Asia%2FMGI%2520SE%2520Asia_Full%2520report_November%25202014.ashx&usg=AFQjCNHaYlZNobirMywu-P5mZ_651 GM6Q&sig2= 2m 29dNFM3UPHereZd3OdYw&bvm=bv.104226188,d.c2E&cad=rja