The influence of neighbourliness in shaping the social wellbeing of urban villages: Evidence from Kampung Berjaya and Kampung Mempelam, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia

Neighbourliness is essential for social wellbeing as it promotes social cooperation and solidarity. This study analyses the perception of urban villagers of the role of neighbourliness and the determinants of their wellbeing as dwellers of urban villages in Malaysia’s town of Alor Star, Kedah. A 30 per cent sampling comprising 132 household heads were interviewed in the urban villages of Kampung Berjaya and Kampung Mempelam for this purpose. It was found that while family relationship alone was deemed not enough to ensure social wellbeing in urban villages, good neibourliness emerged as more of a real determinant of the residents’ social wellbeing. The most ideal factors of social wellbeing, nevertheless, would be a combination of family ties and good neighbourliness.