THE UNEQUAL BORDER IN TRANSNATIONAL ISKANDAR MALAYSIA

Abstract

There is an observable trend in housings developments in Iskandar Malaysia to build the most “luxurious” properties. The paper looks at these developments through the discourse of global culture and transnationalism. Transnationalism argues for a borderless world where borders and localities become irrelevant. Presented to us in the situation of Iskandar is a real, physical border between itself and Singapore. On one side of the border is highly globalised city state, and on another, a second-city of a developing country. By situating the supposedly borderless transnational space in the physicality of the unequal border, the paper contributes by uncovering the forces behind the shape of luxury housings in Iskandar.