PLANNING RESEARCH (TPS651)

Bachelor in Town and Regional Planning

Program of Town and Regional Planning
Department of Built Environment Studies and Technology
College of Built Environment
Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak Branch
Seri Iskandar Campus

PROPOSAL TEMPLATE

NAME: AMIR HAFIZ BIN MOHD JABAR

STUDENT ID: 2022883856
NAME OF SUPERVISOR: GS. NUR SHAFFIQA MUHAMMAD SOFFIAN

1. TITLE OF RESEARCH PROJECT

Visitor Behaviours Towards Urban Park Facilities in Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah, Ipoh

2. RESEARCH DETAILS
Interviews Case Study
Focus Group Clinical Trial Study
Questionnaires Intervention Study
Action research / Personal Records
/ Observation / Secondary Data Analysis
Document Analysis Others: (Provide details):

3. RESEARCH BACKGROUND

3.1 Definition of Behaviour

The term of behaviour in sociology generally refers to all human behaviour either those have no purpose or are
not directed at any one individual that can be distinguish between general conduct and social behaviour. It is
either related to the action or reaction of an individual or group to response in any situation. The behaviour
involves one's emotion and motivation that make it often associated with psychology (Lancaster & Ward, 2002).
Meanwhile, the behaviour is also referred as "a total response of an organism, in reply to living circumstances,
depending on the environmental stimulation and its internal tension of successive movements which are
oriented in a significant way."(Popescu, 2014). Someone behaviour also can reflects to their own personality
either a good or bad personality (Machin & Sankey, 2008)
 According to Dr. Amar Prakash in Study of Human Behaviour Formulated in Psychology, Journal of
Humanities and Social Science (2020), human behaviour is the demonstrated potential and ability for physical,
mental and social action throughout the stage of human life. Human behaviour basically can be included in
someone social interaction with a person or situation, or artistic expression. By observing the pattern of human
behaviour, it can help to identify social norm in society, individual difference, and also the impact of factors on
someone's decision-making and interaction.

3.2 What is An Urban Park?

A park is a public area as a leisure place or for recreation in urban area. A park is an open green area intended
for recreation to visitors, which is run, as a rule, at the expense of the state. In Russian language, a park is a large
garden or a planted grove with alleys, flower beds, water bodies.(Ozhegov, 2018). A park is a large green area,
landscaped and artistically designed for outdoor recreation that is built in an urban area. It plays as an important
place for everyone in a busy area or rural area that can let human enjoyment through nature.
According to Nurul Haqimah and Norfashiha in proceeding about Urban Park And Physical Activities Among
Residents In Klang Valley (2018), urban park is known as a public park or is a park in cities which corporate places
to offer recreation and green space to residents. Most of the urban parks have their own categories which have
been differentiated by their sizes and functional requirements. The urban parks are open green areas that
include various facilities and opportunities to meet the active/passive recreation needs of people of all ages
within the city (Ertekin, 1992). Urban parks are a part of the city's open green space system and generally have
the same importance and functions as other open green spaces (Özkır, 2007). The functions include ecological
(Zhang, Sun, Shen, Peng & Che, 2021), recreation (Boyacı, 2010), health (Zhang et. al., 2021), education, socio-
cultural (Boyacı, 2010), social memory and belonging (Uludağ & Aycı, 2016), aesthetics, economic (Boyacı,2010),
and social equality (M¨antymaa, Jokinen, Juutinen , Lankia & Louhi, 2021).

3.3 Relation Between Behaviour and Urban Park

Urban parks are areas that are used daily by everyone, which is people can contact the nature and social
interactions take place. Besides, it also provides various environmental, aesthetic, and recreational benefits
closely related to human well-being and quality of life (Huai &Van de Voorde 2022). It show that urban parks
are affecting human behaviour and perception . According to Oguz and Cakci (2010) the busy lifestyle in urban
area are also affects the lack of time for leisure and recreation activities in urban outdoor spaces. The urban
community behaviour has changed because of all those obstacles. The human perceptions towards the beautiful
of place are different due to factors of microclimatic condition such as sunlight and wind (Zacharias, 2001), and
also other microclimatic parameter including humidity and temperature can influence human perception
towards comfort Nikolopoulou et. al., 2001).
 The 'environment as perceived rather than the real world which influence behaviour' (Walmsley, 1988)
which means some of characteristics and also urban formations are the aspect of how environment can
influence the social behaviours, indicating that the environment either can restrict or important the behaviour.
The quality of urban physical settings have clear implications for the socialization and development of the
individual as a unique being (Proshansky and Fabian, 1987). Basically, the way a city is designed and its physical
properties can impact the way people develop and form their own identities within a social context. So, this
emphasizes that the quality of physical settings in the city has significant implications for socialization and
individual development.

3.3 Study of TOPIC

This study will observe the people's behaviour which is the visitors towards urban park at Bulatan Sultan Azlan
Shah, Ipoh. Identifying the behaviour of the visitors based on age can help to recognize on what people's always
do at the urban park, know their perception and satisfaction towards urban parks facilities, and
recommendations to improve the urban parks.

3.3 Key Concepts of TOPIC:

1) Student Behavior
2) Pedestrian Walkways

3.4 Focus Of Study Area – Background Of Study

Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah is located at Bandar Meru Raya which as a urban park or recreation center in
Ipoh. It has an area of 7.3 hectares and it was developed by the Perak State Development Corporation
(PKNP). Sultan Azlan Shah Circle is the largest circle in the state of Perak and has been chosen as a preferred
location for the local community to spend time with family and friends.

map

Figure 1 : Location of Study area

4. PROBLEM STATEMENT AND SIGNIFICANCE OF PROJECT
The park has always become an attraction place for everyone from children to elderly either to playing a
playground, jogging, or may be do some leisure activities. Basically, people have different behaviour towards
every person, situation or place around them. So, this study will observe what behaviour usually people have
towards urban park at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah.

This study chooses Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah as a part of place to observe because it is a popular place at
Ipoh, Perak that has a lot of visitors from many states and countries. The issue is when the visitors are from
various places which means that will have a lot of types of behaviour among them. These issues will lead to a
variety of problems either to urban park itself, facilities, or image views of it. Addressing problems related to
visitors behaviour towards urban park will allow that place to have a better quality and safety to visitors, can
create a great community that knows on how to sustain of the environment and increase the attractiveness of
that place to tourists. There are several significances of visitors' behaviour towards urban parks include:

i. Safety Environment
To create a safe environment by maintaining all the facilities and making sure the facilities are useful and
complete without any damage. The proper behaviour of every visitor ensures the safety of everyone else.

ii. Preservatives of Infrastructure

Unauthorized use or disruptive activities on any facilities can lead to tear or damage that can affect the
infrastructure's functionality and will harm others. Respectful behaviour by everyone surrounding helps in
preserving the quality and longevity of the facilities.

iii. Community Well-being

Monitoring the people's behaviour can help us realize how the community knows how to care for and appreciate
the public facilities and public place around them.

iv. Build Responsible Community

Recognize how well being of the community will help country to build the responsibility and respectful
community. This situation can be helpful for us to create a great future especially to all the new generation.

5. RESEARCH AIM AND OBJECTIVES

5.1 Aim
To observe the pattern of the behaviour among visitors based on age towards public recreation center which
is in Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah.
 5.2 Objectives
i. To encourage people to take care of sustainability of public recreation center.
ii. To ensure all facilities are useful to all visitors.
iii. To create safety and satisfaction among visitors.

6. EXPECTED BENEFITS
i. Studying can help everyone to use all the facilities at public recreation centers in a right way without
misuse any of it.
ii. To determine the pattern of activities that visitors always do every day at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah.
iii. To encourage people to maintain sustainability of the public recreation center.

7. DATE OF RESEARCH COMMENCEMENT – END

October 2023

8. EXPECTED DATE OF INITIAL DATA COLLECTION

January 2025

9. LOCATION OF RESEARCH
Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah as a public recreation center that are place in the city of Ipoh located within
the Kinta district where it is under the jurisdiction of the Ipoh City Council (MBI).

10. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Step 1: Preliminary Study
The first step for this study is preliminary. It covers the preparation of study background, problem statement,
goal and objectives, scope of study, research flowchart, site background and project paper structure. The study
will identify the behaviour and activities that do by the visitors towards public recreation center at Bulatan
Sultan Azlan Shah.

Step 2: Theoretical Study

Next, the study focuses on the theoretical and practical features of recreational parks as seen by some
researchers in their quest for knowledge and thought. The researchers will conclude and do some literature
review from the previous studies that involve some of data collection from those studies to build understanding
about the behavior and activities among visitors towards public recreation center. The content of the literature
review includes behavior, and public recreation center.
 Step 3: Data Collection
At this step, the study will start to collect the information in this stage. The method involves collecting data is
qualitative which is observation. The type of method for observation is covert. The observation will be
conducted without knowing by visitors (participants) and the researcher will hide identity and purpose.

Step 4: Data Analysis

This step will conduct a description analysis, which will cover the demographic profile of the respondent as well
as the measurement of construct central tendencies.

Step 5: Finding
The final result created based on this study refers as a summary of the observation visitors' behavior &
activities towards public recreation center at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah, Ipoh.

11. INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA

11.1 Inclusion Criteria
The visitors of Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah.

11.2 Exclusion Criteria

Those who are not visiting Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah.

12. SAMPLE SIZE

Figure 2 : Formula of Sample size

Source : Krejcie and Morgan (1970)
 S = 3.841 (5,972)(0.5)(1-0.5)
(0.5)² (5,972-1) +3.841(0.5)(1-05)
S = 3.841 (5,972)(0.5)(0.5)
(0.0025)(5,971) +1.9205(0.5)
S = 5,734.61 / 15.88775
S = 361 people/visitor

13. RESEARCH FLOWCHART

Figure 3 : Research Flowchart

14. STATISTICAL ANAYSIS
The statistical analysis in this study involves frequency, correlation and spatial analysis. The purpose of it is to
collect data of patterns and trends on students'behavior towards pedestrian walkways. These also allow for
evidence-based decision making and target interventions to improve campus safety and have awareness on
responsible behavior. This operation applies statistic tools and which involves in this study was the primary data
from the information data sources and secondary data that obtained from other parties like journals and
scientific publications, and also quantitative data refer as numerical data used in this project.

15. REFERENCES
Семенова, Л. В., Bunakov, O. A., & Puryzhova, L. (2020). Urban parks and their impact on the sustainable
development of the tourist area: international experience and prospects of its application in the Kaliningrad
region and the Republic of Tatarstan (RF). E3S Web of Conferences, 208, 05009. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202020805009
Mohd Riduan Ngesan, Hafazah Abdul Karim, & Syed Sobri Zubir. (2012). Human Behaviour and Activities in
Relation to Shah Alam Urban Park during Nighttime. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences (pp.68, 427–
438). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.12.239
Nurul Haqimah, & Norfashiha. (2018). Urban Park and physical activities among residents in Klang Valley. 3rd
Undergraduate Seminar Build Environment & Technology. (pp.295-301). UiTM Perak Branch. Retrieved
from https://ir.uitm.edu.my/47572/1/47572.pdf
Popescu, G. (2014). Human Behavior, from Psychology to a Transdisciplinary Insight. Procedia - Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 128, 442–446. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.03.185
Prakash, A. (2020). Study of Human Behaviour Formulated In Psychology. Journal of Humanities and Social
Science, 25(12), 62–64. Retrieved https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-2512016264
Urban Parks And Conservation Status. (2021). In Ö. Demirel. & Assoc. & E. Düzgünes (Eds.), Cedesu 2021 2nd
International City And Ecology Congress Within The Framework Of Sustainable Urban Development (1st
ed.) Asos Yayınevi. Retri0065ved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357714478_URBAN_PARKS