Forming collective identity at a Chinese-Malaysian new village

This research shows how linking places to suitable processes can create a sense of belonging between otherwise only marginally connected population groups. It does so by examining contemporary responses towards the predominantly ethnic-Chinese 'new villages' of peninsula Malaysia. Mostly built as forced resettlement zones in the 1950s, these villages have evolved to become very important to the collective identity of Malaysia's Chinese community, despite facing slowly shrinking populations. Via site observations, stakeholder interviews and digital reviewers' surveys, this research suggests that suitably convincing processes can create a sense of collective identity and shared heritage across different generations of people from different backgrounds in a comparatively short time, even without the 'collective memories' argued as necessary by existing literature. It points to how 'process' can in fact replace 'collective memories' in identity formation, thereby suggesting new place-making strategies promoting feelings of shared heritage, even for places with 'dark' origins. The findings suggest that self-curated promotion strategies emphasising the importance of intangible heritage and lifestyles can in fact support the revitalisation of declining locations by creating a sense of a collective identity linking visitors to these places, even when collective memories are absent.