THE PLANNED CAPITAL TRAP: HOUSING MARKET DISEQUILIBRIUM AND GOVERNANCE RISK IN PUTRAJAYA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i44.2306Keywords:
Housing market disequilibrium, spatial governance, planned administrative capitals, financial resilience, workforce operational readinessAbstract
Planned administrative capitals are designed on the assumption that state-backed employment can be spatially concentrated without exposing public servants to severe housing pressure. This study develops the concept of the ‘planned capital trap’ to explain how controlled urban development and concentrated public employment can produce housing conditions that weaken the workforce base on which administrative efficiency depends. Focusing on Putrajaya, Malaysia’s federal administrative capital, it examines the relationship between housing market disequilibrium, financial resilience, and workforce operational readiness. Drawing on survey evidence from 388 public servants, the findings show that perceived housing disequilibrium is strongly associated with weaker financial resilience and lower operational readiness. The association with operational readiness is partly accounted for by financial resilience, while the remaining direct association is consistent with additional non-financial pathways. The study contributes to urban-planning and governance debates by reframing workforce housing in planned capitals as administrative infrastructure rather than residual welfare.
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