The Quality of Life (Qol) of the Island People in the State of Terengganu, Malaysia: A Study on Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian

Enhancing the Quality of life (QoL) of the population is one of the most important development agenda for any developing countries, including Malaysia. The objective of this study is to examine the QoL of the people on Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian, two offshore islands in the state of Terengganu, using the mixed methodology. The findings revealed that nearly 20 percent of the respondents have never received any form of formal education, with more than half of the respondents received primary school education only. This low level education of the parents has resulted in the low level education of the second generation. Education, employment, family life and welfare support are among the factors which influenced the objective (actual) and subjective (perceived) QoL on both islands. The study also showed that the level of the objective and subjective QoL of most of the people on both islands were at the medium level. However, the housing quality was of low standard which affected the quality of peoples' life. The household income somehow influenced the score of the QoL. The study also revealed that the development to enhance the quality of life of the islanders by the government is progressing at a slow pace. The findings based on Pearson correlation also revealed that the objective and subjective QoL were significantly correlated. This means that for most of the people on both islands, the higher their objective QoL, the better their subjective QoL. Key words: Quality of Life; Objective Quality of Life; Subjective Quality of Lfe; Pulau Redang; Pulau Perhentian Resume: L'amelioration de la qualite de vie (QdV) de la population est l'un des programmes de developpement les plus importants pour tous les pays en voie de developpement, notamment la Malaisie. L'objectif de cette etude est d'examiner la qualite de vie des habitants de Pulau Redang et de Pulau Perhentian, deux iles dans l'etat de Terengganu, en utilisant la methode mixte. Les resultats ont revele que pres de 20 pour cent des repondants n'ont jamais recu aucune forme d'education formelle, et plus de la moitie des repondants ont recu une education primaire seulement. Le faible niveau d'education des parents a abouti a la formation de bas niveau de la deuxieme generation. L'education, l'emploi, la vie familiale et l'aide sociale sont parmi les facteurs qui ont influence la qualite de vie objective (reelle) et subjective (percue) des habitants des deux iles. L'etude a egalement montre que le niveau de la qualite de vie objective et subjective de la plupart des habitants sur les deux iles a ete au niveau moyen. Cependant, un niveau faible de la qualite des logements a affecte la qualite de vie des peuples. Les revenus du menage a influence en quelque sorte le score de la qualite de vie. L'etude a egalement revele que le developpement et l'amelioration de la qualite de vie des habitants entretenus par le gouvernement de l'ile progresse a un rythme lent. Les resultats obtenus de la correlation de Pearson a egalement revele que la qualite de vie objective et subjective ont ete significativement correlee. Cela signifie que pour la plupart des habitants sur les deux iles, plus haut le niveau de leur qualite de vie objective, meilleure leur qualite de vie subjective. Mots-cles: Qualite de vie; Qualite de vie objective; Qualite de vie subjective; Pulau Redang;, Pulau Perhentian