THE PRESENCE AND INSINUATION OF SOCIAL CANCER AMONG SEA INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Disturbances that hinder community development affect social capital. I refer to such disturbances as social cancer. This article aims at explaining the existence of social cancers, their typologies, and implications for Sea Indigenous People’s community development through economic activities.   Methodology: This exploratory case study involved 12 Sea Indigenous People in Johor, Malaysia. Data obtained through interviews were analysed using a thematic approach.   Findings: The findings revealed four types of social cancer in the community’s economic activities: 1) jealousy, 2) prejudice, 3) slander, and 4) defamation. Those social cancers had direct impacts on community development, specifically forming sabotage actions, negligence in using community capital, reducing community cohesiveness, causing a decline in the production of social innovation, and the existence of a hanging community and the death of the community.   Contributions: This study calls for a self-realisation mechanism to be introduced to community members so that their capacity for social capital can be developed to overcome the social cancer. Keywords: Community development, self-realisation mechanism, social cancer, social capital.   Cite as: Amir Zal, W. A. (2021). The presence and insinuation of social cancer among sea indigenous people in Malaysia.  Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(1), 73-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss1pp73-94