This article presents the findings of a larger ongoing study that explores visions of “unity” and “belonging” among present-day Malaysians that are shaped by their engagements with popular music genres of the country’s indigenous ethnic communities. Through a critical theory-informed qualitative analysis of Malaysians’ views on the popular Iban song, “Biar Bekikis Bulu Betis”, the study described in this article examines the visions of unity and belonging that they conceived through various engagements with the song. The findings show that these visions were co-created in and through a dynamic interaction between the song and the audience. The former evoked a sense of solidarity and cohesion, and the latter conceived their visions of unity and belonging based on those feelings. However, the findings reveal that these visions did not coalesce with the “grand” or “official” narratives of unification and inclusion, given the audience’s strong sense of togetherness and attachment to their state of origin and community rather than to the country and the nation. Such findings are important as they provide insights into the potential role that popular music of Malaysia’s indigenous ethnic communities can play in the complex and never-ending process of achieving a national sense of unity, belonging and identity in Malaysia.
{"title":"Rethinking Visions of “Unity” and “Belonging”: Insights into Audience Responses Towards Popular Music of Malaysia’s Indigenous Ethnic Communities – A Case of Iban Pop Song","authors":"Collin Jerome, S. Ting, Esther John Perry","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.6","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents the findings of a larger ongoing study that explores visions of “unity” and “belonging” among present-day Malaysians that are shaped by their engagements with popular music genres of the country’s indigenous ethnic communities. Through a critical theory-informed qualitative analysis of Malaysians’ views on the popular Iban song, “Biar Bekikis Bulu Betis”, the study described in this article examines the visions of unity and belonging that they conceived through various engagements with the song. The findings show that these visions were co-created in and through a dynamic interaction between the song and the audience. The former evoked a sense of solidarity and cohesion, and the latter conceived their visions of unity and belonging based on those feelings. However, the findings reveal that these visions did not coalesce with the “grand” or “official” narratives of unification and inclusion, given the audience’s strong sense of togetherness and attachment to their state of origin and community rather than to the country and the nation. Such findings are important as they provide insights into the potential role that popular music of Malaysia’s indigenous ethnic communities can play in the complex and never-ending process of achieving a national sense of unity, belonging and identity in Malaysia.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77195142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"China in Malaysia: State-Business Relations and the New Order of Investment Flows (Book review)","authors":"Y. Chin","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.12","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80307632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Xaverian Journey: The Story of a Lasallian School in Penang, Malaysia 1787–2019 (Book review)","authors":"Chee-Seng Tan","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.11","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86628778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nor Zuriati Amani Ab Rani, Rospidah Ghazali, Mohd. Khairi Ismail
Vulnerability means a sense of insecurity resulting from exposure to the threat of the effects of social and environmental changes. The inability to adapt to such changes puts external environmental pressures and uncertain risks on households and communities. The purpose of this study is to identify the multidimensional vulnerability factors of B40 households in the southern region of Kelantan. The respondents consist of 385 heads of B40 households. Data collection was conducted face-to-face through questionnaires. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis. The results of the study found that B40 households face multidimensional vulnerability in terms of economic, social/physical and environmental vulnerabilities. The three components of economic vulnerability factors are (1) job and source of income loss, (2) rising prices and production costs, and (3) lack of capital and marketing. Meanwhile, social/physical and environmental vulnerabilities are explained by one component factor only. In conclusion, B40 households in the southern region of Kelantan need to diversify their income portfolio and not rely on one source of income only. They also need to take precautions against seasonal and environmental changes that will threaten and affect their daily activities. This study can be expanded by using other multidimensional aspects of vulnerability, such as health, market, politics, demographics and agricultural vulnerabilities. The study may also involve M40 and T20 households as respondents for future studies.
{"title":"Faktor Kemudahterancaman Multidimensi bagi Kumpulan B40 di Wilayah Kelantan Selatan","authors":"Nor Zuriati Amani Ab Rani, Rospidah Ghazali, Mohd. Khairi Ismail","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.8","url":null,"abstract":"Vulnerability means a sense of insecurity resulting from exposure to the threat of the effects of social and environmental changes. The inability to adapt to such changes puts external environmental pressures and uncertain risks on households and communities. The purpose of this study is to identify the multidimensional vulnerability factors of B40 households in the southern region of Kelantan. The respondents consist of 385 heads of B40 households. Data collection was conducted face-to-face through questionnaires. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis. The results of the study found that B40 households face multidimensional vulnerability in terms of economic, social/physical and environmental vulnerabilities. The three components of economic vulnerability factors are (1) job and source of income loss, (2) rising prices and production costs, and (3) lack of capital and marketing. Meanwhile, social/physical and environmental vulnerabilities are explained by one component factor only. In conclusion, B40 households in the southern region of Kelantan need to diversify their income portfolio and not rely on one source of income only. They also need to take precautions against seasonal and environmental changes that will threaten and affect their daily activities. This study can be expanded by using other multidimensional aspects of vulnerability, such as health, market, politics, demographics and agricultural vulnerabilities. The study may also involve M40 and T20 households as respondents for future studies.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87631460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Malay proverbs which are sourced from chicken, are 90 in total. Various references of chicken have been created by the Malays to mirror the behaviours and actions of human beings implicitly. Each of the references can provide lessons, advices and reprimands in a gentle manner and can still be used up to today. The attributes of “careful”, “useless” and “betrayal” are among these references. In order to analyse the data of these proverbs, the research will use the Inquisitive Semantics Approach, besides the application of bridging cross reference (BCR) based on the corpus data obtained from Pangkalan Korpus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and Malay Concordance Project (MCP). Therefore, as the objective of this study, the researchers will explore the reasons why the Malay community choose the imagery of chicken. Each of these references will benefit the authentic data which are related to the cognition, culture and intellect of the Malay community in itself. This research employs fully qualitative approaches through documentary analysis that involves the Malay proverb data which have been recorded beforehand. The findings of these proverbs data are collected from Kamus Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kelima, Kamus Istimewa Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kedua and Kamus Peribahasa Melayu using the purposive sampling method. In conclusion, this study finds that the inquisitive semantics approach is capable of uncovering the Malay proverbs’ meanings which are not confined only to literal and cognitive understandings but reflect also the height of intellect and philosophy of the Malays themselves.
来自鸡的马来谚语总共有90个。马来人创造了各种关于鸡的说法，含蓄地反映了人类的行为和行动。每一份参考资料都能以温和的方式提供教训、建议和谴责，直到今天仍然可以使用。“小心”、“无用”和“背叛”的属性都在这些引用中。为了分析这些谚语的数据，本研究将使用好奇语义学方法，并基于从Pangkalan Korpus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP)和马来语一致性计划(MCP)获得的语料库数据应用桥接交叉参考(BCR)。因此，作为本研究的目的，研究人员将探讨马来社区选择鸡的意象的原因。每一个参考文献都将有利于真实的数据，这些数据与马来社区本身的认知、文化和智力有关。本研究采用充分定性的方法，通过文献分析，涉及到马来谚语数据，已记录事先。本文采用目的抽样方法，从《Kamus Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kelima》、《Kamus Istimewa Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kedua》和《Kamus Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kedua》中收集了这些谚语的数据。总之，本研究发现，探究语义学方法能够揭示马来谚语的意义，这些意义不仅局限于字面和认知的理解，而且反映了马来人自身的智力和哲学的高度。
{"title":"Ayam Sebagai Rujukan Makna Inkuisitif Berhati-hati, Sia-Sia dan Khianat Dalam Peribahasa Melayu","authors":"Muhammad Zaid Daud, Mary Fatimah Subet","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.9","url":null,"abstract":"Malay proverbs which are sourced from chicken, are 90 in total. Various references of chicken have been created by the Malays to mirror the behaviours and actions of human beings implicitly. Each of the references can provide lessons, advices and reprimands in a gentle manner and can still be used up to today. The attributes of “careful”, “useless” and “betrayal” are among these references. In order to analyse the data of these proverbs, the research will use the Inquisitive Semantics Approach, besides the application of bridging cross reference (BCR) based on the corpus data obtained from Pangkalan Korpus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and Malay Concordance Project (MCP). Therefore, as the objective of this study, the researchers will explore the reasons why the Malay community choose the imagery of chicken. Each of these references will benefit the authentic data which are related to the cognition, culture and intellect of the Malay community in itself. This research employs fully qualitative approaches through documentary analysis that involves the Malay proverb data which have been recorded beforehand. The findings of these proverbs data are collected from Kamus Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kelima, Kamus Istimewa Peribahasa Melayu Edisi Kedua and Kamus Peribahasa Melayu using the purposive sampling method. In conclusion, this study finds that the inquisitive semantics approach is capable of uncovering the Malay proverbs’ meanings which are not confined only to literal and cognitive understandings but reflect also the height of intellect and philosophy of the Malays themselves.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85223770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Malaysian early education authorities have advocated for play-based learning in Malaysian classrooms in recent years. However, there is minimal recorded evidence of the state of play-based learning implementation in preschools. This study seeks to investigate the practice of play-based learning by three Chinese-ethnic teachers in a preschool. The choice of a case study is to enable a detailed examination of the intertwining relationship between knowledge, attitude and practice of play-based learning among the case study teachers. The findings obtained from three sets of self-report rating and observation point to a stronger influence of knowledge than attitude on the teachers’ practice of play-based learning. Improved knowledge about play-based learning is critical for the Malaysian preschool teachers to apply play-based learning in their teaching practice. Without adequate knowledge in play-based learning, there is the risk that teachers will continue to perceive “play” and “learning” as two separate entities, and correspondingly believe that play has an adverse effect on learning.
{"title":"A Case Study of Malaysian Teachers’ Practice of Play-based Learning in Preschool","authors":"San Li Kheioh, Hui Min Low","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.2","url":null,"abstract":"Malaysian early education authorities have advocated for play-based learning in Malaysian classrooms in recent years. However, there is minimal recorded evidence of the state of play-based learning implementation in preschools. This study seeks to investigate the practice of play-based learning by three Chinese-ethnic teachers in a preschool. The choice of a case study is to enable a detailed examination of the intertwining relationship between knowledge, attitude and practice of play-based learning among the case study teachers. The findings obtained from three sets of self-report rating and observation point to a stronger influence of knowledge than attitude on the teachers’ practice of play-based learning. Improved knowledge about play-based learning is critical for the Malaysian preschool teachers to apply play-based learning in their teaching practice. Without adequate knowledge in play-based learning, there is the risk that teachers will continue to perceive “play” and “learning” as two separate entities, and correspondingly believe that play has an adverse effect on learning.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86839393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Legendary stories are historical tales about figures and places among the local community in the past. This study was conducted because the average society today is not aware of the existence of legendary stories which are rich in values and become a symbol of historical splendour among the community in Kelantan. Society also considers legendary stories as mere entertainment, untrue, imaginary and fantasy. This study aims to identify and analyse the values in legendary stories in the Lembangan Sungai Pengkalan Datu, Kelantan. This study is qualitative in nature, involving library methods, interviews and study analysis. In addition, the spiritual concepts approach contained in the National Education Philosophy is used as a deductive study to ensure a more robust analysis of the study. The findings of this study can be proven through the discovery of legendary stories that are rich in positive values such as kind-heartedness, humility, respect and love among humankind, all of which can be used as a guide for life among the local community. Thus, these positive values can be internalised as practices and lessons to form a civilised society.
{"title":"Nilai-nilai Murni Dalam Cerita Legenda di Lembangan Sungai Pengkalan Datu, Kelantan","authors":"Mohd Firdaus Che Yaacob","doi":"10.21315/km2022.40.1.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2022.40.1.10","url":null,"abstract":"Legendary stories are historical tales about figures and places among the local community in the past. This study was conducted because the average society today is not aware of the existence of legendary stories which are rich in values and become a symbol of historical splendour among the community in Kelantan. Society also considers legendary stories as mere entertainment, untrue, imaginary and fantasy. This study aims to identify and analyse the values in legendary stories in the Lembangan Sungai Pengkalan Datu, Kelantan. This study is qualitative in nature, involving library methods, interviews and study analysis. In addition, the spiritual concepts approach contained in the National Education Philosophy is used as a deductive study to ensure a more robust analysis of the study. The findings of this study can be proven through the discovery of legendary stories that are rich in positive values such as kind-heartedness, humility, respect and love among humankind, all of which can be used as a guide for life among the local community. Thus, these positive values can be internalised as practices and lessons to form a civilised society.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87621699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The lengthy, uncertain and onerous planning approval process in various countries around the world has prompted frustrated housing developers to seek influence by paying off approving officials. A research was conducted in Malaysia to investigate in greater detail this rent-seeking phenomenon by asking six fundamental questions. Rich data were obtained by interviewing 22 housing developers and consultants who work for them. Developers engage in rent-seeking behaviours to overcome genuine and artificial hurdles when applying for development approval. All approving agencies, though not all their staff, reciprocate to such behaviours. The monetary value of the payoffs depend on the rank of the public actor and project features. The higher the office holder is, the larger is the expected pay-off. Big and complex development projects in urban centres have a higher pay-off tag. Low value items television sets and car repairs serve to support normal lifestyle whereas high value items such as golfing and holiday trips support lavish lifestyle. Establishing good rapport is a prerequisite to the rent seeking and giving exchange. Elements which help foster reciprocity by state actors to housing developers’ rentseeking behaviours include low civil servant salary and high living cost, and weak punitive action. Common ethnicity facilitates nuanced communication by the latter, but common religion may dampen the former’s enthusiasm to accept any payoffs. Eventually house buyers and the general public are the casualties by virtue of higher house prices and substandard infrastructure. Given the combination of inherent features of the planning system and certain elements that impinge on state actors both of which promote rent-seeking practices, a realistic law enforcement solution is to prioritise illicit market-state exchanges involving grossly distorting rent extraction and pecuniary rewards of significant magnitude rather than total eradication of the practice.
{"title":"Rent-seeking Practices in the Housing Development Approval Process","authors":"Abdul-Rashid Abdul-Aziz, Suhaila Ali","doi":"10.21315/km2021.39.2.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2021.39.2.2","url":null,"abstract":"The lengthy, uncertain and onerous planning approval process in various countries\u0000around the world has prompted frustrated housing developers to seek influence by\u0000paying off approving officials. A research was conducted in Malaysia to investigate\u0000in greater detail this rent-seeking phenomenon by asking six fundamental\u0000questions. Rich data were obtained by interviewing 22 housing developers and\u0000consultants who work for them. Developers engage in rent-seeking behaviours to\u0000overcome genuine and artificial hurdles when applying for development approval.\u0000All approving agencies, though not all their staff, reciprocate to such behaviours.\u0000The monetary value of the payoffs depend on the rank of the public actor and\u0000project features. The higher the office holder is, the larger is the expected pay-off.\u0000Big and complex development projects in urban centres have a higher pay-off tag.\u0000Low value items television sets and car repairs serve to support normal lifestyle\u0000whereas high value items such as golfing and holiday trips support lavish lifestyle.\u0000Establishing good rapport is a prerequisite to the rent seeking and giving exchange.\u0000Elements which help foster reciprocity by state actors to housing developers’ rentseeking behaviours include low civil servant salary and high living cost, and weak\u0000punitive action. Common ethnicity facilitates nuanced communication by the latter,\u0000but common religion may dampen the former’s enthusiasm to accept any payoffs. Eventually house buyers and the general public are the casualties by virtue of\u0000higher house prices and substandard infrastructure. Given the combination of\u0000inherent features of the planning system and certain elements that impinge on state\u0000actors both of which promote rent-seeking practices, a realistic law enforcement\u0000solution is to prioritise illicit market-state exchanges involving grossly distorting\u0000rent extraction and pecuniary rewards of significant magnitude rather than total\u0000eradication of the practice.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2021-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74658979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, L. Gooi, M. M. Saidin, Naizatul Akma Mohd Mokhtar, Mohd Hasfarisham Abd Halim
This article proposes new historical perspectives arising from the findings in the Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex, Kedah, by the Centre for Global Archaeological Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2009. Excavations in the complex unearthed the remains of iron smelting sites, wharves and other brick structures, dating back to the 2nd/3rd century AD. The discoveries of furnaces, tuyeres and iron slag attest to Sungai Batu’s role as the centre for primary iron production, employing the bloomery method. The study suggests that Ancient Kedah appeared as one of the hubs for the trans-Asiatic trade network with the rise of the iron industry, while its economic complexity grew steadily in successive centuries. The early emergence of Ancient Kedah was a development synchronous with the later phase of the Indian-Southeast Asian exchange network between the 2nd to the 4th century AD when inter and intra-regional trade intensified. Due to its favourable geological features, strategic location with a suitable ecozone, as well as being a thriving centre for primary iron production, Ancient Kedah emerged as an important harbour. It was this trading and industrial past, the article will argue, that contributed to the rise of other economic hubs within Ancient Kedah, such as Pengkalan Bujang and Kampung Sungai Mas, which eventually developed into entrepôts after the 5th century AD.
{"title":"The Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex: Re-assessing the Emergence of Ancient Kedah","authors":"Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, L. Gooi, M. M. Saidin, Naizatul Akma Mohd Mokhtar, Mohd Hasfarisham Abd Halim","doi":"10.21315/km2021.39.2.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2021.39.2.6","url":null,"abstract":"This article proposes new historical perspectives arising from the findings in the Sungai Batu Archaeological Complex, Kedah, by the Centre for Global Archaeological Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2009. Excavations in the complex unearthed the remains of iron smelting sites, wharves and other brick structures, dating back to the 2nd/3rd century AD. The discoveries of furnaces, tuyeres and iron slag attest to Sungai Batu’s role as the centre for primary iron production, employing the bloomery method. The study suggests that Ancient Kedah appeared as one of the hubs for the trans-Asiatic trade network with the rise of the iron industry, while its economic complexity grew steadily in successive centuries. The early emergence of Ancient Kedah was a development synchronous with the later phase of the Indian-Southeast Asian exchange network between the 2nd to the 4th century AD when inter and intra-regional trade intensified. Due to its favourable geological features, strategic location with a suitable ecozone, as well as being a thriving centre for primary iron production, Ancient Kedah emerged as an important harbour. It was this trading and industrial past, the article will argue, that contributed to the rise of other economic hubs within Ancient Kedah, such as Pengkalan Bujang and Kampung Sungai Mas, which eventually developed into entrepôts after the 5th century AD.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2021-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78694862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In 2017, the Terengganu Chinese Peranakan Association (TCPA) withdrew its participation in the 4th Annual Terengganu Peranakan Festival (TPF) organised by the Terengganu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCCI) because of a dispute over the combined term “Mek Awang”. To TCPA members, Mek Awang is a derogatory term, which the Malays used to refer to someone as being “soft”, effeminate, or a cross-dresser. However, TCCCI has appropriated the term Mek Awang and used it as a brand name to promote the festival, and to highlight the “uniqueness” of the Terengganu Peranakan Chinese community. This case is an example of how local cultural terms or practices have been readapted to suit tourism interests. Tourism is often accused of reinventing culture for capital ventures. Consequently, many academics and social critics have come to regard official national heritage sites and heritage tourism with scepticism and disdain. Combining ethnographic data from our in-depth interviews with the Terengganu Peranakan Chinese and our participant observation during the festival, we argue that the dispute over Mek Awang is not only a simple change in reference, but is also an indication of a deeper contemporary global process that affects ethnic minorities and their identities. We conclude that various attempts to commodify the peranakan experiences and culture in Terengganu as well as the intention to place the peranakan as a marketable heritage in Chinatown can be interpreted as attempts to replace a heterogeneous community with a homogeneous, uniform, genetic and identifiable ethnic category with a Peranakan1 (with capital “P”) identity.
{"title":"(Re)placing the Terengganu Peranakan Chinese as “Mek Awang”: Making Chinatown and Heritagising the Peranakan Identities in Kuala Terengganu","authors":"Hong Chuang Loo, G. Pue, Puay Liu Ong","doi":"10.21315/km2021.39.2.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21315/km2021.39.2.1","url":null,"abstract":"In 2017, the Terengganu Chinese Peranakan Association (TCPA) withdrew its participation in the 4th Annual Terengganu Peranakan Festival (TPF) organised by the Terengganu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCCI) because of a dispute over the combined term “Mek Awang”. To TCPA members, Mek Awang is a derogatory term, which the Malays used to refer to someone as being “soft”, effeminate, or a cross-dresser. However, TCCCI has appropriated the term Mek Awang and used it as a brand name to promote the festival, and to highlight the “uniqueness” of the Terengganu Peranakan Chinese community. This case is an example of how local cultural terms or practices have been readapted to suit tourism interests. Tourism is often accused of reinventing culture for capital ventures. Consequently, many academics and social critics have come to regard official national heritage sites and heritage tourism with scepticism and disdain. Combining ethnographic data from our in-depth interviews with the Terengganu Peranakan Chinese and our participant observation during the festival, we argue that the dispute over Mek Awang is not only a simple change in reference, but is also an indication of a deeper contemporary global process that affects ethnic minorities and their identities. We conclude that various attempts to commodify the peranakan experiences and culture in Terengganu as well as the intention to place the peranakan as a marketable heritage in Chinatown can be interpreted as attempts to replace a heterogeneous community with a homogeneous, uniform, genetic and identifiable ethnic category with a Peranakan1 (with capital “P”) identity.","PeriodicalId":43145,"journal":{"name":"Kajian Malaysia","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2021-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72415970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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