This article explores conceptions of the Malaysian ethnic system from the perspective of certain Bidayuhs, an indigenous group of Sarawak, Borneo. Recent scholarship has highlighted the ‘fluid’ and ‘shifting’ nature of Malay identity; but less attention has been paid to how ethnic minorities in the region depict Malayness. I suggest that for many Bidayuhs, Malay-ness … Read more
Husserlian phenomenology and its terminology are utilised to justify the sociology of Islam and its essentialist response through the course of transcultural exchanges and sedimentation with the irreconcilable weltanshauung of the West. At the same time, the issue of structure and reliable knowledge is considered through the difficult relationship between revivalist religion and state politics … Read more
The article seeks to explain how Islam and the forces behind it achieved such a position since its arrival during the Malay sultanate period and until 2007. It seeks to describe the interplay of various forces, such as the Malay rulers as the head of the religion, the constitutions and various federal and state laws, … Read more
The article examines the state of Malaysia on the occasion of the 50th anniversary, in 2007, of the end of British rule. According to the author Malaysia, which had been considered a model of a tolerant Muslim democracy, is in danger of instituting Islamic law, thus abrogating the rights of its non-Muslim citizens. Incidents wherein … Read more
This article analyzes the different messages communicated in Malaysia by violent acts labeled amok. In the colonial period, English language uses of the term represented the presence of an anti-modern remnant among the peninsula’s Malay population, one that led to a medico-legal understanding of individualized violence. Malay-language uses of amok represented, in contrast, the presence … Read more
Much current anti-consumerist and anti-globalisation discourse identifies boycotting as an immensely powerful force. Religious and secular activists alike promote consumer boycotts as a type of practised resistance that promises to break US economic, military and cultural hegemony. Obviously, consumers’ support is essential for the success of such boycotts, and I argue that insufficient anthropological attention … Read more
Media control in Malaysia is almost as old as the existence of mass media in the country. Malaysia falls under the category of democracy variously called “quasi-democracy”, “authoritarian-democracy”, or “Asian democracy”. The government is firmly controlled by the ruling coalition, Barisan National (National Front), for half a century. The ruling party has over the years … Read more
The article discusses the child care services in Malaysia. The health programs in Malaysia have resulted in the steady decline of prenatal, infant and toddler mortality. It cites the types of institutions that provide early childhood development programs in Malaysia. It mentions the efforts of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the … Read more
Experiencing places is an integral process in tourism. The outcome of the experience will either have a longlasting impact on the tourists or just merely a short-term impression of the place visited. Studies on tourist experience have been widely discussed to better understand the diverse processes and variables involved in creating a positive tourist experience. … Read more
In this study, I provide an understanding of the stereotyped selfish mentality and communicative behaviors of Chinese Malaysians from the perspective of the natives. The stereotype is held by the Chinese and non-Chinese in Malaysia and is based on contemporary national public discourse and the Chinese Malaysians’ mundane conversations. In describing the popular stereotype of … Read more