Malaysian Film Industry Construct Malaysian Identity Cultural Studies Essay

Malayanananananan shoot Indus adjudicate Construct Malayan Identity Cultural Studies EssayMalaysia is a Multiple moral principle country, provided the interesting situation is , the race that supreme the country argon all imigrant, the malay was coiffe from the Javanese. The Chinese is come from China and Indian people come from India. alleviate nowadays they all citizen of the country, with these alieness hi bosh, how should Malayan define their subject argona identicalness?We own scarcely celebrated the 25th anniversary of our license. During this quarter ccentury we ware reached a level of achievement which we so-and-so be proud of. We hire succeeded in laying a whole insertion for the evolvement o f wizard citizenry, One language and One finishing. It is on this foundation that we build a greater Malaysia.(Malaysia Crisis of Identity p8)What Malaysia needs argon moderates of ends and non moderates of means who are last wMalaysia, an Indian Malaysi a, a Malay Malaysia further a Malaysian Malaysia where the divers(prenominal) races, languages, religions and finiss can flourish in Malaysia.(p3)The showtime quote was adderssed by the BN Gorvenment after they win the election in 1982, at that days the gorvernment suggested the conceit of Assimilation A + B + C = A, where A, B, and C represent different mixer meetings and A represents the dominant classify. The subordi dry land of minority cultures into a dominant culture.This approach may be likned to what some pick show up called agonistic assimilation ((Alison Gibson. 1984. p 105) ( subject culture and democracy , Kua kia soon, p133) . The second quote was the respond from the people, espeacially the Chinese which represent the idea of Pluralism A + B + C = A + B + C, where A, B, and C represent different social groups that eachplace time master(prenominal)tain their unique identities. Cultural pluralism is fre-quently date stampn as a peaceful coexistence betwe en groups. All cultures are to be allowed to exist separately and equally, harmonious or not. The harmonious version has been termedunity in diversity. (Alison Gibson. 1984. p 105) ( field culture and democracy , Kua kia soon, p133). You can image when this two idea bump together, how much chaos it go forth make. The Malaysian have stay in this juncture for over 50 years, it is necessary to identify briefly the protagonism of various positions on discipline identicalness. First, i go out discuss virtually what is National Identity, And past i go a representation explore how the Malaysias scud application construt the image of Malaysians National Identity, And how the image change through the decade.What is National Identity.National undividedity is a complex idea,National identity erase difference by expansive a set of attri fur in that locations on all menbers of the nation and unwilling ness to accept all these attri entirelyes threatens identity and at that placefo re threatens expulsion from that community.(p62)The idea of erase all the difference doesnt mean to erase other culture, but erase any other identity that create by any individual group in the country be ground these are a author that will cause expulsion . National identity is unmatchable idea that can accept by all the individual group, and gather them in to one voice.National identity is only one of the many social identities available for citizens of multi ethnic countries such as Malaysia.National identity has a central role in promoting peaceful ethnic sexual congresss. (Malini ratnasigam, p3)In the book Ethnic likeness back and Nation Building Malini Ratnasingam claim that the bailiwick identity is the best form of identity should adapt by the Malaysian, beacause the other social identity content too much category that will tear the Malaysian into many individual pieces, but national identity will last well for the Malaysian, Because nation are crossed by those diffe rences , a force of unite, a sense of be farsighteding and nationess.So now we go out what is national identity. But now the suspense is who should decide what is our identity? At the begining of this dissertation, there are the arguement nearly chosing which idea shall we adapt, Assimilation or Pluralism?The nation is imagined because the members of even off the smallest nation will never know just about of their fellow-members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion. ( benedict Anderson, p60)From the quote Benedict Anderson belieave that the nation is about all the member, even the smallest nation. National identity is a image that can imagined by every single nation. But In the book Cultural Contestatation author Zawahi Ibrahim disagree with andersons concept and suggested that the identity formation takes place within what he would call a two social reality which are authority-defined social reality, one which is authori tatively defined by people who are part of the dominant power structure. The second is everyday-defined social reality, one which is experienced by people in the course of thier everday life. These two social realities exist side by side at any given time. (Zawahi Ibrahim, 1998 ,pg18) The identity is a duologue between these two social reality.How Malaysia get hold of Indutry construt Malaysians National identityThe Malaysian deal indutry was founded on Chinese money,Indian imagination and Malay labour(Hamzah hussin,1994 ,p105)Although outside the screen, there are wonderful mullti cross ethnic relation on the word picture production, but al nearly all the charge are Malay movies. The only involvement that actually can handle as multi racial is the Old malay movie industry have strong influnce from indian bollywood style beacuse of the director, but very less of them had sincerely mention about the multi ethnicity or ghost equivalent relation.I chose to call this book 120 malay movie, because more than half of the movies were made before Malaysia was even created.(Plus they were made in Singapore) So what they have common were the languague and ethnic milieu they stagecased. (120Malay movie , p26)The autor of 120 Malay Movie clearly state that the early film industry in Malaysia cant even consider Malaysias movie, It is only presented the early life of Malay in Malaysia, it maybe a very well materials for the Malaysias Malay identity, but obviously not suite the idea of National identity.But now it raise a question ,if the national indentity include everything, dont the Malay culture in addition part of the national identity? Yes, but now we talking about how the film industry help construt the national identity, at the old time, the Malay film are totally dominanted the film industry, which give an idea of the impression of the nation have owned by Malay, In the film Tajul Ashikin (see soma 1) there was a scene where two men try to peddle thier wares, but thier voices are drowned out by a newly arrived Chinese team that is whirl dental services.This shows the Malay fear of being displaced in their own attain by new arrivals who attend to be much better at buiness. (p25,120Malay Movie) blueprint 1 Tajul Ashikin by M AminBut at that time, the stark stinting disparity between Malay peasants and Chinese merchants didnt seem to have undue semipolitical repercussions because the populationwas sparse and times were good (120 Malay p269). So the movie show the worry of the Malay reign instead of promoting peaceful ethnic relations. With this idea, it help to destroy the national identity instead of construt it.But still there is some exception.There is still some other racial tension pop up in these movie. On the film Mahsuri which rel solace in 1959 (see fiugre 2), there was a part about a barbaric indian teasing by the Malays about his skin colour. (p165) The plot is meant to be funny, in fact, it was directed by an India n. Ethnic conflict often issue in Malaysian daily life, we can not revoke it, but we can face it with great attitude. This plot showed an attitude to face the difference between every ethnic, just laugh at it.Figure 2 Mahsuri by BM RaoThe next film that have the multi ethnicity it is Ali Baba Pucang Lapok directed by Malaysian silver-screen legend P. Ramlee at 1960, P.Ramlee are one of the minority inside that can create the sense of Malaysianness in the movie in the decade. The movie itself are deliberate mish-mash of culture, inside the movie you can see different kind of culture image. But the most surprise scene will be when the Chinese trader being asked how long he have lived in the area, he coif that he have lived here for 80years, he not only counted his own 50 years age, but add up his father.(see figure 3)Figure 3 The Chinese trader said that his father lived there 30 years before he borned.This blurs the line between immigrant and native and it is precisely this blur ring that must detain untill all Malaysian feel they have the same stake in the nation. (p26, 120 Malay Movie)It is but seen a movie have such multi culture in Malay old film. The national identity is to create a sense of nation, it only can be done when the have the idea that the land doesnt owned by anyone, but they were all born equal in this place. This movie conquestfully salve the message. and helped construct the sense of nation, althought it is only one victimize scene, but it is still a big tread for the Malaysias industry at the decade.Another film also directed by P.Ramlee Sesudah Sebuh (see figure 4), The most multi heathenish cast we have ever seen. said the Author of 120 Malay Movie Amir Muhammad. The primary(prenominal) cast include the 3 main race of Malaysian, Melayu, Cina and indian. And a conversation in the movie, create am ideal racial integration, In a bookshop by a customer to the owner until now though youre Malay and im Chinese, we are both Malaysi ans. And Malaysians have a duty to help each other. The judgement cant be more clear, its simple and directly accuseing the ideal without any decoration.Figure 4- Sesudah Sebuh directed by P.RamleeAlthough there are some more film that really promotiong the ideal natiaonal identity for Malaysian, but these fig are still only a drop in the bucket. There are still grayback a part to fill the whole bucket. But atleast we can see the root of the idea of national identity growing inside.When it come to 1970s, the idea of multic value orientation face a challenge. The 513 sequent had drag the ethic relation into crisis situation. The racial riots led to a declaration of a state of national emergency. The riot enkindled the capital Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding area of Selangor, Malay mobs, wearing white headbands signifying an alliance with death, and brandishing swords and daggers, surged into Chinese areas in the capital, burning, plunder and killing. In retaliation, Chinese , sometimes aided by Indians, armed themselves with pistols and shotguns and struck at Malay kampongs (villages). Huge pillars of potty rose skyward as houses, shops and autos burned.( http//www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900859,00.html)Tunku Abdul Rahmans multiracial style of government was successful until serious and widespread anti-Chinese riots broke out in May 1969. These riots followed a fall in comport for the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in the federal election and were indicative of Malay resentment of the economic success of the Chinese business community. (http//www.city.com.my/malaysia-hi drool.htm)After the incident, the gorvernment came up a serial of policy that surpress the other ethnic, in order to restructure Malaysian society.The UMNO-dominated states aggressive attempt to conflate the nations linguistic identity with Malays status as the sole nationaal and official language threatened the constitutionally sanctioned freeedom to use thi er mother tongue.(Milthiethnic, pg220)The pro-Malay policy. The most significant result of the events of May 1969 was an attempt, announced in the five-year plan (1971-75), to restructure Malaysian society. The aim was to raise the percent of ethnic-Malay-owned businesses from 4% to 30% by 1990, and to extend the use of pro-Malay (bumiputra) affirmative-action quota systems for university entrance and company employment. Economic expansion, it was hoped, would greatly ease this redistributive process and at the same time offer the opportunity to eliminate poverty among all Malaysians. (http//www.city.com.my/malaysia-hi report card.htm)The National Cultural policy(NCP) was formulated at a congress held at the University of Malaya in August 1971, and the announced Policy consisted of three main principles.The national culture of Malaysia must be based on the cultures of the people endemical to the regionElements from other cultures,which are suitable and reasonable may be incorpora ted into the natioonal culture andIslam will be an important element in the national culture. (Mohad Talib Osman, pg95 )All of these policy indirectly influence the relation between ethnic, all the unequal act make the ethnic hatred grown day by day. Causing the idea of national identity exit changging. The change of the society have brought into the film industry , the multi ethnic that rarely seen from the film before 1970s completely obliterate after these policy untill new-made years. Before then we have Malay culture dominant film industry.The segregate can also see from the statistics that correlate cinema atendance by ethnic groupwith the national or language origin of the film being viewed. (see figure 5) spoken languageEthinicMalayChineseIndian/OtherMalay23%0%1%Chinese7%81%0%Indian34%1%83%English35%18%16%Figure 5 Language dispersion of cinema attendance by ethinic group (1979)The quetion of the cultural identity of Malaysian film is a constant issue, even for the least culturally mind film producer, since it is related to the need to attract a broad-spectrum auditory modality.It is still the case that more than 90% of audience for Malaysian films is Malay (Malaysia Cinema Asian film, pg154)From the statistic we can see that Bahasa Melayu cinema is a weak cultural force, despite the Malays being the most powerful political force in the counry. At that time, The chinese usually watch the Hongkong or Taiwanese films or the second choice will be the English Language film, but not Bahasa Malayu film. The same situation happen with the Indian autience.cinema is probably the most raciallly segregate activity in the country today(Mansor bin Puteh, 1990, pg154)On top we discuss about crisis of ethnic realation that cause restrict the multi ethnic movie culture. In 1981, the idea of Malay sovereignty that set by the gorvernment start to invade the movie industry. National movie theatre Development Corporation (FINAS) was established in 1981 to encour age the information of the local industry.ensure that a sizeable portion of the total volume of buimess done in the production, distribution and exhibition sectors would be handled by Malays(Baharudin Latif, 1981, pg150)Control and restrict from the gorvernment have cause the other ethnic have demoralise chance to make their own movie, and also restricted the creativity of theme or topic. All of these breastwork had bring the Malaysia film industry far away from their Golden age in 1950s -1960s.Film are censored or banned if it oppose government polucy or encourage anti-gorvernment feeling animate communism and socialism glorify any particular race while denigrating others gloriy crime and immorality deal with sadism, cruelty and excessive violence insult public dignity and show behavior not acceptable to Malaysian society (Mohd Hamdan Bin Haji Adnan, 1991)These policy had make the Malaysian confuse and question about thier naional identity, the policy have succesfully incite the desire of Malay that persuit for Malay sovereignty, the other ethnic like chinese and indian felt betray by the country, when there is no nation pride in them, the National identity become dominant by the Malay, and become the image that shown by the Movie industry, but it is not the image that the nation share along, from (figure 5) we can see the local Malay film have not accepted by the other ethnic. so it is not a National identity of that decade, the film on that decade have lose the concept of being a National cinema.The cinema is then a mean of speech the nation in all its constructed uniqueness. The connection between speaking the nation and selling the nation become all the more invitable when the rhetoric of both nationlism and marketing emphasize qualities of uniqueness, specialness and patriotism. The term representing the nation there fore accuires and ecmonomic as well as an analytical and cultural accusing it is not just how a cinema represents the nation, but also how successfully it does so. (Malaysia Cinema , pg 107)New Malaysian FilmThe decade of Malaysian film might look like a decade that have controled by Malay, and their the relation with other ethnic race doesnt seem well. Althought the realation between the different ethnic group are peaceful in decade before 1960s, but the policy in 1970s created an long fight between ethnic group.Race has always been an issue in my country, even before independence but never has it been as serious and divisive as it is today.Almost every issue is seen from the perspectivve of race to the point where it is impossible to obtain a consensus of public opinion on any issue(Kee Thuan Che,1993,p57)But where there is pressure, where there is resistance. The serious situation also created a trend, Never has it been as desire as today, people hunt for the unity of the Nation. In the book Found in Malaysia have interviewed 54 influential Public figure who have different race, religion, culture, gender, sexual,genarational and political. But when it come to the question Describe what kind of Malaysia you whould like for yourself and future generation? They all gave a same answer in many different way, but in the end, the main idea is the same.All of us regardless of racial/ethnic, regious, class and linguistic backgrounds, share one thing in common we are all Malaysian citizens and we call this country our home and care for its future. We fantasy of future Malaysia that is equal to all, but takes into acount ourparticular wants, needs and aspirations and at the same time, is able to cater to the needs of others check to an inclusive logic of equal representation and equal right.(Azizi Khan, 2004, pg475)The idea become a trend, and start to appear in the recent ten years. Beacuse the inrternet have start to cover all the new genaration daily life. earnings is one of the most powerful sources in human history, the information can share in rapid speed, milllion of personal narra tives or popular forms of mouthion which help construt the everyday-defined social reality was shared everyday. Causing the brace between the authority-defined social reality and everyday-defined social reality started to change. So we will start from Malaysia Independence Film Industry, which have well used the internet as a state for them to spread thier idea and story . The first lawsuit for indipendence film is the Project 15 Malaysia .15Malaysia is a short film project. It consists of 15 short films made by 15 Malaysian filmmakers. These films not only deal with socio-political issues in Malaysia, they also gas some of the best-known faces in the country, including actors, musicians and top political leaders. You may think of them as funky small-minded films made by 15 Malaysian voices for the people of Malaysia. ( http//15malaysia.com/)From the project name we can know that this film is dedicate to show 15 kind of story that happened in Malaysia. I going to take a few of them into discusstion. First i will start with the personal narrative story. House is a story about an indian family forced by the capitalist to give up their house for development, and also show the feeling of the indian kid(Rama) toward the house is more then a house, but a family.(see figure 6) The story attempt to explore the story inside the slums usually the indian race who have many family allow with these problem in order to let the audience find the country more.Figure 6 Rama express his feeling about the house.We will strat from Yasmin Ahmadm (see figure 6), Malaysias famous film director, writter and scriptwriter, in Malaysia, most of the ethnic used to avoid each other but inevitably bump together, no one can avoid, because this is just what live in Malaysia are look like, And most of her film are challenging the moment when different ethnic bump together, she narrate the spark of the moment and turn in into a moving picture. When most of the popular cultures movie de liberately avoid the ethnic conflict, her films break the boundary between ethnic and religion. She concentrate on on sensation and the kin between people, narate and present the story in a human perspective, not in Malay, Chinese or Indian, but back to the origin human emotion. It makes the audience to rethink about politic, religion and social issues in indirectly ways. The more we understand each other, the less we affraid.She is an ambassador of unity. An individual with amazing foresight who work has bridged all the races in the country. Great loss to the nation and the creative world.( Chandran Ravi. http//entertainment.malaysia.msn.com/photos/photos.aspx?cp-documentid=5080081page=13)Figure 6 Yasmin AhmadYasmin Ahmad first movie Sepet(see figure 7) is a story about a Chinese male child fall in love with a Malay girl. This might look normal in outside country, but the relation between Chinese and Malay is not simple.Figure 7 SepetThe relation between Chinese and Malay a lways been complicate, that hatred between both of this race happen before incident 513, when in World war 2, the Japan invade and ruled this country for over 3 years. on that period, the Japanese surpress the Chinese but treated the Malay adeptly and even form a Malay army to defence againts the communist, but who is communist? At that time many Chinese were the communist, the root of shun were start from here, and Malays fear of get replace by the Chinese in the econimic, then is the 513 incident, the unequal policy, Chinese fear of forced to join muslim if married a muslim and etc.All of these caused the relation between this two race are always controvertial. In the movie Sepet that is a scene the Protagonists(Jason) friend try to persuade Jason the relation between him and Heroine(Orked) is forbiden. Which clearly potrait the mind set of Chinese about the relationship of the interacial couple. (See figure 8 ).Figure 8 Keong (left) advices Jason not to get involved in relatio nship with Malay girls.Yasmin Ahmad used the usageal perception of Malaysians and confronted it in her movie. It cant be denied that she used a very creative way to show the relationship between history culture and innocent love.Malay films seldom touch on on taboo topics like alcohol, dog, prostitution, suicide, etc. Many of the Malay films only showed the good side. Much of the time, they are hindered by those issues. But Yasmin Ahmad used reverse psychology to bring out the negative issues, because there are many grey areas to investigate in Malaysian culture. The following are some of the taboos in Malay tradition that is shown in the movie Muallaf (2007). A Muslim woman who despaired on her marriage ended up taking her own life by suicide. Young Malays play and get drunk in a snooker room. An Islam teacher touched a dog on his way to mosque. A sincere Malay Muslim girl works in a pub at night. These issues are a challenge to the traditional Malay society.However, the tasks th at she undertakes must be lawful from the point of view of Islam. She must not work as a dancer, a model, a barmaid, a waitress, a film actress, a musician, or a prostitute to sell her femininity in order to make money, even with the consent of her husband. (A. Rahman I. Doi, 1990147).Yasmin Ahmads movies use the tippy issues faced by Malays as a discussion. Talking about bare-ass issues is very challenging, especially on ethnicity. But it depends on how the director presented it. How much can the audience accept it, based on the issues?Yasmin Ahmand film has a power of introspection, Yasmin Ahmad film dig into the confilct between ethnic group instead of try to avoild these sensitive issue like other, Yasmin Ahmad bring the conflict right into audience eye without beautify it, only with the simplest emotion of human being, a way that lead us to undestand empathy. Only when Malaysian strong enough to really face themselves, then we can form our Identity Honestly.The next case will be confrontation of Yasmin Ahmad film.Yasmin Ahmad film represent the reality side of ethnic conflict, now we are going to see the Malaysian utopia. Nasi Lemak 2.0(see figure 9) is directed by a controversial public figure Namewee, who have temper the national anthem and content with rasict, critic to gorvenment and religion in 2007. The poesy Negarakuku drag the attention of public, Public reaction towards the song is split, Immediate reactions in the form of YouTube comments range from being critical, in fair agreement, support, attacks and threats towards Wee. He became One of the most haterd public figure by the Malay ethnic at that time.Figure 8 Nasi Lemak 2.0Nasi Lemak2.0 is the first Malaysian film that did not target one of the three population groups as its audience. And succesfully hit 7million ringgit gross. The movie is have many plot that content the relation between the different ethnic for example the shimmery non-Muslim students unable to enroll into universit ies, authorities bias in favour of Malays, Chinese educated citizens speak misfortunate English, immigrants issues, Hang Tuahs unsolved identity mystery, English educated Chinese lack of confidence in speaking Chinese language, Kuala Lumpur a busy and unsettling city, some non-Chinese could speak better Chinese, mix of Indian and chinese song, and culture of Baba and Nyonya.Different with Yasmin Ahmad film, althought in Nasi Lemak2.0 there is still some ethnic conflict, but most of the time, it show a utopia of how Malaysia ethnic group interact with each other, and create a whole new kind of culture. The song Curry Neh (see figure 9 ) in the movie, mixed the chinese and indian culture, There is more example like, the Malay chef principle chinese matial art Taichi at the park (see figure 10) or the chinese tradition song sing with english lyric(figure 11). Attempt to question why cant a specific ethnic learn the culture of other ethnic.Figure 9 Curry NehFigure 10 Malay teaching TaichiFigure 11 Tradition Chinese song sing with English LyricThe film was success because the intereact of different ethnic causing resonance among the Malaysian, the way of acting and some humour about the Malaysias gorvernment or stereotyping of ethnic is what Malaysia face in daily life.The second film of Namewee is Hantu gangster (see figure 12). The film detain the style of Nasi Lemak 2.0. Hantu gangster attempt to send the message of Nation unity before 1970s, and question about why todays ethnic relation become worst. The film style is same with Nasi Lemak2.0 The idea is the same but only the story had change, there are many ethnic intereact like Chinese only understand Malay when it speak in chinese accent, a Taoist priest that know different religion style of exorcism, a parody of the 513 incident, and a Indian Party song with Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, Tamil lyric, etc. These ethnic mixture is what Malaysian Interested, although reality might not be the same, but from th e sucess of these film we can see the future that Malaysian persuit, the future that Malaysian image.Figure 12 Hantu Gangster 2012ConclusionMalaysia is a infantile country, there is many thing we have to experience to understand what are we today, what will be out future. Today Malaysia is in a turning point, where the politic have a new Atmosphere which will directly influence the authority-definedsocial reality. And the development of internet, liberty of speech help people to understand their capability, have the way to stand up and express thier emotion and their story, i believe in the future, when the authority-defined and the everyday-defined have found a way to line up, Malaysian will no longer quetion their identiry.Referenceshttp//www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Anderson.html (benicdic anderson)