Race in the Malaysian Context

Race is a wider context to be debated. Since the term started to be used, it has expended to a huge portion where now people are willing to kill themselves for it. There are many theorists have defined race in different way and manner. According to Wikipedia,

Racism is usually defined as views, practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior, or superior. Malaysia is a multi–ethnic country, with Malays making up the majority—close to 52% of the 28 million population. About 30% of the population are Chinese Malaysians (Malaysians of Chinese descent) and Indian Malaysians (Malaysians of Indian descent) comprise about 8% of the population.^[1] There are also a very small minority of aborigines whose ancestors or Orang Asli arrived in what is today Malaysia well over 7,000 years before the Malays arrived from what is today Indonesia roughly 3,000 years ago.

Race can be seen in historical basis, biological basis and cultural basis. Maybe we didn't practice it but we definitely have these issues since we became independent. Even though, racism still exist today in Malaysia and people are willing People in Malaysia are more understanding to each other compare to 50 years ago. I think we still have a long road to walk before the racism can be taken away, but probably none of the countries in this world is totally 100% racism free. We are all imperfect; this is why we are all here to learn from each other. The key is to be HUMBLE ourselves most of the time.

The Malaysian Chinese and Indian-Malaysians - who are significant ethnic minorities in Malaysia - were granted citizenship by the Malaysian Constitution but this implied a social contract that left them at a disadvantage in other ways, as Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia refers to the special "position" of the Malay people, In 1970 the Malaysian New Economic Policy a program of Affirmative action aimed at increasing the share of the economy held by the Malay population, introduced quotas for Malays in areas such as public education, access to housing, vehicle imports, government contracts and share ownership.

Since Article 160 defines a Malay as "professing the religion of Islam", those eligible to benefit from laws assisting bumiputra are, in theory, subject to religious law enforced by the parallel Syariah Court system. Racism is also a very touchy subject for some people, as issues concerning free speech and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights come into play. Some people argue that talking about supporting racial discrimination and prejudice is just words and that free speech should allow such views to be aired without restriction. Others point out that these words can lead to some very dire and serious consequences (the Nazi government policies being one example).

I think the reason why that racism is still a problem through the world is because not a lot of people are brave enough to see the dark side of themselves. They were like grow up in the green house, they can see they dirty staff outside the glass, but they never want to admit that they do exist. From my point of view, the direct thing relate to the race problem is the dark history. A lot of people choose to ignore the race problem because of history. Their ancicies used to buy slaves and consider slaves as personal belongs. This is not a comfortable thing to talk about when the whole family is on the dinner table. People feel shame for their past, and they made the choice to pass the problem, which is definitely wrong. I do believe, just as gender problem, with the rise social awareness, this is something that human beings can get through and definitely will get through. But people should really be honest to themselves and to the surroundings. They should be proud of who they are and they should respect others as respect themselves. In that way, I believe race problem will no longer be a problem.

As always when I was scrolling down through the questions, the question about racism caught my eye because I find that it is a very heated topic and one that is hard to talk about topic with others. People tend to not talk about racism because no one wants to admit that they are racist or even that they look down upon any race. Racism continues to be a problem in the world because we allow it to be a problem. The only way that racism will stop is if people are willing to change the way they view people and unfortunately there not. Everyone already has preconceived notions or thoughts about certain races that were passed down from generation to generation. Since the racism runs in the family timeline and they promote it in there households it only makes it worse. Unfortunately, Racism did not always exist and it was something we created over time due to social interaction and social depravity.

TASK 2 - Answer

Gadoh is a Malaysian movie which brought up a controversial issue, RACE which is revolves in a secondary school. I have watched the movie few times where I am pleased to say that Gadoh is a far more ambitious film than that. The movie has created a clear motive and meaning from the way it shot, directed, editing and production as well. Turner (1999) wrote that,

“film generates its meaning through its own system of cinematography, lighting, sound, set and design editing. Therefore, making performance which people engaged in the production of the film following convention, rules and interpretation are called signifying practice. In other words, it is the making of significance when the image or film (signifier) connect with mental concepts (transcendental signified).”

I'll also admit that some of the actors' performances truly impressed me. Mohd Zahiril Adzim, who played the leader of the Malay gang, Khalil, was especially good and impressive. The script, credited to Namron and R. Cong, is also well thought out, realistic and unapologetically bilingual. The soundtrack has its moments though it could have been transcendental if they had chosen to include some Chinese music as well, considering the film's aesop.

The story of “Gadoh” which means fight or quarrel initiated with the camera focused on the door shows that a ‘meeting in progress’. The principal, Mr. Chua, chaired an emergency meeting on the racial fights among the school students. But then, there were quarrel among the teachers instead of discussion for solution over the press news of their students’ brawl. Blames are thrown away on each other and no one is ready to shift their responsibilities towards the student, even thought among the same race. As a result we see the power of the media in reporting and analyzing race and ethnicity. The result of the noisy arguments, the teachers gave stereotyped solution to separate the students according to their races. Even then, there are few teachers found that this wouldn’t be the right solution. Anyway Mr Chua asks Miss Ann for an opinion and she suggested starting a Theatre club in order to create teamwork in between this students. None of other teachers agree with this idea.

While the argument in between teachers going on, the camera flashed back to what had happened the day before. From there we get the clear picture of the scenario going on. Few girls are chatting inside the school gate while the group of Chinese students enter the school compound. They would are passing through the poster Talasemia, “Kita Serupa” in English it means, “We are the same”. The camera has shot it in right angle. It explains the unconsciousness of its content and meaning. Phenotype differences were often held to explain genotype difference, a false biological construct often used to categorize superiority of one race over another.

From there the camera will be turn to the canteen where a Malay group having meals while it showing a broad display of Malay and Chinese fusion food. Whilst, the only Indian boy in the school, Raj Kumar bullied by the Malay students for no reason and without provocation followed by the Chinese students pushed him down. When the two racial groups meet face to face, we could feel the anger and hatred arising among them. There were no words exchange, but their body language and facial expression are power enough to start a fight. Before the fight started, camera shots the bottle dropping scene as trigger for the fight.

According to Miss Ann’s suggestion, the Theatre Club was started by Mr Azman. The both groups are forced to join the club. That is the first time the both group been together even though they are reluctant. In between Linda and Raj joined the group voluntarily. Mr Azman started the activities from eye contact, face-to-face contact, body contact, and followed by voice out whatever they feel about racial animosity against each other. They also asked to reflect on these sentiments at home. Another scene with as dragged my attention is the camera focus of high fence above the door. The fence gives perception of a prison and students like the prisoners. It is build high so that difficult for them to escape from there. The scenes are showing us how difficult is it to overcome the racial issue even though it is in school.

From the camera let us focus on sound and song. Once, Khalil get depressed by his father’s quarrel with his wife. He went to his room and listened to a song which sounds as below.

“Laugh Believe in love Believe I ask you here To accompany me

I don’t hope for anything else

Because i know Love is embedded In the valley of the soul Quiet and deep ……….

The music is indirectly The music “feel for us”, a powerful emotional feeling for change, for reflection. We need to search our souls to look at racialism in each of us; we need to look at differences beyond race.

In the shot, the camera switched to Azman, reading late into the night, on topics, such as “politics, Malay Nationalism” etc… In a later chapter, Anne asked Azman, “Do you regret such living?” He was top in their graduating class, and his peers were all very successful, “well ahead, holding high position in society.” Azman’s reply was simple. To him, life was not about living comfortably himself. He aspired to help to build a better Bangsa Malaysia for all races.

The next scene was in bus stop where Khalid and his friends were sitting. While sitting and talking they saw a blind Malay trying to cross the road. But they did not bothered to help him. None of the them felt to help him and same negativity with two passers-bys who were Malays also. There came a Chinese girl to his help as a human being to another. The scene symbolized that “blindness” and “visualization” was beyond biological construct. Race must therefore be seen beyond the skin appearances.

In the climax they were come up with a ‘show’. Again the lights were off for the beginning of staging to symbolize the darkness of the whole “system” which is the governance and the education system. While expressing their own script, the lighting will focus on the student performing. The language used by the students was raw gut feeling of each race. The audiences especially the Principle and the Education Minister shocked with their script as below,

“All I see is Darkness We are not blind We only live without light …………………. How different I am from you? My color of skin, language, culture, race…?”

The show has grabbed the attention of the audiences and end up with appreciation but contempt by the teachers and Educational Minister. From “Gadoh” we have exposed to the scenario which now happening in Malaysia. The film has showed that we need to explore and reflect on “differences” in a holistic context. Family is the main place has to educate kids to live in multiracial country. Acceptance must be thought in order to bring up Bangsa Malaysia. Racial stereotyping has their family, social and political origins. In this film, debunks race as an artificial divide, for its superficiality in interpreting differences.

( 1207 words)

TASK 3 - Answer

Gadoh is a movie which would never associate with Malaysian directors before now. The scene that I like is the scene where when Amran was beaten up, his fellow friends come to rescue him from the gangsters who were Amran’s friends before. This scene shows his involvement with a Malay Gangsters. Amran is a fanatic teenager who left school because forced to join the Theatre Club and refused to friend with the Chinese group. From then he started to mingle with the Malay Gangsters without knowing that the Malay group is working for the Chinese Along. When he brought to the Along, he was shocked and irritated. Amran shouted at the Along. The angry Along scolded Amran’s gangsters friends to brought him to their place.

Continuity from incident, he was tortured and beaten up within the school compound. When his friends from the theatre club saw he was beaten up by some men, they quickly came tohis rescue. The scene ends as the gangsters run away as more students come to aid their friends, and Amran run away from the scene when his friends asked them what happened. We could see how does the Theatre Club’s treatment changed the students to help their friend in problem. From there we get to know that Theatre Club formation partially has reached its goal of uniting the fighting students. The idea of the formation of the theatre club in the first place was to legitimize detention classes, which was criticized to some certain extent in some schools by the parents. It was also a classic treatment for fighting individuals to get together and get bored fighting as they have to do work or a task together. For the viewers of the film, who watched the film from start, they would notice that this indicates that the fighting individuals are now united under one cause. It shows that years of brain washing into hating one another could be erased if we know to push the right button. The hate of the ethnic Malays towards the Chinese is intensified when they accuse the Chinese are robbing from the Malays as the Chinese are the domineering ethnic group that controls the economy.The Chinese, on the other hand believed that if the Malays hated them, so should they.

The Indians, although are silent, are actually began to voice out their disapproval towards their treatment in this country as they believed that they are sidelined in almost every corner of the nation’s activities. This hatred was planted in the minds of generations of Malays and Chinese in this country. Hence, when they mingle in an organisation such as in public schools, for example, even an unnecessary touch could spark an argument that always leads to a fight. This film is a very good example of ways of curbing the virus of racism in this modern age. It also proved what the schools are doing nowadays are wrong. However, the authorities, embossed with their position and all its trimmings ofred tape, shall not accept such controversial ways how the school canteen in the introduction fight scene serves a variety of food native to the different Malaysian race. In fact, right before the titular brawl started, some of the Malay boys were eating Chinese food. The Chinese gang, on their way to the canteen, arrogance past a public service advertisement for Talasemia depicting a crowd of students of various ethnicity with the headline "Kita Serupa" ("We are Alike") in big, bold letters. In what I consider to be the most emotional and powerful scene in the film - when Khalil met his Chinese archenemy, Heng, on the streets at night - there's a part where Khalil watched as a stray dog root through garbage. If that's not symbolism for Khalil's an agnorisis or revelation which follows, I don't know what is.

In terms of substance, the movie certainly had an ordinary performance going there. The issue, the real-life situation here in the country, the portrayal. But in terms of the quality, the second-grade acting (except of few good ones such as khalil), the poor camera handling, weak punching scenes, and etc., wouldn't allow the movie to go far. I agree that what is said, needs to be said, and I agree that it could have been said better.

REFERENCE:

Rosenblum, Karen Elaine., and Toni-Michelle Travis. The Meaning of Difference: American Constructions of Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, Sexual Orientation, and Disability: A Text/reader. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.

Answers. Answers Corporation, n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2015.

Turner Grame. "Film as a Social Practice." Mapping English Studies. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 52-75. Print.

Nam, Tae Y. Racism, Nationalism, and Nation-building in Malaysia and Singapore; a Functional Analysis of Political Integration. Meerut: Sadhna Prakashan, 1973. Print.

http://thatmoviebloggerfella.blogspot.com/2009/05/argue-quarrel-fight-brawl.html

(2011, 04). Racism. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 04, 2011, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Racism-673062.html

(2012, 03). Racism. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 03, 2012, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Racism-955976.html