Marshall McLuhan perhaps never foresaw how the global village would one day become like a Malay village where a person’s code of morality was carefully circumscribed and their private life is everybody’s business. One aspect of the online Malay village is the exchange of saliva-inducing moral tut-tutting and cruel assassination of character between internet users… Continue reading On skodeng visual culture
Category: Malaysia
On the viability of ‘gender’ and ‘sexuality’ as categories in Malaysia
The first thing that would be useful when thinking about genders and sexualities in Malaysia is that the categories of ‘gender’ and ‘sexuality’ are far from native and natural in the national language, Bahasa Malaysia. What is meant by ‘native’ and ‘natural’ refers to the fact that gender and sexuality are relatively recent loanwords. And… Continue reading On the viability of ‘gender’ and ‘sexuality’ as categories in Malaysia
Commodification of Islam in Malaysia: A postmodern condition
First published on New Mandala on 8 November 2012. At the World Halal Week held annually in Kuala Lumpur, you can purchase halal bone china, an exemplar of luxury and piety rolled into one. Malaysia is the leader in halal certification and a major promoter of the global halal industry. With markets saturated with a… Continue reading Commodification of Islam in Malaysia: A postmodern condition
Will the real intellectual please stand up?
This is a response to Syahredzan Johan’s article, Rise of the pseudo-intellectuals. First published in Loyar Burok on 29 June 2012. Is Syahredzan Johan intimidated by people who use big words and may actually be smart? I am more than certain he would vehemently respond in the negative to the question above. However his recent… Continue reading Will the real intellectual please stand up?
Pengajian tinggi diperniagakan, mutu pendidikan dipermangsakan
Disiar di Merdeka Review pada 26hb Jun 2012. Siaran iklan di panggung wayang sebelum mulanya filem untuk sebuah universiti swasta yang menawarkan huruf-huruf azimat atas selembar kertas – BA, MA, PhD – ialah sesuatu yang sangat membimbangkan. Dahulu kala, iklan yang mempromosikan minuman keras sering disajikan buat penonton/konsumer. Kini, pengajian tinggi didagangkan seperti kereta dan… Continue reading Pengajian tinggi diperniagakan, mutu pendidikan dipermangsakan
Dormitory lovers: a very short story
Mel has never seen herself like this before; her hair carefully, no, chastely, tucked away underneath her tudung from the ever-intrusive eyes of those considered non-mahram, revealing only her heart-shaped face and that twinkle in her eye that Amir loves so much. “How do I look, Mir?” “Delicious. Good enough to eat.” “You do realise… Continue reading Dormitory lovers: a very short story
Orang Afrika di Malaysia: Antara stereotaip dengan kenyataan
First published on Merdeka Review, 13th May 2012. plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Terdapat pelbagai teori media yang mengatakan bahawa saluran media mempunyai kuasa untuk mempengaruhi pendapat awam, terutamanya kuasa untuk mengeruhkan lagi sentimen perkauman terhadap pekerja dan penuntut asing yang sudah lama berakar umbi di minda dan jiwa rakyat kebanyakan. Sentimen… Continue reading Orang Afrika di Malaysia: Antara stereotaip dengan kenyataan
Pendidikan seks untuk memupuk nilai bertanggungjawab
First published on Merdeka Review, 23rd March 2012. Zaman remaja merupakan masa yang paling jahil, menakutkan, dan mengujakan bagi mereka yang masih muda. Sewaktu di bangku sekolah menengah perempuan beribu tahun dahulu, saya, dengan perasaan penuh malu, bertanya kepada rakan sekelas yang lebih ‘berpengetehuan’ tentang perkara-perkara intim apakah maksudnya ‘klimaks’ atau orgasme. Jawab rakan saya… Continue reading Pendidikan seks untuk memupuk nilai bertanggungjawab
Pentingkah paparan watak-watak LGBT di media?
Disiar di Merdeka Review, tanggal 17 April 2012. Kelewatan ini melihat desas-desus pengharaman paparan watak LGBT di kaca televisyen telahpun mendatangkan lagi persoalan tentang wajarkah individu-individu LGBT mempunyai tempat di siaran media. Bagi saya, jawabnya ya, tetapi saya juga mempunyai rasa ragu dengan pendirian saya. Pertama sekali, watak lesbian, gay, dan transgender terutamanya di filem-filem… Continue reading Pentingkah paparan watak-watak LGBT di media?
Multicultural cohesion: who is doing it?
A person brought to my attention an article by Farish Noor who bemoans (he does a lot of this in his writings of late) the national impasse of bringing Malaysians together no thanks to a linguistic and culturally segregated education system. Aside from not talking about segregated education system as colonial heritage whose impact on… Continue reading Multicultural cohesion: who is doing it?
Alicia Izharuddin 