Cultural Preservation Through ICT amongst Ethnic Minorities in Malaysia

Choo Yeong Khong,Sarjit S Gill,A T Talib,Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah

doi:10.6007/ijarbss/v11-i11/11665

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has gradually evolved into a necessity for all members of society, whether in urban or rural areas. As ICT has penetrated almost every aspect of human daily lives, its impact on the culture and identity of ethnic minorities has been widely debated in recent years. On the one hand, ICT has been labelled as the catalyst that eroded the culture of the ethnic minorities; on the other hand, it has the potential to play a critical role in preserving the ethnic minorities’ endangered culture. This is worth pondering as many ethnic minorities in Malaysia are facing the threat of losing their cultural identity through various means such as being assimilated into mainstream society, can ICT be a beneficial instrument for cultural preservation to enhance the ethnic minorities’ cultural survival, or is it simply a rhetorical thought? Therefore, this article is significant as it endeavours to discuss the factors for the decline of the ethnic minorities’ cultural identity and aims to broaden perspectives on ICT and ethnic minorities’ cultural research in Malaysia.

Highlights

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is deemed to be a necessity in daily human lives in this information era (Menon & Fink, 2019)
This is worth pondering as many ethnic minorities in Malaysia are facing the threat of losing their cultural identity through various means such as being assimilated into mainstream society, can ICT be a beneficial instrument for cultural preservation to enhance the ethnic minorities’ cultural survival, or is it a rhetorical thought? this article is significant as it endeavours to discuss the factors for the decline of the ethnic minorities’ cultural identity and aims to broaden perspectives on ICT and ethnic minorities’ cultural research in Malaysia
Bumiputra Sabah/Sarawak accounted for 8.2%, Indian (6.2%), while Orang Asli and others made up 0.7% (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is deemed to be a necessity in daily human lives in this information era (Menon & Fink, 2019). The prevalence of ICT promotes interconnectedness and intercultural adaptation among the multiracial and multicultural society (Sawyer et al, 2012). This has raised numerous debates that viewed ICT as a double-edged sword in terms of cultural preservation. There is a lack of opportunities for the ethnic minority communities, especially the digital divide faced by the youth, who will be future leaders of the country. Are their problems not important and critical to be brought to the attention of the respective authorities? The final part focuses on ethnic minorities' cultural preservation through ICT

Methods

Findings

Conclusion