Abstract
Malaysia is often hailed as a development success story. However, one criticism of this success story is the over-emphasis on the ideology of economic and capitalist growth by the state in its setting, determining and directing of development. This paper looks into some of the most interesting and critical reflections on development. Representing prominent voices in Malaysian literature in English, K. S. Maniam, Chuah Guat Eng and Yang-May Ooi delve into Malaysia’s development success story through Between Lives (2003), Days of Change (2010) and The Flame Tree (1998), respectively. Through textual analysis, I examine how these writers treat the state’s prevailing ideology of development. Through their creative responses to the rapid development that has occurred in Malaysia, Maniam, Chuah and Ooi offer individual expression and powerful critiques of development, not merely reflecting on the ideology of economic and capitalist growth but also illustrating different perspectives on development based on notions of social justice, democracy and cultural sustainability. That is not to say that they reject development. On the contrary, they acknowledge that development is part and parcel of social, economic and political processes. However, through their treatment of development, they bring to light other equally important issues, thus emphasizing the flaws in adopting a development model that is essentially based on economic and capitalist growth.
Highlights
Development in Malaysia has its roots in the former British colonial administration
I examine how these writers treat the state’s prevailing ideology of development. Through their creative responses to the rapid development that has occurred in Malaysia, Maniam, Chuah and Ooi offer individual expression and powerful critiques of development, not merely reflecting on the ideology of economic and capitalist growth and illustrating different perspectives on development based on notions of social justice, democracy and cultural sustainability
Chuah and Ooi, through their creative responses to the rapid development that has occurred in Malaysia, offer individual expression and powerful critiques on development, not merely reflecting on this ideology and illustrating different perspectives on development based on notions of social justice, democracy and cultural sustainability
Summary
Development in Malaysia has its roots in the former British colonial administration. Under British colonial rule (1824-1957), development concerns were largely economic and revolved around capitalist accumulation meant to serve British business interests in Malaya, as well as the need to industrialize Europe. The land rightfully belongs to Sellamma as she has the proper papers proving ownership, but due to plans to develop the land and build condominiums and a theme park, and Sellamma’s stubbornness in clinging onto it, the Social Reconstruction Department (SRD) is roped in to persuade her to give up her land In this sense, the SRD – a “discreet and sympathetic organization” (12) – serves as a ‘special task force’, given a primary role to support, realize and enforce the ideology of economic prosperity, which requires total conformity from the ‘subjects’, or citizens, to the state’s patronizing, know-it-all development policy and projects. Development, in Maniam’s view, entails one’s right to the land and the environment around one, which resonates with one’s right to make life worth living, materially, culturally and spiritually
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