Traditional Malay Research Articles

‘Urban, modern and Islamic’: The politics of muslim Men's fashion in Malaysia

This article focuses on the cultural politics of contemporary urban Muslim men's fashion in Malaysia. By looking at the debates surrounding these Muslim men's fashion trends and based on my observation in Muslim men's fashion boutiques and other urban spaces, this article explores how masculinity, ethnicity and Islam implicate each other. Most Malay Muslim men wear baju Melayu (traditional Malay clothing) during the festive seasons. However, there have been evolving trends in Malay men's fashion. The jubah (a long Arabic robe) and kurta (a long upper garment which many South Asians wear) have become popular, especially among segments of young Muslim men in urban Malaysia. The popularity of jubah a decade ago prompted some observers to worry about an ‘Arabisation’ or the perceived growth of Islamic conservatism. However, as I observe, the jubah in Malaysian fashion industries has been adapted to the local taste and fashion trends; hence, it is a modern and creative adaptation of ‘Arabness’ instead of a form of sweeping ‘Arabisation’. Since 2018, there has been a trend of wearing tanjak (traditional Malay headgear) to assert Malay political power and cultural identity. From modern appropriation of ‘Arabness’ to the contemporary reinvention of traditional Malay costume, urban Malay Muslim men's aesthetic expressions reveal the mediation of religious and ethnic identities amidst rapid urbanisation and socio-political change in contemporary Malaysia. How should an ideal Malay Muslim man dress? This debate reveals the politics of different versions of Islamic piety and Malay identity in Malaysia today.

How Does Alternative Treatment Through Traditional Malay Exercise Good for General Health?

Abstract: Malaysia’s multiracial society has its cultural heritage of exercising for the health of its practitioners. In Chinese culture, for example, there is Tai Chi, while in Indian culture, Yoga is practiced for general health. Furthermore, in Malay culture, exercise has always been associated with the martial arts called ‘Silat Melayu’ with one of them being Senaman Tua Melayu (ST), which is developed from Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9. The Ministry of Health Malaysia has recognized traditional medicine as an alternative treatment. Senaman Tua Melayu (ST) belongs to this category. Unfortunately, there are no scientific studies to prove the effectiveness of ST for its users. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effectiveness of ST from the users' perspective upon completing 16 sessions of ST training. The quantitative approach, i.e. questionnaire instrument, is used to carry out this study. It also used the qualitative method, where interviews with all participants were conducted for data triangulation. The results show that ST is significantly effective in improving participants' general health and musculoskeletal systems. Findings also showed that participants are strongly interested in continuing the practice of ST to improve their general health. It is hoped that this research may spread the good effects of doing routine physical activity. Further research can be done to explore the benefits of ST in a specific disease apart from general health. Abstrak: Masyarakat Malaysia yang berbilang kaum mempunyai warisan budaya bersenam yang tersendiri untuk kesihatan pengamalnya. Dalam budaya Cina misalnya, terdapat Tai Chi, manakala dalam budaya India pula Yogadiamalkan secara umum untuk kesihatan. Dalam budaya Melayu, senaman lazimnya dikaitkan dengan seni mempertahankan diri yang dipanggil ‘Silat Melayu’, salah satunya ialah Senaman Tua Melayu (ST) yang telah dikembangkan daripada Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia mengiktiraf perubatan tradisional sebagai rawatan alternatif. Senaman Tua Melayu (ST) tergolong dalam kategori ini. Walau bagaimanapun, belum ada kajian saintifik yang membuktikan keberkesanan ST kepada pengamalnya. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis keberkesanan ST dari perspektif pengamal atau peserta setelah mereka menamatkan latihan ST sebanyak 16 sesi. Pendekatan kuantitatif iaitu instrumen soal selidik digunakan dalam kajian ini. Dalam masa yang sama, kaedah kualitatif turut digunakan dengan menjalankan temu bual terhadap semua peserta untuk tujuan triangulasi data. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa ST amat berkesan dalam meningkatkan kesihatan am dan sistem muskuloskeletal peserta. Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan bahawa peserta amat berminat untuk meneruskan amalan ST bagi meningkatkan kesihatan mereka. Kajian ini diharapkan dapat memberi manfaat atau kesan baik melakukan aktiviti bersenam sebagai rutin harian. Kajian selanjut boleh dilakukan untuk meneroka manfaat ST dalam menyembuhkan penyakit tertentu selain daripada kesihatan am.

The Analysis of Developing a Creative Imagination Enhancement Module (PIK) For Preschool Based on Traditional Malay Children’s Songs: A Preliminary Study

The Analysis of Developing a Creative Imagination Enhancement Module (PIK) For Preschool Based on Traditional Malay Children’s Songs: A Preliminary Study

ROLE OF TRADITIONAL AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE IN SUSTAINING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MALAYSIANS

Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) is widely known among Malaysians for its practices. This paper aims to examine users’ experiences and perceptions of TCM on its role in sustaining the health and well-being of Malaysians. To achieve the objective of this study, a qualitative study was conducted with the respondents by using an online in-depth interview through the video conferencing platform. 15 respondents residing in Penang, Malaysia who used TCM including Traditional Malay Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Indian Medicine, and Islamic Medical Practice were recruited for this study. The data from the interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic approach was used for data analysis to identify emerging themes and sub-themes. Results indicated five core themes: (i) Strength of traditional beliefs on TCM, (ii) personalised patient-practitioner relationship, (iii) perceived effectiveness of TCM (iv) TCM provides better preventive measures, and (v) TCM promotes a holistic approach to health and well-being. Here, it concludes that TCM impacts Malaysians’ health and wellbeing. Therefore, its potential for growth and importance, especially for sustaining health and well-being cannot be denied. Further research with a larger sample of respondents is needed to represent the population better while deepening the understanding of users’ experiences and perceptions.

Productivity of the Common as Property in the Context of the Symbolic Propertization of Indigenous Knowledge: The Biopolitics of Traditional Malay Wau Bulan and Wau Kucing Kelantanese Kite Making as State Symbolic Property

This essay examines factors responsible for the increase of productivity in traditional Malay wau bulan and wau kucing kite-making, indigenous to the Malaysian state of Kelantan and appropriated by the state as a common biopolitical production and symbolic property. This increase in productivity means increased accessibility of the commons among the community, achieved through state economic support and efforts by the community and state to promote the kite-making craft. Such increased productivity contradicts Michael Hardt’s reasoning that property’s productivity is usually reduced. Extending Hardt’s theory to Ernesto Laclau’s ideas on the relationship between the particular and the universal, the essay argues that the symbolic propertization of Kelantan kite making does not reflect a distinction between the kites’ qualities as common versus symbolic property. Input from selected authoritative kite-making practitioners and recent cultural memory shows that the Kelantan community benefits economically from the state’s appropriation of its traditional kites.

The lancang kuning song in North Sumatran performance traditions

ABSTRACT The traditional Malay song about a yellow ship, lancang kuning, recorded in 1979 for a research project on oral traditions in North Sumatra, is still popular today and can be found in multiple versions on the Internet. This article tries to find possible reasons for this lasting popularity by looking into the meaning and background of this song as performed by singers and storytellers in North Sumatra. Through a discussion of various versions of the song-text and its interpretation, the article shows how the theme functions in different contexts in Sumatra and beyond. Exploring its symbolic value in songs, traditional poetry, stories and ritual performances featuring a lancang kuning helps to explain its continuing relevance in various social contexts of the Malay world in past and present times.

The Use of Herbs According to The Perspective of Traditional Malay Medicine in Selangor, Malaysia

The Use of Herbs According to The Perspective of Traditional Malay Medicine in Selangor, Malaysia

A Study on an Active Functional Group and Antimicrobial Properties From Rhizophora apiculata Extracts Used in Traditional Malay as Medicine

A mangrove plant known as Rhizophora apiculata is employed by Malay for treating skin diseases, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, as an antiseptic, for tanning, and also as fuelwood and fodder. Its large-scale use can be attributed to its high-quality timber, availability as well and the presence of a chemical named tannin that is employed for reinforcing fishing lines, nets, and ropes. The tannin content of R. apiculata's roots, bark, and leaves is regarded to be a natural inhibitor of fungal infections. This study is focused on determining the different kinds of functional groups, as well as individual phenolic compounds present in R. apiculata for identifying new bioactive compounds via decoding of the traditional values of Malay remedies. There is a high demand for such natural bioactive compounds, particularly in the healthcare and pharmaceutical markets. Alkaline fractional extracts were employed to design an analytical extraction method for R. apiculata. As per the HPLC results, there were three phenolic acids detected namely Caffeic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, and Vanillic acid. Meanwhile, ten volatile compounds were identified by the GCTOF-MS. With regards to antibacterial activity, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and E. coli were inhibited by R. apiculata leaf extract, while C. albicans and Fusarium sp. were inhibited by their antifungal activity.

Poetry Generation for Indonesian Pantun Using SeqGAN and GPT-2

Pantun is a traditional Malay poem consisting of four lines: two lines of deliverance and two lines of messages. Each ending-line word in pantun forms an ABAB rhyme pattern. In this work, we automatically generated Indonesian pantun by applying two existing generative models: Sequential GAN (SeqGAN) and Generative Pre-trained Transformer 2 (GPT-2). We also created a 13K Indonesian pantun dataset by collecting pantun from various sources. We evaluated how well each model produced pantun by its formedness. Measured by two aspects: structure and rhyme. GPT-2 performs better with a margin of 27.57% than SeqGAN in forming the structure and 22.79% better in making rhyming patterns.

The Effectiveness of Using Herb in Traditional Malay Medicine and Healthcare in Central Zone Community, Selangor

The use of herbs for medicinal purposes is essential. Herbal treatment had a positive impact on human life. Some people are too skeptical and lack confidence in the effectiveness of using herbs for treatment purposes. This situation occurs because the advancement of medical technology and modern medicine is more forward than traditional medicine. Herb-based treatment is still not able to provide traditional medicinal services that are conducive and comprehensive in terms of function, nutrients and comprehensive potential. The focus of this study is to expand knowledge by examining the effectiveness of herbs and treatment in human health care based on the 'Theory of Planned Behaviour' approach. The purpose of the study was to identify the types of herbs, analyze the response to the effectiveness of the use of herbs in health care based on traditional Malay medicinal methods. This research done based on qualitative and quantitative methods including literature review, library research, questionnaires and interviews. The results showed that traditional Malay medicine is a complete herbal treatment method and has strong fundamental values and is necessary in the science of medicine. Studies have also found the effectiveness of herbs in treating various types of physical and spiritual ailments. The findings proved that the use of various herbal plants is still relevant to treat diseases, contributing in the field of medical science just like existing modern medicine, especially in the issue of health care and a prosperous human life.

Woodcarving Panels in Johor Traditional Malay Houses Influenced by the Islamic Principle

Woodcarving can be influenced by numerous aspects, including religions and beliefs, which may be comprised of the selections of motifs and also wood-carving panels. In Johor, Malay is one of the major ethnic groups and is considered the majority of the state's population, contributing to the significant heritage, including architecture. Traditional Malay houses in Johor have in-stilled woodcarving into some placements of the houses, including windows on jerejak panels. This paper aims to identify the typology of woodcarvings panels and the percentage of usage among the panels found in Johor Malay houses to identify its influence. 72 Johor traditional Malay houses with distinctive woodcarvings were selected to do inventory, photographed, and analyzed. Interviews were conducted while the samples taken were discussed and verified by woodcarving experts. Results show five-piece panels take the highest percentage while six-piece panels come in second in the overall statistic where it is concluded that the Pillars of Islam/Rukun Islam and Pillars of Faith/Rukun Iman have been the influence on the findings. The findings show that the Islamic religion is the most significant influence contributing to the justification of choice. This study can bring recognition to Johor woodcarvings and contribute valuable guides for woodcarvers to apply these panel typologies to their future works to sustain and cherish the Johor houses' wood-carving identity

Digitalisation of Heritage Conservation Documents of Rumah Uda Manap

Pure's aspiration to preserve traditional Malay legacy deserves respect. However, heritage preservation and conservation are complex and costly. Reconstructing buildings through digitalization to document the heritage conservation virtually would be the solution to save costs and time. The study was conducted on Rumah Uda Manap (RUM) in Kuang, Selangor. This research aim to digitalize the documents of RUM as part of conservation effort of traditional houses. The onsite observation and virtual measurement is applied as the data collection method. This study has demonstrated that digital measured drawing has opportunities that can be explored as part of the future conservation effort.

Traditional Malay House in Negeri Sembilan: Cultural influence in design and construction

The architecture of the Traditional Malay houses reflects the physical environment to portray the family and community manifestation of the cultures and behaviours. This research attempts to discover the cultural manifestation that has affected the design and construction. The case study method is applied, specifically focusing on a case study of Rumah Telapak Ibu Soko, Tanah Datar 48, located in Kuala Pilah, Malaysia, consisting of on-site physical measurement and observation and an interview with the owner. The findings are part of explored social values and the impact of cultural influence on design and construction.

The Uniqueness of the Traditional Malay House Concept in Kedah

This study examined Kedah's traditional Malay house concept. The design and spaces in traditional Kedah houses are highly appealing. The kerawang combines Native American floral and Islamic vegetal elements. Traditional Malay dwellings in Kedah were heavily affected by history and culture. This study examines the traditional Malay housing concept in Alor Setar, Kedah. The data analysis will concentrate on the traditional Malay house concept in Kedah, particularly its spaciousness and design. It exhibits the indigenous builders' design and material purity. This historic Malay city of Kedah is valuable as a country's legacy, demonstrating a once-sophisticated Malay civilization. Keywords: Traditional Malay House; Concept; Uniqueness; Kedah. eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7iSI7%20(Special%20Issue).3800

INCORPORATING THE USAGE OF 3D MODELLING PROGRAMMING IN TEACHING ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE DESIGN

This paper discusses on the integration application of using 3-Dimensional (3D) modelling program in order to teach architectural heritage design. The 3D program mentioned in this paper (3DStudioMax) was used in order to determine the ergonomic properties of traditional Malay furniture that were available inside the selected samples of Traditional Malay Houses (TMH). The anthropometric measurements of the Traditional Malays were calculated and transferred into 3D renderings in order to help visualise the interactions between the users and the furniture. The visualisations included recreation of the environment during which the users were carrying out their daily activities, all into 3D renderings. These visualisations also provided a look of how the furniture of the Traditional Malays were ergonomic towards their users. The samples used in this study consisted of technical drawings of TMH that were archived in the Center for the Study of Built Environment in the Malay Kingdom (KALAM) of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Results showed that the usage of the 3D program helps to give a better understanding of architectural heritage design by providing a visual aid in summarising elements that were no longer available within the environments during site visits.

Local Wisdom in Traditional Malay Games as a Media for Cultural Preservation and Instilling Character Values of Nationalism in Children

This research uses ethnographic qualitative research. The purpose of this study is to examine the form and meaning of local wisdom contained in traditional Malay games in terms of ecolinguistics and preservation strategies that can be done. The data is in the form of descriptions of body movements in the steps of the game and snippets of song lyrics that show the values of local wisdom. Sources of data were children who played traditional Malay games, actors of Malay tradition, and traditional leaders. The data collection method used is the listening and speaking method with note-taking techniques through observation and interviews. The data analysis technique used is data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results showed that the game of injit injit semut, lu lu cina buta, tam tam buku, and wak wak udin has a form of local wisdom in the form of words, namely, poetry that is sung when playing and actions in the form of body movements that are reflected in the steps of the game. The meaning contained in the forms of local wisdom is described in four values, namely 1) the value of togetherness, 2) the value of education, 3) the value of sharing, and 4) the religious value. The game can be preserved by making game applications that can be downloaded on mobile phones with the same original game, and it can be introduced again in educational institutions, so that there will be more research on local wisdom on traditional games.

KEARIFAN LOKAL PADA PROSES PEMBANGUNAN SISTEM FISIK (PHYSICAL SYSTEM) RUMAH TINGGAL TRADISIONAL MELAYU TIPE POTONG LIMAS DI KOTA PONTIANAK, KALIMANTAN BARAT

Local genius in the process of a building physical system of traditional houses in each region is unique by its building construction. One of them is a traditional Malay house of Potong Limas in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The traditional Malay house of Potong Limas is characterized by the use of Belian wood construction materials for the house foundation, floor, frame and roof. All parts of the house become a unitary system, which is interrelated and related. The purpose of this research is to identify the physical system of the building which includes the structural aspects of the upper element (head), middle element (body), and lower element (leg) in the construction process, and to produce building drawing (blue print) of the traditional Malay house of Potong Limas. This study uses a rationalistic-qualitative approach by taking several research samples from the population of traditional Malay houses, Potong Limas, in Pontianak, which still exist today. This research uses several stages of the implementation process: 1) data collection stage, 2) data analysis stage, 3) discussion of research results. The results of this study are documented science and technology-social and cultural products in the form of building drawing (blue print) of the physical system development process which was formed in a traditional Malay House type Potong Limas in Pontianak.

Negeri Sembilan Malay House Thermal Performance Evaluation towards Sustainable Practice

Traditional Malay House has practices climatic design strategies and getting extinct due to urban development. Consequently, generated urban heat island, causing increased energy consumption for cooling purposes. Therefore, a modern house has an inefficient passive thermal design. Aim: To assess the thermal performance of Negeri Sembilan traditional Malay house towards sustainable practice in the tropical environment. Findings: house openings allow cross-ventilation, less strategic house orientation towards the environmental condition and roofing materials contributes discomfort indoor environment, reaching 35ºC during peak hour. This research focuses on improving construction technology for modern architecture to provide a functional indoor environment in a tropical climate.

Characteristics of Vernacular Architecture Malay Deli Traditional House Based on Technical Aspects of Building Structure

Local wisdom in an architectural context is part of cultural heritage, passed down from generation to the next generation and gone through a long process of gaining community recognition as a reflection of the region's culture, also known as vernacular architecture. Vernacular architecture can be found in almost every region, as is the city of Medan. Medan city is famous for its culture, especially its Malay culture, formed by the Sultan of Deli's influence so that Malay Deli emerged. In its formation, aspects of the creation of vernacular architecture also influenced the development of Malay Deli, mainly traditional houses. These traditional houses is visible from one of its forming aspects in the form of technical aspects such as building structure systems. This study discusses the characteristic of system structure in the Malay Deli traditional house and aims to identify and examine these problems. This study adopted a qualitative descriptive method approach to collect and analyze data so that the results obtained in the form of technical aspects of the structure of vernacular building structures from traditional Malay. This study's findings are a reference source for traditional Malay houses' vernacular architecture, specifically Malay deli or design considerations.

Acceptance of Electronic Health Records in Traditional Malay Medicine: An Exploratory Prototyping Approach

The usage of electronic health records is widely used today in the modern medicine field due to its immense benefits. These benefits include and are not limited to allowing physician to access a patient’s chart remotely, provide alerts to a potential medication error and critical lab values. However, the usage of this technology in Traditional Malay Medicine is limited. This paper explores the acceptance usage of electronic health records in Traditional Malay Medicine in five healthcare organisations including private Traditional Malay Medicine practitioners in Malaysia. This research utilizes the exploratory prototyping approach where a prototype, MyPostnatalSys is developed and used to gain constructive feedback of the acceptance of electronic health records. MyPostnatalSys, an electronic health record prototype, was developed for integrating Traditional Malay Medicine and Modern Medicine services using an interoperability standard, HL7. The purpose of interoperability standards is to ensure patient data can be transmitted across multi-platform systems seamlessly. The results show that more than 90% respondents have shown a positive acceptance on the usage of electronic health records in Traditional Malay Medicine. However, there may exist some resistance in accepting electronic health records technology in private Traditional Malay Medicine practitioners. However Traditional Malay practitioners trained by a government led initiative for women’s health, Mamacare programme, are more open to accept the implementation. This shows that upskilling programmes such as Mamacare can reduce the barriers of acceptance in electronic health records in Traditional Malay practitioners.