KAJIAN MALAYSIA

Published by Universiti Sains Malaysia Press

Print ISSN: 0127-4082 Online ISSN: 2180-4273 Frequency: Biannually Current Issue: Volume 30, No.1, 2012 Abstracting/Indexing: EBSCO, Genamics, Google Scholar, MyAIS, Bibliography of Asian Studies (BAS), Directory of Open Access Journal (DOAJ) Kajian Malaysia is listed in Scopus and ERA Ranked Journal List.

:: Home

Kajian Malaysia is a refereed journal committed to the advancement of scholarly knowledge of Malaysia by encouraging discussion among the several branches of social sciences and humanities. The journal publishes articles, reviews and notes which by their content or approach, is of interest to a wide range of scholars. Although the journal would focus mainly on works in the field of Malaysian studies, articles with a theoretical content may also be published.

Kajian Malaysia is published by Universiti Sains Malaysia Press by an autonomous Editorial Board drawn from staff members of the University. The Board is assisted by a panel of distinguished scholars from local and foreign universities.

The journal pursues a bilingual publishing policy (Bahasa Malaysia and English). The Editorial Board reserves the right to decide which language an article will appear in, and will undertake to provide professionally acceptable translations.

:: Current Issue

Volume 30, No.1, 2012


Title:	State and Entrepreneurship: The Failure to Create A Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community (BCIC) in Penang, Malaysia
Author:	Azeem Ahmad Farouk
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 30(1) 1-20, 2012
	- Abstract This study examines the failure of the Malaysian state to create a Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Class (BCIC) in the northern state of Penang. While analysts have emphasised the utility of strong states in inventing the bourgeoisie, especially in light of the impressive economic performances of the East Asian newly industrialised economies (NIEs), recent attempts to bring about a BCIC in Penang were unsuccessful, illustrating the extent to which the processes of class formation lie outside the control of even a relatively powerful state. It is suggested that although the state continues to maintain control over a large part of the economy, it is being challenged by dominant societal interests that were able to assert their economic and political interests, thereby limiting the state's autonomy. Keywords: Bumiputera implementing agencies, Bumiputera commercial and industrial class, New Economic Policy

Title:	Risk in Malaysian Agriculture: The Need for A Strategic Approach and A Policy Refocus
Author:	Okezie, Chukwukere Austin and A.H.Buharaddin
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 30(1) 21-50, 2012
	- Abstract The agricultural sector is exposed to a variety of risks that occur with high frequency. These risks include climate and weather, natural catastrophes, pests and diseases, which combine to cause highly variable production outcomes. The broad objective of this study is to examine these agricultural risk factors and the policies in place for countering them. The approach adopted here includes an in-depth review of literature, government policy documents and Emergency Disasters Databases (EM-DAT) data on disaster occurrences. Inferential statistics were employed in data analysis. Risk management in agriculture ranges from informal practices such as the avoidance of highly risky crops and crop and income-source diversification to formal measures such as crop insurance, a minimum-support price system and a futures market. Statistics show the prevalence of weather-related hazards of cyclone, floods, landslides, earthquake and tsunami. As to the impact of such hazards on human health, statistics for 1980–2010 show that deaths caused by epidemics amounted to 43.4% of all deaths arising from natural disasters. Epidemics accounted for the highest number of deaths against 5.8% the lowest arising from mass movement (dry). Government policy documents show that efforts have been made to manage hazards, such as the construction of the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART), the tsunami-recovery plan and the December 2006 flood-recovery plan, among others. Analysis shows, however, that not every economic sector has a specific policy for addressing the effect of global warming on its productivity. The nation urgently needs to strengthen its ability to predict the effects of climate variability and subsequent weather hazards. This study recommends the establishment of a coordination-and-planning committee at the national level to address issues related to climate variability and climate change and to identify and mobilise the national capacity to strengthen research-and-development activities in line with national priorities and needs. Keywords: risk, agriculture, climate change, strategy, policy

Title:	Social Health Insurance in Malaysia – Lessons from Thailand and South Korea
Author:	Nathaniel Lee
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 30(1) 51-70, 2012
	- Abstract The rising cost of healthcare in Malaysia has had a detrimental effect on access to care. In 2009, the major sources of financing for national healthcare expenditures were via government subsidies and out-of-pocket expenditures. Although social security schemes are in place to ease government spending, these schemes have not been inclusive enough to significantly alter expenditure trends. The suggestion for a national social health insurance (SHI) scheme was put forth in the 1996 Seventh Malaysia Plan. SHI schemes have formed the basis for successful health system financing initiatives in various countries. South Korea and Thailand are two Asian countries that have undergone progressive economic development and successful transitions to SHI-based schemes. Drawing from the experiences of these two countries, certain recommendations can be made to create a positive environment for a transition to a SHI-based healthcare system in Malaysia. These intertwined criteria include enabling appropriate institutional capacities, directly addressing the rising cost of healthcare, and ensuring the continuity of universal coverage of care. Keywords: Malaysia, health policy, reform, insurance

Title:	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Nikita Khrushchev sebagai Reformis: Suatu Perbandingan Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Nikita Khruschev as Reformers: A Comparison
Author:	Muhamad Takiyuddin Ismail
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 30(1) 71-106, 2012
	- Abstract Artikel ini menyangkal pendapat umum yang menyamakan Perdana Menteri Malaysia Ke-5, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dengan pemimpin tersohor Kesatuan Soviet, Mikhail Gorbachev. Sebaliknya, penulis berhujah bahawa kronologi kenaikan dan kejatuhan Abdullah lebih mirip dengan pemimpin reformis Soviet, Nikita Khrushchev. Walaupun kedua-dua pemimpin ini berusaha membebaskan kepimpinan mereka daripada kepincangan kepimpinan sebelumnya, mereka menganggar-rendahkan pengaruh unsur-unsur konservatif yang telah terinstitusi kuat dalam rejim kepimpinan sebelumnya. Proses reformasi didapati bergantung kepada keupayaan pemimpin untuk mengekalkan keseimbangan rejim. Sekiranya sifat rejim itu diubah, ia berpotensi menimbulkan ancaman dan tentangan. Menyulitkan agenda reformasi ini kerana kedua-dua pemimpin mempunyai apa yang dipanggil 'paradoks reformis' iaitu kelemahan-kelemahan yang menjejaskan reputasi mereka sebagai seorang reformis. Walaupun Khrushchev akhirnya disingkirkan, reformasi yang dilakukan beliau menjadi panduan kepada Mikhail Gorbachev dalam melaksanakan transformasi politik hampir 30 tahun selepasnya. Diterjemahkan dalam kepimpinan Abdullah pula, inisiatif yang dilaksanakannya telah membuka jalan kepada penggantinya, Najib Razak untuk melanjutkan reformasi dalam kepimpinannya. Walaupun berlakunya usaha untuk mengembalikan semula pendekatan kawalan dalam era Najib, langkah ini menerima kesan libasan yang serius dan memaksa Najib meneruskan keterbukaan dan kelonggaran politik yang telah diasaskan Abdullah. Kata Kunci: This article disputes the general opinion that equates the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with the final supreme leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev. Instead, the author argues that the rise and fall of Abdullah closely resembles that of the Soviet reformist leader, Nikita Khrushchev. Although both leaders attempted to liberate themselves from the excesses of preceding leaderships, they underestimated the influence of conservative forces which had been firmly institutionalised under previous leaders' regimes. Reformation was found to depend on the ability of a leader to maintain the regime's equlibrium. If the nature of the regime changes, it could potentially pose a threat and resistance. Complicating this effort, both leaders possessed what is called 'the paradox of a reformer' - accompanying weaknessess that affect their reputation as reformers. Although finally removed from power, Khrushchev's reforms paved the way for Gorbachev's political transformation 30 years later. A comparable situation exists with respect to Abdullah's initiatives, which provided a favourable context for Najib Razak to further his predecessor's reforms. Despite efforts to restore the control approach in Najib's era, such measures have invited a serious backlash, prompting him to persevere with political openness and relaxation initiated by Abdullah. Keywords: AAbdullah Ahmad Badawi, Nikita Khrushchev, Mikhail Gorbachev, conservatism, politics of reform

Title:	Kajian Perbandingan dalam Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Kutipan Zakat di Provinsi Aceh dan Negeri Kedah A Comparative Study of The Administration of Zakat Laws in The Province of Aceh and The State of Kedah
Author:	Jasni Sulong and Anwar Mohd Ali
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 30(1) 107-138, 2012
	- Abstract Zakat adalah merupakan antara sumber kewangan negara bagi meningkatkan ekonomi masyarakat bawahan. Pengurusan kutipan dan agihan zakat yang efektif akan membangunkan kehidupan masyarakat. Justeru, artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji dan membandingkan pentadbiran Islam mengenai zakat di dua buah negeri, iaitu Aceh di Indonesia dan Kedah di Malaysia. Kedua-dua negeri ini mempunyai hubungan yang tersendiri apabila masing-masing mempunyai umat Islam yang ramai, majoritinya berbangsa Melayu dan merupakan antara wilayah yang awal menerima Islam di rantau ini. Fokus kajian adalah berdasarkan analisis pensejarahan, perkembangan ekonomi dan pembangunan, serta senario terkini dalam pentadbiran undang-undang zakat. Kajian akan menyelidik peranan zakat sebagai dana pembangunan untuk masyarakat Islam dalam sesebuah negeri, bentuk pengurusan dan pentadbiran undang-undang berkenaannya. Bagi tujuan ini, kajian dilakukan dengan menggunakan metod kualitatif dan temu bual ke atas beberapa responden bagi melihat aspek pentadbiran undang-undang Islam mengenai zakat. Penemuan menunjukkan bahawa penguatkuasaan undang-undang yang tegas, diikuti institusi yang teratur dengan kakitangan dan matlamat yang terfokus, dapat memberi impak kepada prestasi kutipan zakat serta keyakinan masyarakat kepada institusi ini untuk membayar zakat. Kata Kunci: undang-undang Islam, pentadbiran zakat, baitulmal, Aceh, Kedah Tithe or alms is an important source of revenue for the state to improve the economic condition of the poor. Management of the tithe collection as well as its effective distribution will help develop the community. Thus, this paper aims to study the Islamic administration of tithe in two states, namely Aceh in Indonesia and Kedah in Malaysia. Both states have their own relationship in a context where they both have a large number of Muslims, the majority of which are ethnic Malays, and they constitute one of the early regions to accept Islam. The focus of the study is based on historical analysis, economic growth and development, as well as the contemporary scenario in the administration of tithe law. The study will investigate the role of tithe as a fund for community development within the state, its management as well as the administration of the law. For this purpose, the study is conducted using qualitative methods and interviews with a number of respondents in order to examine the administrative aspects of Islamic law on tithe. The finding shows that the strict enforcement of law, accompanied by institutions organised with manpower and focused objectives, will have an impact on the tithe collections as well as the confidence of community towards the institutions. Keywords: Islamic law, zakat administration, baitulmal, Aceh, Kedah


Book Review

Title:	Modern Muslim identities: Negotiating Religion and Ethnicity in Malaysia by Gerhard Hoffstaedter, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Press, 2011
	Mustafa Kamal Anuar

Title:	The Shadow Puppet Theatre of Malaysia: A Study of Wayang Kulit with Performance Scripts and Puppet Designs by Beth Osnes, Jefferson, North Carolina, USA: McFarland & Company, 2010
	Kevin Brown