KAJIAN MALAYSIA

Published by Universiti Sains Malaysia Press

Print ISSN: 0127-4082 Online ISSN: 2180-4273 Frequency: Biannually Current Issue: Volume 31, No.1, 2013 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 31, No. 1, 2013


Title:	Syncretic Cultural Multivocality and the Malaysian Popular Musical Imagination
Author:	Shanthini Pillai
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 31(1) 1-18, 2013
	- Abstract This article discusses modes of expression in selected contemporary Malaysian popular songs and music videos in English. The article argues that such audio-visual engagements can be best described as productions of syncretic cultural multivocality. First, the fusion of the multiple musical styles that inundated Malaysia's novel popular music industry in the 1950s is traced. Next, the development of a creative pop multivocality in contemporary Malaysian "hip hops" is described. The article proceeds primarily by reading the Malaysian popular music scene as a cultural text and demonstrates that although the history of Malaysian popular music reflects pop cosmopolitanism, the cultural multivocality that characterises the Malaysian identity resonates as powerfully (if not more powerfully) at the core of the nation's popular imagination. The article concludes that the skilful integration of various influences from global popular culture creates a musical palimpsest that is and will continue to be imprinted with a multitude of signifiers of syncretic cultural multivocality. Keywords: syncretism, popular music, Malaysian, transculturalism, nativisation

Title:	Developmental Milestone Expectations, Parenting Styles and Self-Construal in Malaysian and Australian Caregivers
Author:	Heather Winskel, Khazriyati Salehuddin and Jaime Stanbury
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 31(1) 19-35, 2013
	- Abstract The study examined the developmental milestone expectations, parenting styles and self-construal of Malaysian and Anglo-Australian caregivers as determined by questionnaires. Malaysian caregivers scored significantly higher on interdependent self-construal and Authoritarian parenting style than Anglo-Australian caregivers. In terms of developmental milestones, Malaysian caregivers expected a later age of attainment for these milestones than Anglo-Australians for three of the six developmental domains: compliance, peer interaction and verbal skills. Malaysians had later age expectancies for individual competencies than Anglo-Australians for 19 of the 45 competencies. Malaysians had earlier expectations than Anglo-Australians for five of the competencies. These results are congruent with the values associated with individualist cultures, in which high value is placed on independence, autonomy and early mastery of developmental milestones. Keywords: developmental milestone expectations, parenting style, self-construal, Malaysia, Australia

Title:	Unseen Challenges, Unheard Voices, Unspoken Desires: Experiences of Employment by Malaysians with Physical Disabilities
Author:	Suet Leng Khoo, Ling Ta Tiun and Lay Wah Lee
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 31(1) 37–56, 2013
	- Abstract As Malaysia continues her trajectory to be a developed nation, the right towards equitable employment opportunity for Malaysians with disabilities has come to the fore. This article aims to assimilate the experiences regarding employment from Malaysian employees with physical disabilities. The novelty of this article is in making known their "unseen challenges, unheard voices and unspoken desires" regarding employment so that a pragmatic policy response can be formulated. Significantly, this article highlights that it is Malaysia's disabling environment and workplace barriers that impede Malaysians with physical disabilities from progressing in the world of work. This study involves 287 Malaysians with physical disabilities. The time has come for Malaysians with physical disabilities to earn their lawful right to equitable employment and to enjoy a better quality of life. Any further delay in achieving these aspirations reflects the lack of political will and absence of public commitment to include and integrate them into mainstream society. Keywords: physical disability, Malaysia, equitable employment opportunity, human rights

Title:	Empowering Society for Better Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The Case of Malaysia
Author:	Azlan Amran, Mustaffa Mohamed Zain, Maliah Sulaiman, Tapan Sarker and Ooi Say Keat
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 31(1) 57–78, 2013
	- Abstract This article presents a theoretical proposition based on stakeholder theory for better Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices, specifically in the context of Malaysia. The aim of this article is to argue the need for a government initiative to help empower local communities and transform them into legitimate and powerful stakeholders. An understanding of the concept and importance of CSR is still lacking among the local communities in Malaysia, in contrast to the communities in certain developed nations where the idea of CSR originated. Competing for the limited resources of the firm, communities need to understand that they also have a role in promoting better CSR. This article contributes to the literature by providing a fundamental explanation of how the community could be empowered to become an important driver of CSR practices, contributing to a better atmosphere if both firms and communities work together towards a sustainable livelihood. The public sector includes all types of government agencies, which should play their role in providing awareness to the community about its rights and capability to become an effective change agent regarding the responsibility of firms operating within its environment. Keywords: corporate social responsibility, developing country, empowering society, stakeholder theory

Title:	Kehilangan Makna dalam Penterjemahan Chengyu ke dalam Bahasa Melayu (Loss of Meaning in the Translation of Chengyu into Malay)
Author:	Boh Phaik Ean and Goh Sang Seong
Source:	Kajian Malaysia 31(1) 79–96, 2013
	- Abstract Makalah ini membincangkan fenomena kehilangan makna dalam penterjemahan chengyu ke dalam bahasa Melayu. Terjemahan chengyu yang dikutip secara manual daripada tiga buah antologi cerpen berjudul Mala Adan (1988), Dalam Hujan Renyai (2000), Impian di Pelabuhan (2004) dan sebuah novel berjudul Keluarga (1995) dijadikan korpus kajian. Kerangka teori yang dimanfaatkan untuk analisis termasuklah definisi penterjemahan dan kehilangan makna yang dikemukakan oleh Newmark (1981) serta definisi dan pengkategorian chengyu yang disarankan oleh Wu dan Wang (1983). Kaedah perbandingan teks untuk meneliti persamaan dan perbezaan makna dalam teks sumber dan teks sasaran dimanfaatkan. Hasil pencerakinan data menunjukkan bahawa fenomena kehilangan makna sememangnya berlaku dalam penterjemahan chengyu ke dalam bahasa Melayu. Keadaan ini menghasilkan pelbagai jenis kesan terjemahan iaitu, terjemahan berkurangan, terjemahan berlebihan, terjemahan salah dan terjemahan kosong. Untuk memastikan ketepatan terjemahan makna chengyu dalam teks sasaran, penelitian yang menyeluruh tentang makna leksikal dan makna hakiki chengyu adalah penting. Chengyu bukan sahaja boleh diterjemahkan dengan menggunakan kaedah penerangan, malahan padanan sejadi juga boleh diaplikasikan. Kata kunci: penterjemahan chengyu, makna leksikal, makna hakiki, kehilangan makna, penterjemahan bahasa Cina-bahasa Melayu This paper discusses the phenomenon of loss of meaning in translating chengyu into Malay. Chengyu translations collected manually from three short-story anthologies titled Mala Adan (1988), Dalam Hujan Renyai (2000), Impian Di Pelabuhan (2004) and a novel called Keluarga (1995) were used as the corpus of study. The theoretical framework used for the analysis includes the definition of translation and loss of meaning as suggested by Newmark (1981) and also the definition and categorisation of chengyu that are employed by Wu Zhan Kun and Wang Qin (1983). To examine similarities and differences in meaning between source text and target text, the text comparison method was utilised. The analysis of data shows that a phenomenon of loss of meaning does indeed occur in the translation of chengyu into Malay. This produces a number of translation effects such as undertranslation, overtranslation, mistranslation and zero translation. To ensure that the translation of a chengyu in the target text is accurate, a comprehensive study of the lexical meaning and true meaning of the chengyu was undertaken. It was found that not only can chengyu be translated using the descriptive method, a natural equivalent translation can also be applied. Keywords: translation of chengyu, lexical meaning, actual meaning, loss of meaning, Chinese-Malay translation


Book Review

Title:	Masyarakat Penan dan Impian Pembangunan: Satu Himpunan Naratif Keterpinggiran dan Jatidiri by Wan Zawawi Ibrahim and Noorshah M.S (editors), SIRD, 2012, 187pp.
	Abdul Rahman Embong

Title:	Ethnicisation and Identity Construction in Malaysia by Frederik Holst, Routledge, 2012, 256pp.
	Mustafa Kamal Anuar