Change in Values and World-View: Malaysian Malays in Perspective

Abstract

The Malays or indigenous people are by definition those who practise the Malay value culture and adhere to the value system. Malays are Muslims as their religion is Islam. Their values are very much influenced by their religious teachings and beliefs. Malays conform to Islam as it is a way of life to them. The perspectives of Malaysian Malay culture and value orientation in the fifties and sixties are used to illustrate behaviour and norms of the Malays as discussed in this paper. This is important as it helps moderate western theories appropriately using the context where the analysis is undertaken - Malaysia. Thus, experts' observations about the Malayan (Malaysian) Malay's values and beliefs with regard to culture and thought are used as basis of racial and cultural value system analysis. In short, the value system prevalent in the fifties and sixties are used with special consideration to the fact that values of the communities may have changed over time. With respect to the Malay values, no data-driven studies carried out by Malays on Malays have been found. There are studies on ethnicity and community but none that defined the Malay character and behaviour pattern explicitly.