THE PARADIGM OF MALAYNESS IN LITERATURE IDA BAIZURA BAHAR Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD in the Languages and Cultures of South East Asia 2010 Department of South East Asia School of Oriental and African Studies University of London ProQuest Number: 11010464 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11010464 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 | SOAP LIRDARY 2 Declaration for PhD thesis I have read and understood regulation 17.9 of the Regulations for students of the School of Oriental and African Studies concerning plagiarism. I undertake that all the material presented for examination is my own work and has not been written for me, in whole or in part, by any other person. I also undertake that any quotation or paraphrase from the published or unpublished work of another person has been duly acknowledged in the work which I present for examination. Signed: Ida Baizura Bahar Date: 7 December 2010 3 ABSTRACT This study is a study on the paradigm of Malayness in literature, taking as its point of departure the understanding of Malayness in Malaysia. A prominent Malaysian social anthropologist, Shamsul Amri Baharuddin (Shamsul A. B.), has outlined a contemporary understanding of Malayness in Malaysia based on an authority-defined social reality: the three pillars of Malayness comprising 6fl/ma/language (Malay), agamal xzYigion (Islam) and raya/monarchy (the Malay rulers). I hypothesised in this study, however, that a broader understanding of Malayness is reflected in the works of literature in the form of an everyday-defmed social reality consisting also ofadatl culture, ethnicity and identity apart from the Malay language, Islam and the Malay rulers. The focus of this study centres on an exploration of the paradigm of Malayness in a body of English and Malay literary works on the Malay World based on six elements of the paradigm of Malayness I hypothesised, namely the Malay language, Islam, the Malay rulers, adatl culture, ethnicity and identity. The hypothesised paradigm of Malayness is employed as a conceptual framework where analyses of selected works in both English and Malay literature are conducted based on a close textual analysis approach. The results from the analyses are then compared and contrasted. This study has determined that Shamsul’s three pillars of Malayness as an authority-defined social reality cannot be corroborated in the works of literature because I found that the paradigm of Malayness in literature is in fact an everyday- defined social reality. It is understood to refer to not only the three pillars but to a broader understanding comprising a^fotf/culture, ethnicity and identity as I hypothesised. The paradigm of Malayness is found to be an everyday-defined social reality based on a local and broad understanding and therefore contests the current understanding of Malayness as an invented tradition conceptualised ideologically during colonial times. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the name of Allah Azzawajalla, without the blessing and guidance from the Al- Mighty, this thesis would never have materialised. My utmost gratitude to Allah the Most Divine and the Most Gracious for this infinitesimal knowledge bestowed upon me. Firstly, I would like to express my appreciation to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, Selangor, for the financial sponsorship which enabled me to pursue my research at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. In particular, I would like to express my extreme gratitude for the professional support given by the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of UPM, Professor Dato’ Dr. Kamel Ariffin Mohd. Atan, the former Dean, Faculty of Modem Languages and Communication, UPM, the late Professor Dr. Mohd Shaik Noor Alam S. M. Hussain, and the Vice-Chancellor of UPM, Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Nik Mustapha Raja Abdullah. Without the encouragement, support, understanding and patience from my esteemed Supervisor, Emeritus Professor Dr. E. Ulrich Kratz, I would have long ago discarded my initial research and opted for a less ‘ambitious’ one. My utmost appreciation to Professor Kratz for allowing me to broaden my horizons and for believing in me. Hancur badan dikandung tanah, budi yang baik dikenangjuga. I would also like to thank Professor Dato’ Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin (Shamsul A. B.) for his unceasing enthusiasm and interest in my work. Leiden and Sorbonne in the Summer of 2004 were eye-openers. My recognition also goes to Dr. Nureeyan Saleh, Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop and Zaharah Othman for the invaluable friendship made in London. Without the professional collaboration and personal alliance from Associate Professor Dr. Washima Che Dan, Associate Professor Dr. Noritah Omar and Dr. Zalina Mohd. Kasim, I would not have had the courage to endure such a laborious endeavour. My thoughts are also with my two friends, Hizairi Othman and Faisal Tehrani - the latter 5 for convincing me that I would be in good hands with ‘Pak Kratz’; the former for leading me towards a love for my own literature. Thank you also to my friends from my days at Warwick and Nottingham for the meaningful friendship and words of encouragement over the years: Azlina Ahmad, Shereen Nasir, Nina Haslinda Umar, Azlina Hussain, Fazlin Abu Hassan Shaari, Nuraishah Abdul Muthalib, Y. M. Raja Femaliz Raja Harris, Dr. Nurul Salmi Abdul Latip, Hasdina Lynn Hashim, Nur Sharmila Shaheen, Zalita Zaidan, Shasha Kartini Mohd. Ridzam, Norini Abas and Dr. Aniza Abu Bakar. Towards the end of my research journey, I was very blessed to have had the ears and shoulders of these special people to cry on: Marliza Kamel Ariffin and Ainuddin Wahid Abdul Wahab, Nurul Fazmidar Mohd. Noor, Nor Azlin Aminuddin and Hafizah Abdul Kadir. I am forever grateful for the unconditional love and emotional support from my father and my mother, Encik Bahar Mohd. Atan and Puan Rashidah Ismail, as well as my six siblings, Badroel Hisham, Badroel Rizwan, Isma Rizal, Nor Saadah, Mohd. Hafiz and Intan Shafmaz. Mention should also be made of my extended family, Masytah Saad, Munirah Khairuddin, Reeza Fadzlee Abdul Hamid, Balqis Mardhiyya Badroel Hisham, Umar Zafran Badroel Rizwan, Muhammad Qayyum Badroel Hisham, Uzair Zafran Badroel Rizwan and Rayyan Zafran Badroel Rizwan for their wonderful presence. I am also obliged to my mother, youngest sister, in-laws, Haji Razali Ismail and Hajjah Rahimah Dato’ Wan Hassan, as well as relatives in Surrey, London and Leeds for providing me companionship, time and space during the writing-up of this thesis in Barking, Cranfield and Bedford. Such exceptional gratitude must surely go to my dearest husband, Mohammed Feizal Razali, for his love, support and sacrifice. For the times spent together and for those spent apart. Such indescribable joy can only be ascribed to our beautiful daughter, Lily Maryam, for bringing sunshine and laughter in the middle of my occasional despondent moments during research. It is to them as well as my parents that I dedicate this long-awaited thesis. UntukAbah dan Mak, Feizal dan Lily. Untuk Kesabaran dan Pengorbanan. 6 PAHLAWAN jika hilangmu tanpa pusara jika pusaramu tanpa nama jika namamu tanpa bunga penjajah mengatakan engkau derhaka maka engkaulah pahlawan yang sebenarnya “Pahlawan Kemerdekaan” Sasterawawan Negara Dato’ Usman Awang (1929-2001) Untuk zaman riang kanak-kanak Atuk dan Nenek di Sungai Pelek, Sepang Cume dan Tok di Padang Matsirat, Pulau Langkawi Say not, 7 have found the truth, ’ but rather, 7 have found a truth. ’ Say not, 7 have found the path o f the soul. ’ Say rather, 7 have met the soul walking upon my path. ’ For the soul walks upon all paths. The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed. The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus o f countless petals. “Of Self-Knowledge” The Prophet Kahlil Gibran (1883-1930) 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION 2 ABSTRACT 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 INTRODUCTION 13 PARTI CHAPTER ONE THE PARADIGM OF MALAYNESS AND ITS CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDING 28 • Introduction 28 • Malayness from the perspectives of the Malaysian social anthropologist, Shamsul Amri Baharuddin (Shamsul A. B.) 28 • An overview of discourse on the paradigm of Malayness in literature 35 • Conclusion 45 PART II CHAPTER TWO SELECTED WORKS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE ON THE MALAY WORLD 48 • Introduction 48 • The Malay World (1895-1959) in the works of Conrad, Maugham and Burgess 48 • Joseph Conrad and his Malay trilogy Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) 54 8 • Studies on Conrad’s Malay trilogy 58 • Somerset Maugham and his Malayan short stories Somerset Maugham (1974-1965) 67 • Studies on Maugham’s Malayan short stories 69 • Anthony Burgess and his Malayan trilogy Anthony Burgess (1917-1993) 72 • Malaya and the Malays in the eyes of Burgess 74 • Studies on Burgess’ Malayan trilogy 75 • Conclusion 80 CHAPTER THREE MALAYNESS IN SELECTED WORKS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE ON THE MALAY WORLD 82 Introduction 82 Malayness and the Malay language 82 Malayness and Islam 92 Malayness and the Malay rulers 111 Malayness and adatl culture 120 Malayness and ethnicity 123 Malayness and identity 132 Conclusion 137 PART III CHAPTER FOUR SELECTED WORKS IN TRADITIONAL AND MODERN MALAY LITERATURE 145 • Introduction 145 • On the selection of works 145 9 • Studies on Hikayat Hang Tuah 149 • Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Munsyi and Hikayat Abdullah Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Munsyi (1796-1854) 155 • Studies on Hikayat Abdullah 155 • Ishak Haji Muhammad, Putera Gunung Tahan and Anak Mat Lela Gila Ishak Haji Muhammad (1909-1991) 161 • Studies on Putera Gunung Tahan and Anak Mat Lela Gila 163 • Shahnon Ahmad and Ranjau sepanjang jalan Shahnon Ahmad (b.