MINORITY STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPORT- BASED CHARACTER SCHOOL PROGRAMME IN PEKAN, PAHANG BY BAIDRUEL HAIRIEL BIN ABD RAHIM A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Human Sciences (Sociology and Anthropology) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia AUGUST 2013 ABSTRACT Participation of minority students in sport is ubiquitously scattered nationwide in Malaysia. Under such phenomenon, students’ sports participation in schools is known to have been practiced in a school program called sports-based character programme. This study attempts to elucidate the nature of minority students’ participation in the programme. It also attempts to find out problems faced by these students throughout their participation in school sports programme. Apart from that, this study also seeks to explore the advantages gained by minority students. In order to attain meaningful data, the researcher carried out focus group interview. In this case, 40 minority students from two different schools were interviewed. The findings of this study revealed that sports-based character school programme have been the mechanism that gives evidence to trigger social integration. The researcher, through observation had witnessed students do get along with other ethnics while they went on training, culled together as a group in competition venues. Finally, from focus group interviews that provided the researcher the bulk of qualitative information, minority students reiterated that sports-based character school programme is the impetus, pointing to a meaningful tool for social inclusion. The researcher observed that it is through winning and participating that had motivated students to stand out and feel dignified. The researcher found that social mobility is conspicuous in sports participation and is exemplified when participants move from one social position to another. Finally, the findings of this study will benefit those who are directly involved with minority students especially schools, related ministries and academics. ii خﻻصة البحث تكون مشاركة الطلبة من اﻷقليات يف اﻷنشطة الرياضية بشكل منتشرة ومشتتة يف مجيع أحناء فعن طبيعة مشاركة الطلبة يف الربنامج املشار إليو كما هتدف أيضا إىل التعرف على املشاكل اليت تواجو ىؤﻻء الطلبة أثناء مشاركتهم يف تلك اﻷنشطة الرياضية املدرسية. وإىل جانب ذلك حت ل اوالدراسة أيضا النظر يف املنافع اليت تفيد ىؤﻻء طلبة اﻷقليات. ومن أجل احلصول على البيانات املفيدة للدراسة قام الباحث بإجراء مقابﻻت مع جمموعة بؤرية حيث متت مقابلة أربعني طالبا من اﻷقليات يف مدرستني خمتلفتني. تستخلص الدراسة أن برنامج الرياضة القائم على الطابع والشخصية قد استطاعت أن تكون آلية فعالة يف تشجيع اﻻندماج اﻻجتماعي وقد ﻻحظ الباحث يف ىذا الصدد اختﻻط ىؤﻻء الطلبة مع طلبة آخرين من أعراق أخرى خمتلفة أثناء تدريباهتم وجتمعاهتم يف مواضع املسابقات. ويف النهاية قد حصل الباحث على معلومات نوعية من خﻻل مقابلة أعضاء اجملموعة البؤرة وتأكيدىم على أن برنامج الرياضة من ىذا النوع ىو الدافع واﻷداة الفعالة يف إحداث اﻹدماج اﻻجتماعي ﻹتاحة من مثل ىذا الربنامج الفرص للمشاركة والفوز يف املسابقات واليت قد دفعت ىؤﻻء الطلبة ﻹبراز أنفسهم البﻻد يف ماليزيا. ويف مثل ىذه الظاىرة، تتم مشاركة الطلبة يف املدارس من خﻻل ما يعرف بربنامج الرياضة القائم على الطابع والشخصية. هتدف ىذه الدراسة إىل الكشليشعروا بأهنم مستحقني بالتقدير واﻻحرتام. واستخلص الباحث أبضا أن ظاىرة احلراك اﻻجتماعي واضح يف املشاركة يف اﻷنشطة الرياضية وحضوره يتمثل حني ينتقل املشارك من مكانة اجتماعية معينة إىل أخرى. ويف النهاية ستفيد نتائج ىذه الدراسة من لو عﻻقة مباشرة بطلبة اﻷقليات ﻻ سيما املدراس والوزارة املعنية واﻷوساط اﻷكادميية. iii ABSTRAK Penyertaan pelajar-pelajar minoriti dalam bidang sukan adalah bersifat menyeluruh terutama sekali di sekolah-sekolah di Malaysia. Berdasarkan fenomena itu, penyertaan pelajar-pelajar berkenaan dalam bidang sukan tertumpu kepada satu program berasaskan sekolah yang dikenali program sekolah berwatak sukan. Kajian ini menjelaskan ciri-ciri penyertaan pelajar-pelajar minoriti dalam program berkenaan. Ia juga merupakan satu usaha untuk mengenal pasti -masalah yang dihadapi oleh pelajar- pelajar ini semasa menyertai program sekolah berwatak sukan. Selain itu, kajian ini turut mengenal pasti faedah-faedah yang diperolehi oleh pelajar-pelajar berkenaan. Dalam usaha untuk memperoleh maklumat dan data, pengkaji telah menggunakan kaedah temuramah fokus berkumpulan. Dalam kes ini, sebanyak 40 orang pelajar telah ditemuramah di dua buah sekolah yang berlainan. Kajian mendapati program sekolah berwatak sukan dilihat sebagai salah satu alat dalam integrasi sosial (social integration). Melalui pemerhatian yang dilakukan, penyelidik mendapati pelajar dapat membiasakan diri dengan rakan-rakan daripada kumpulan etnik yang berbeza terutama apabila mereka turun menjalani latihan, menyertai pertandingan di lokasi- lokasi pertandingan dan menerusi tradisi kekeluargaan. Dapatan terakhir hasil temuramah fokus berkumpulan turut mendapati program sekolah berwatak sukan menjadi teras kepada inklusi sosial (social inclusion). Penyelidik mendapati rasa bangga diri (pride) dan maruah (dignity) telah memotivasikan pelajar-pelajar minoriti ini untuk mencapai kemenangan dan menyertai program sekolah berwatak sukan. Selain itu, aspek mobiliti sosial (social mobility) turut mempengaruhi penyertaan pelajar-pelajar berkenaan seterusnya melibatkan pergerakan dalam posisi sosial (social position). Akhir sekali, kajian ini akan memberi impak yang berkesan terhadap pihak-pihak yang terlibat secara langsung dengan pelajar-pelajar minoriti seperti pihak sekolah, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia dan dunia akademik. iv APPROVAL PAGE I certified that I have supervised and read this study and in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Sociology and Anthropology). …………………………….. Nurazzura Mohamad Diah Supervisor I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and in quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Sociology and Anthropology). …………………………….. A.H.M Zehadul Karim Examiner This dissertation was submitted to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Sociology and Anthropology). …………………………….. Nurazzura Mohamad Diah Head, Department of Sociology and Anthropology This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Sociology and Anthropology). …………………………….. Ibrahim M. Zein Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences v DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Baidruel Hairiel Bin Abd Rahim Signature……………………….. Date………………………… vi INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH Copyright © 2013 by Baidruel Hairiel Bin Abd Rahim. All rights reserved. MINORITY STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS-BASED CHARACTER SCHOOL PROGRAMME IN PEKAN, PAHANG No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below. 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes. 3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. Affirmed by Baidruel Hairiel Bin Abd Rahim ………………………… ………………… Signature Date vii To my parents, Abd. Rahim Md Noor and Maimunah Salleh, and my siblings: Baidruel Hisham Abd. Rahim, Allahyarham Baidruel Hazlieshah Abd. Rahim and Maizatul Mimi Abd. Rahim for their indefatigable understanding and endless love when I am far away from home to study. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Alhamdulillah – all praises to Almighty Allah. I thank Allah for all his ordains in letting me complete my thesis. I wish to record my sincere and utmost gratitude and appreciation to my beloved family and supportive peers for their endless encouragement throughout my period as a student at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, IIUM. There are endless wishes to pen here. First and foremost, I wish to deliver my gratitude to Dr. Nurazzura Mohamad Diah for her remarkable concern as my supervisor-cum-Head at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Her patience and strong character portrayed gave much impact on my understanding not only in academic matters but also in life. Frankly, she is just like my kakak (sister) and I will never forget all her help to bring me to this level of academic maturity. May Allah bless her with Jannah al-firdaus. I also wish to give my utmost appreciation to all my fellow colleagues, particularly Br. Aminu Zubairu Surajoo of Nigeria, Br. Muhammad Adha Shaleh of Singapore and Br. Effendi