Let us start the new chapter of MPU, The Malaysian Arts and Culture 1. Here are some of the positive and negative cultures in our beloved country in this 21st century.
MALAYSIAN CULTURE
POSITIVE MALAYSIAN CULTURE
1. Unity in Malaysian Festive Celebrations
Since our country is one of the unique country in the world which is multiracial comprising
uncountable number of races, we practise celebrating each and every festive seasons together.
Although we do not belong to other race, we still celebrate their festivals and this portrays the unity
among Malaysian public. Other than that, we also practise the culture of having an open house
inviting people from any race to come and join to enjoy the delicacies served. Therefore, this is one
of the most unique Malaysian culture that everyone should be proud of.
2. Removing the shoes before entering the house
In Malaysia we always practise removing our shoes before entering house to respect the house owners. Psychologically, removing your shoes helps you to enter a frame of mind where you keep your everyday troubles outside your home. Other than that, shoes can pick up dirt which can lead to other relevant diseases.
3. "Gotong - royong"
'Gotong-royong' which is categorized as a community project is much regarded as a Malaysian
culture since the past few decades. This is a project that allows everyone in a colony to work
together in order to complete a task, usually to maintain the cleanliness of a place. This is an
excellent culture because it brings together people from all walks of life for one good purpose.
Moreover, it is for the benefit of the people as they are able to save time because the project is done
as a team. Ultimately, the goal of 'gotong-royong' to clean an area helps to prevent diseases.
NEGATIVE MALAYSIAN CULTURE
1. Corruption
One of the most embarrassing situation in Malaysia is corruption. In the dictionary of corruption,
there are actually so many types of corruption present in this world. For instance, political
corruption, bribery, blackmail, corruption in education, favoritism and so on. The result of the
Transparency International 2014 are stated in the table below. Malaysia is currently placed on 50th
place with 52 points. Although it looks okay in the placing but actually Malaysia received only half
of the total score. This reflects the level of corruption in Malaysia. Malaysia should work on this
issue to improve the transparency of this country.
Ranking Country 2014 Score 2013Score
2. Race based Criteria of Assessment
Some glaring and unsettling features currently observed in the Malaysian workforce are the manner in
which recruitment by employers and recruitment agencies are predominantly race-based (merit is not at
all a criteria of assessment); the preference for fresh graduates over matured and qualified candidates in
order to justify the payment of low wages, citing lack of experience; negative discriminatory practices of
marginalizing minority races (especially females) wherein they are always coaxed to accept lower wages
(as it is widely known that they are not the preferred race, although most often times more competent,
educated, qualified and experienced). Also, favoritism is also practised in this issue.
3. Human Trafficking
Another big threat in Malaysia is the human trafficking that has been a subject to debate
internationally. Malaysia has became a destination, and to a lesser extent, a source and transit
country for women and children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically conditions of
forced prostitution and for men, women, and children who are in conditions of forced labour. The
majority of trafficking victims are foreign workers who migrate willingly to Malaysia from Indonesia,
Nepal, India, Thailand, China, the Philippines, Burma, Cambodia,Bangladesh, Pakistan,
and Vietnam in search of greater economic opportunities, some of whom subsequently
encounter forced labour or debt bondage at the hands of their employers, employment agents, or
informal labour recruiters.Many Malaysian labour outsourcing companies apparently recruited excess
workers, who were then often subject to conditions of forced labour. Some Malaysian citizens are
trafficked internally and abroad to Singapore, HongKong, France, and the United Kingdom for
commercial sexual exploitation. There were approximately two million documented migrant workers in
Malaysia in 2009, and an additional estimated 1.9 million who were undocumented.
Malaysia drops to Tier 3, lowest ranking in US human trafficking report
Published: 20 June 2014 11:19 PM
The United States government has downgraded Malaysia along with three other countries – Thailand, The Gambia and Venezuela – to Tier 3 in its annual Trafficking of Persons (TIP) Report. Listing out these countries' "broken promises" over several years, the US said placing these countries on the lowest possible ranking was due to the lack of insufficient action against human trafficking, CNN reported today.
