Malayness as culturepolitical criticism: a close textual analysis of comedy films (2006-2010) / Ayu Haswida Abu Bakar

Comedy has been a popular mode of presentation in Malaysian Cinema since the studio
era and has remained so until today . Comedy films can be taken as the object of scrutiny
in the matter of identifying class, gender, as well as low and high culture through their
story of representation. Thus, comedies have the potential to criticise the existing socio
and political as fiction. Having said that, comedy genre is often subjected to critical
neglect and is categorised as of low standard - as they are viewed as of inferior quality
due to their subject matter by the print media. The insight developed of this thesis
constructed through a qualitative research design. Focuses on a close textual analysis
method. It rest on the framework of cultural and political representation that draws on
the notion of national identity through the selected films. The objectives of the study
are to identify, analysed and interpret the Malay comedy cinema, elected for this study,
capable of functioning in a significant role in circulating and legitimising particular
conception of Malay national identity. Thus, potential in manifesting particular national
sense of community among Malaysian society. This thesis rests on five themes: (1) The
notion of ‘zombies’ which in this account is used as a critical metaphor for the social
ills of society, notably political and social corruption within a Malaysian perspective,
(2) the Malaysian ‘noir’ film, (3) the rural political space, (4) modernisation in relation
to nationalism in an urban space, and (5) plural society and culture in relation to
globalisation and localisation. Regards to the finding, it shown that comedy genre does
to a degree which strongly influenced by socio-political events and change, does it
serves as representational system of constructing and manifesting a particular Malay
national identity. Comedy films does to a certain extent serve as an ‘agency’ of meaning
and is viewed as having the potential to criticise the existing political hierarchies and
oppressive, and cultural discourses by underlining their status as fiction. Thus,
illustrated the capability as a medium of constructing and manifesting a particular sense
of Malay national identity (s).