Awal2 sem nak tunjuk performance, jadi dua minggu pertama tu jumpalah penyelia. Masuk minggu ketiga, dah mula sibuk dah. Dah skip satu minggu jumpa.
Hari ni jumpa dia sebab nak hantar proposal. Proposal ni sekejap je buat. Buat pagi, hantar petang. Dengan syarat, masa nak buat tu takda gangguan ape2 pun.
Jadi untuk rekod, Aku post kat sini sebagai rujukan aku sendiri pada masa akan datang.
Oh, sebelum tu aku ada benda nak kongsi. Parlimen dah bubar jadi ada masa 2 minggu untuk berkempen dan seterusnya buang undi. Jadi pilihlah calon yang anda yakin tak korupsi. Siyes! Baru Malaysia selamat.
Nota kaki: Ni proposal, belum tentu lulus atau tak...
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Chapter 1: The Effects of Book Content towards the Readers: A Case
Study of Alternative Book in Malaysia.
1.1 Introduction
Living in places that are
appreciating books such as in Malaysia, actually helping the book industry
grows. Government are organizing and executing many plants to make people read
at the same time to help the book industries entrepreneur to sell their books.
Initiatives such as book vouchers, textbook loan scheme (SPBT), tax exemption
for buying books and many other initiatives in order to encourage people to
read books.
A
national level event such as Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2012 features
some of the top notch and prominent publishers to sell their books and as well
as small publishers. These publishers are competing with each other to sell
their books. The industries also receive some of newcomers that are from small
publishers such as Lejen Press, Fixi and few others small book publishers.
The
small publishers before this are known as indie publisher or independent
publisher. Indie publisher are small publisher that sells books and many other
printed media which is their main purpose is not to gaining profit. Their main
purpose is to show people their work. There are lots of indie publisher that
makes many genre of books such as thriller, ghost, fiction, non-fiction or even
a poem book.
However,
some of indie publishers nowadays are slowly entering mainstream and they are
not called indie publishers anymore. They are preferably called as alternative
publisher. Alternative publishers are producing books for money and most of
their company vision and mission are more on profit gaining same as mainstream
publisher.
Alternative
industries are basically derived from pop culture from the west that influences
the lifestyles of any individual that follows their way of life. They are more on individualistic expression
that everyone can appreciate. They had their own communities that gather all
sorts of people from different background connect by their own media called as
alternative media. This also include alternative book publisher.
In
Malaysia, the studies of popular culture are not as vast as the west. Many
scholars are often misinterpreted the popular culture as west culture only.
Popular culture also known as pop culture or subculture for example grunge,
punk, skinhead, emo or gothic. All of the culture often linked with music. The
music is one of the media that connects all of them. Their functions are same
as books.
The
content of alternative books represents the culture mostly. The contents are
different from what mainstream book promotes. Some of the content are promoting
violence, explicit material, more realistic at the same time they also
promoting any kind of idea that reflects individualistic. They also critics the
mainstream media content in their own ways.
Most
of the local alternative books are criticized heavily based on their content by
the mainstream media. The critics are more on the content that promotes
explicit materials and the language usage. Most of the commenter is not aware
that alternative promotes individualism and they did not understand what is
alternative all about.
Due
to the content are differ from mainstream media, alternative books also being
the media to convey social movement ideologies. In Indonesia, alternative books
are known as underground press that disseminates information that different
from mainstream media. Mainstream media usually are control by a group of
people that act as gate keeper to filter out any unwanted and inappropriate
ideologies that differ from the mainstream culture and lifestyles.
1.2 Problem Statement
In 2012, many independent publishers
are moving on from the shadows by their first book expo in Kuala Lumpur
International Book Fair at Putra World Trade Centre. Small publishers such as
Lejen Press, Fixi, Merpati Jingga, Selut Press and other small publishers that
carry the name independent are in that expo. This also creates a healthy
business environment for other mainstream publisher in terms of business.
However
in middle 2012, there are issues that happen between one of the most prominent
bookstore and small alternative publisher. The issues start off with two Fixi’s
books which is Murtad and Hilang. Popular Bookstore is not picking up the
ordered books from Fixi. After several e-mails were sent, Popular Bookstore
representative Mrs. Azrina, the assistant director of Malay trade books at
Popular Bookstore Malaysia answer with a shocking answer of rejecting the books
because of the content are not suitable for the readers.
Mrs.
Zarina explained though an e-mail that explains why they didn’t pick up their
books. For both books there are some sex, drug and bad usage of words detected.
She also noted where the words located for booth Murtad and Hilang. She told
Fixi that their books are not suitable for general public that are based on
high moral and religious values and the customs of many Malaysians.
1.3 Research Objectives
1. To
find what are the impact of contents of an alternative book towards the
readers.
2. To
measure the damages or benefits of a book can do towards the readers.
3. To
suggests ways to improve alternative book publisher in Malaysia.
1.4 Research Questions
1.
What are the
impacts of contents of an alternative book towards the readers?
2.
How far the
damages or benefits of a book can do towards the readers?
3.
How to improve
alternative book publisher in Malaysia?
1.5 Hypothesis
The books are known as printed media
can influence people in many different ways. However, there are small research
conduct to investigate how the book content effect the readers compare to other
media such as internet and television. Most of the research made at oversea
such as in America and European country. In Malaysia there are small research
were made to measure the level of effectiveness of the book content.
Malaysian
literacy rates are above 93% in 2011 stated by NST.com shown that most of
Malaysians are educated and knows what books they are reading. From that, only
seven percent of Malaysians are unable to understand their reading or even
unable to read. Bernama.com stated that the reading habits among Malaysians are
in range of eight to 12 books a year. How come that small amount of books can
do big influence towards the readers? From 12 of the books, most of the books
read are form mainstream books because most of bookstores in Malaysia are not
promoting or even ban the alternative books that they claimed can influence
people.
This clearly
shows that alternative book has minor effect towards the readers. In this case,
most of alternative books targeted audiences are for teenagers in the age of 16
and above. During that time, most of the teenagers can differentiate between
right or wrong. Most of them are guided by teachers and parents that promote
them with good and positive way of lifestyles since they were born.
1.6 Methodology
1.6.1 Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is one of the
scientific research types whereby it consists the investigation that answer the
question using a systematic procedures to collect evidence and produce finding
that are applicable beyond the studies boundaries (Family Health International,
2006)
Qualitative
research are considered as primary methods involving observing, in depth
interview and content analysis which is the most appropriate involving in
studying trends which considered in lifestyles or subcultures topics (Babbie,
2003)
1.6.2 Data Collection Strategies
1.6.2.1 Unit of Analysis
Unit analysis that being used in
this research are alternative book content. The researcher will choose several
popular short stories that being published by Lejen Press or Fixi in their
books. Doing so are relevant because one of the most popular book publishers
are Lejen Press and Fixi by all of their followers in social media network,
Twitter.
1.6.2.2 Sample
1.6.2.2.1 Purposive Sampling
Purposive sampling is selected types
of samples that being choose by the researcher. The researcher will choose
samples that have credibility to answer question given and willingly to answer.
This type of sampling also known as judgmental sampling (Babbie, 2003)
The
researcher’s informants as follows
1.
Mrs. Ainon Mohd.
(Mainstream book publisher)
2.
Mr. Aisa
Linglung (Mlternative book publisher)
3.
Mr. Resmanshah (Mainstream
book writer)
4.
Ms. Nadia
Mohammad Hatta (Alternative book writer)
5.
Ms. Mariam Lee (Mainstream
book reader and forum panelists for #Indieke)
6.
Ms. Hafizah
Hamid (Alternative book reader and Puisi Satu Petang event committee.
1.6.2.3 In-Depth
Interview
In depth interview is
communication between interviewer and sample or participants whereby
interviewer will ask question and the participants will answer willingly, based
on personal experience or credibility. In other words, in depth interview is
conversation between researcher and the research samples. (Babbie, 2003)
There are questions setup and same for all the
participants and there are semi-constructed questions. All participants need to
give spontaneous and appropriate answers for all the questions just after the
question being asked.
1.6.2.3 Research
Duration
The research duration
will be about 4 months from Mac to June 2013. The specific time range are
allocated because of the academic calendar for UiTM degree student Mac-June
2013.
1.6.3 Data Analysis
1.6.3.1 Thematic
analysis
Thematic analysis is
one of the ways to analyze quantitative research by identifying, analyzing and
reporting the research result according to its pattern within the data
collected. The result are categorized neatly according to several
sub-categories and recorded in the full research report. (Babbie, 2003)
1.7 Research Limitation
This research duration of studies is
limited towards several months. To make sure the research findings credibility,
the researcher must spent lots of time to study it. During four months of the
research, the researcher must do everything including the proposal, finding the
right informants, do the findings, finish up the report and submit it.
This
research cannot be generalized due to the limit of the informants. Only six
informants that will be interviewed thus making it not credible enough to
generalize towards all Malaysians.
1.8 Significance of Study
1.8.1 Policy
With the abolishment of printing
press and publication act 1984, many publishers will able to print their books.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs can develop new rules or policy to ensure the
Malaysian will be free from inappropriate books and other printed materials.
They will act as national gatekeepers who filter the books or any other printed
materials.
Dewan
Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) will create a new committee to monitor the usage of Bahasa
Malaysia that the alternative book publish. They can setup a guidelines to
elevate and preserve the Malay language.
1.8.2 Practice
After this research finished, most
of the teachers will be able to consider to use both mainstream and alternative
literature in schools to teach the student the difference between right and
wrong, good and bad. The teachers will act as guidance towards the students in
order to develop creativity among students.
The
media practitioner will be able to set the language level for popular culture
audiences in order to create a big impact over the positive massage. Due to
lack of popular culture scholarly research in Malaysia, this research will help
them to cater the audience creatively.
In
fact, the society will be more appreciative towards the ideology of popular
culture and abolish their streotypeness among Malaysians that has different
opinion than them. The future researcher also will be able to make this
research as their guidelines for their future research.
