Proposal kajian #2

Baru 2 minggu jumpa penyelia. Aku dapat penyelia yang okay. Koordinator program aku sendiri. Konfem2 kena push sampai sembelit buasir. Haaa~

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.