Globalisation, ICTs and National Identity: The Consequences of ICT Policy in Malaysia
For the past thirty years the Malaysian economy has been said to contribute well to the progress of the nations. However, the intensification of global economy activity and the extensive use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in recent years are challenging government-s effort to further develop Malaysian society. The competition posed by the low wage economies such as China and Vietnam have made the government realise the importance of engaging in high-skill and high technology industries. It is hoped this will be the basis of attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to help the country to compete in globalised world. Using Vision 2020 as it targeted vision, the government has decided to engage in the use of ICTs and introduce many policies pertaining to it. Mainly based on the secondary analysis approach, the findings show that policy pertaining to ICTs in Malaysia contributes to economic growth, but the consequences of this have resulted in greater division within society. Although some of the divisions such as gender and ethnicity are narrowing down, the gap in important areas such as regions and class differences is becoming wider. The widespread use of ICTs might contribute to the further establishment of democracy in Malaysia, but the increasing number of foreign entities such as FDI and foreign workers, cultural hybridisation and to some extent cultural domination are contributing to neocolonialism in Malaysia. This has obvious consequences for the government-s effort to create a Malaysian national identity. An important finding of this work is that there are contradictions within ICT policy between the effort to develop the economy and society.
[1] Hirst, Paul & Thompson, Grahame, Globalization in Question.
Cambridge:Polity Press, 1999
[2] Harvey, David, The Condition of Postmodernity. Oxford : Basil
Blackwell, 1989
[3] Giddens, Anthony, Modernity and Self Identity. Cambridge : Polity
Press, 1991
[4] Castells, Manuel, The Information Age : Economic, Society and
Culture, Vol. I : The Rise of the Network Society (2nd. Ed.). Padstow,
Cornwall : Blackwell, 2002a
[5] Webster, Frank, Theories of the Information Society (2nd. Ed).
London : Routledge, 2002
[6] Castells, Manuel, The Information Age : Economic, Society and
Culture, Vol.III : End Of Millennium (2nd.Ed.). Oxford : Blackwell,
2002b
[7] Kranzberg, Melvin, ÔÇÿOne Last Word - Technology and History:
"Kranzberg-s Laws",- in Stephen H.Cutcliffe and Robert C.Postt (eds.),
In Context, History and the History of Technology: Essays in Honor of
Melvin Kranzberg. Bethlehem : Lehigh University Press, 1989
[8] Castells, Manuel, The Informational City, Information Technology,
Economic, Restructuring and the Urban-Regional Process. Oxford :
Basil Blackwell, 1989
[9] Castells, Manuel, The Information Age : Economic, Society and
Culture, Vol. II : The Power of Identity (2nd.Ed.). Oxford : Blackwell,
2004
[10] Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia: The Way forward. Working Paper,
presented at the Inaugural Meeting of the Malaysian Business Council,
Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 1991
[11] Malaysia, Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010. Kuala Lumpur : Percetakan
Nasional Malaysia Berhad, 2006
[12] MDC (2002, July, 12) MSC Statistics. Available:
http://www.msc.com.my/mdc/statistic/stat2.asp)
[13] MDC (2004, April, 15) MSC, Facts and Figures. Available:
http://www.mdc.com/xtras/fact_figures/msc.asp)
[14] Malaysia, Eight Malaysia Plan 2001-2005. Kuala Lumpur : Percetakan
Nasional Malaysia Berhad, 2001a
[15] Malaysia, The Third Outline Perspective Plan 2001-2010. Kuala
Lumpur : Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad, 2001b
[16] Azizan Baharuddin, ÔÇÿServicing the Global Society: Women in Science
and Technology-, in Roziah Omar and Azizah Hamzah (eds), Women in
Malaysia, Breaking Boundries. Selangor : Utusan Publications, 2003
[17] Department of Statistics, Malaysia, Social Statistical Bulletin.
Puterajaya : Department of Statistics, 2002
[18] Harris, Roger., Bala, Poline., Songan, Peter., Lien, Elaine K. G. and
Trang, Tingan, ÔÇÿChallenges and Opportunities in Introducing
Information and Communication Technologies to the Kelabit
Community of North Central Borneo-, New Media & Society, 3 (3):
270-275, 2001
[19] Castells, Manuel and Hall, Peter, Technopoles of the World, The
Making of 21st Century Industrial Complexes. London : Routledge,
1994
[20] Castells, Manuel, The Internet Galaxy, Reflections on the Internet,
Business and Society. Oxford : University Press, 2001
[21] MCMC, Statistical Bulletin Q1/2008. Kuala Lumpur : MCMC, 2009
[22] Roslan, A.H (2002, April, 28) Income Inequality, Poverty and
Development Policy in Malaysia, Available: http://ced.montesquieu.ubordeaux.
fr/SBROSLAN.pdf)
[23] Malaysia, Seventh Malaysia Plan, 1996-2000. Kuala Lumpur :
Percetakan Negara, 1996
[24] Ikemoto, Y. , ÔÇÿIncome Distribution in Malaysia:1957-80-, The
Developing Economies, XXIII (4):347-367, 1985
[25] NST, ÔÇÿMore Foreign Programmes on Private Television-, October 25,
1987
[26] Baharuddin Aziz, ÔÇÿTelevisyen Satelit di Malaysia, Prospek, Polisis dan
Nilai- (Satellite Television in Malaysia, Prosoect, Policy and Value),
ICMS Mnonograh Series, No.1, 1997
[27] Utusan Malaysia, ÔÇÿDBP:Masa Depan Bahasa?- (DBP: The Future of
Language?), May 7, 1997
[28] Harian Metro, ÔÇÿJAIS Bidas Pihak Media- (JAIS Pinpointing On
Media), July 14, 1998
[29] Azizul Halim Yahya, The Globalisation of Western Advertising: A
Case of the Impact of Imported Advertising on Cultural Values in
Malaysia. Unpublished PhD dissertation, 1999
[30] García Canclini, N., Cultural Reconversion-, in G.Yudice et.al (eds.),
On Edge: The Crisis of Contemporary Latin American Culture.
Minneapolis : University of Minnesota, 1992
[31] Richards, Michael, ÔÇÿTelevision, Development and National Identity-,
in David French and Michael Richards (eds.), Television in
Contemporary ASIA. New Delhi : Sage Publications, 2000
[32] Schiller, Herbert I., ÔÇÿTransnational Media and National Development-,
in K. Nordenstreng and Herbert I. Schiller (eds.), National Sovereignty
and International Communication. Norwood, NJ : Ablex, 1979
[33] Herman, E. S and McChesney, R. W, The Global Media, The New
Missionaries of Global Capitalism. London : Cassell, 1997
[34] Utusan Online (2000, Dec., 6) ÔÇÿGov does not intend to Control Use of
Internet, Available: http://www.utusan.com.my
[35] Mahathir Mohamed, Excerpts from the speeches of Mahathir Mohamad
on the Multimedia Super Corridor. Selangor : Pelanduk Publications,
1998
[36] Mahathir Mohamad, ÔÇÿVision 2020: The Way Forward-, in Hashim
Makaruddin (ed.), Managing the Malaysian Economy, Selected
Speeches by Dr.Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia
(Vol.2). Selangor : Pelanduk Publications, 2000
[1] Hirst, Paul & Thompson, Grahame, Globalization in Question.
Cambridge:Polity Press, 1999
[2] Harvey, David, The Condition of Postmodernity. Oxford : Basil
Blackwell, 1989
[3] Giddens, Anthony, Modernity and Self Identity. Cambridge : Polity
Press, 1991
[4] Castells, Manuel, The Information Age : Economic, Society and
Culture, Vol. I : The Rise of the Network Society (2nd. Ed.). Padstow,
Cornwall : Blackwell, 2002a
[5] Webster, Frank, Theories of the Information Society (2nd. Ed).
London : Routledge, 2002
[6] Castells, Manuel, The Information Age : Economic, Society and
Culture, Vol.III : End Of Millennium (2nd.Ed.). Oxford : Blackwell,
2002b
[7] Kranzberg, Melvin, ÔÇÿOne Last Word - Technology and History:
"Kranzberg-s Laws",- in Stephen H.Cutcliffe and Robert C.Postt (eds.),
In Context, History and the History of Technology: Essays in Honor of
Melvin Kranzberg. Bethlehem : Lehigh University Press, 1989
[8] Castells, Manuel, The Informational City, Information Technology,
Economic, Restructuring and the Urban-Regional Process. Oxford :
Basil Blackwell, 1989
[9] Castells, Manuel, The Information Age : Economic, Society and
Culture, Vol. II : The Power of Identity (2nd.Ed.). Oxford : Blackwell,
2004
[10] Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia: The Way forward. Working Paper,
presented at the Inaugural Meeting of the Malaysian Business Council,
Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 1991
[11] Malaysia, Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010. Kuala Lumpur : Percetakan
Nasional Malaysia Berhad, 2006
[12] MDC (2002, July, 12) MSC Statistics. Available:
http://www.msc.com.my/mdc/statistic/stat2.asp)
[13] MDC (2004, April, 15) MSC, Facts and Figures. Available:
http://www.mdc.com/xtras/fact_figures/msc.asp)
[14] Malaysia, Eight Malaysia Plan 2001-2005. Kuala Lumpur : Percetakan
Nasional Malaysia Berhad, 2001a
[15] Malaysia, The Third Outline Perspective Plan 2001-2010. Kuala
Lumpur : Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad, 2001b
[16] Azizan Baharuddin, ÔÇÿServicing the Global Society: Women in Science
and Technology-, in Roziah Omar and Azizah Hamzah (eds), Women in
Malaysia, Breaking Boundries. Selangor : Utusan Publications, 2003
[17] Department of Statistics, Malaysia, Social Statistical Bulletin.
Puterajaya : Department of Statistics, 2002
[18] Harris, Roger., Bala, Poline., Songan, Peter., Lien, Elaine K. G. and
Trang, Tingan, ÔÇÿChallenges and Opportunities in Introducing
Information and Communication Technologies to the Kelabit
Community of North Central Borneo-, New Media & Society, 3 (3):
270-275, 2001
[19] Castells, Manuel and Hall, Peter, Technopoles of the World, The
Making of 21st Century Industrial Complexes. London : Routledge,
1994
[20] Castells, Manuel, The Internet Galaxy, Reflections on the Internet,
Business and Society. Oxford : University Press, 2001
[21] MCMC, Statistical Bulletin Q1/2008. Kuala Lumpur : MCMC, 2009
[22] Roslan, A.H (2002, April, 28) Income Inequality, Poverty and
Development Policy in Malaysia, Available: http://ced.montesquieu.ubordeaux.
fr/SBROSLAN.pdf)
[23] Malaysia, Seventh Malaysia Plan, 1996-2000. Kuala Lumpur :
Percetakan Negara, 1996
[24] Ikemoto, Y. , ÔÇÿIncome Distribution in Malaysia:1957-80-, The
Developing Economies, XXIII (4):347-367, 1985
[25] NST, ÔÇÿMore Foreign Programmes on Private Television-, October 25,
1987
[26] Baharuddin Aziz, ÔÇÿTelevisyen Satelit di Malaysia, Prospek, Polisis dan
Nilai- (Satellite Television in Malaysia, Prosoect, Policy and Value),
ICMS Mnonograh Series, No.1, 1997
[27] Utusan Malaysia, ÔÇÿDBP:Masa Depan Bahasa?- (DBP: The Future of
Language?), May 7, 1997
[28] Harian Metro, ÔÇÿJAIS Bidas Pihak Media- (JAIS Pinpointing On
Media), July 14, 1998
[29] Azizul Halim Yahya, The Globalisation of Western Advertising: A
Case of the Impact of Imported Advertising on Cultural Values in
Malaysia. Unpublished PhD dissertation, 1999
[30] García Canclini, N., Cultural Reconversion-, in G.Yudice et.al (eds.),
On Edge: The Crisis of Contemporary Latin American Culture.
Minneapolis : University of Minnesota, 1992
[31] Richards, Michael, ÔÇÿTelevision, Development and National Identity-,
in David French and Michael Richards (eds.), Television in
Contemporary ASIA. New Delhi : Sage Publications, 2000
[32] Schiller, Herbert I., ÔÇÿTransnational Media and National Development-,
in K. Nordenstreng and Herbert I. Schiller (eds.), National Sovereignty
and International Communication. Norwood, NJ : Ablex, 1979
[33] Herman, E. S and McChesney, R. W, The Global Media, The New
Missionaries of Global Capitalism. London : Cassell, 1997
[34] Utusan Online (2000, Dec., 6) ÔÇÿGov does not intend to Control Use of
Internet, Available: http://www.utusan.com.my
[35] Mahathir Mohamed, Excerpts from the speeches of Mahathir Mohamad
on the Multimedia Super Corridor. Selangor : Pelanduk Publications,
1998
[36] Mahathir Mohamad, ÔÇÿVision 2020: The Way Forward-, in Hashim
Makaruddin (ed.), Managing the Malaysian Economy, Selected
Speeches by Dr.Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia
(Vol.2). Selangor : Pelanduk Publications, 2000
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:61112", author = "Abd Rasid Abd Rahman", title = "Globalisation, ICTs and National Identity: The Consequences of ICT Policy in Malaysia", abstract = "For the past thirty years the Malaysian economy has been said to contribute well to the progress of the nations. However, the intensification of global economy activity and the extensive use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in recent years are challenging government-s effort to further develop Malaysian society. The competition posed by the low wage economies such as China and Vietnam have made the government realise the importance of engaging in high-skill and high technology industries. It is hoped this will be the basis of attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to help the country to compete in globalised world. Using Vision 2020 as it targeted vision, the government has decided to engage in the use of ICTs and introduce many policies pertaining to it. Mainly based on the secondary analysis approach, the findings show that policy pertaining to ICTs in Malaysia contributes to economic growth, but the consequences of this have resulted in greater division within society. Although some of the divisions such as gender and ethnicity are narrowing down, the gap in important areas such as regions and class differences is becoming wider. The widespread use of ICTs might contribute to the further establishment of democracy in Malaysia, but the increasing number of foreign entities such as FDI and foreign workers, cultural hybridisation and to some extent cultural domination are contributing to neocolonialism in Malaysia. This has obvious consequences for the government-s effort to create a Malaysian national identity. An important finding of this work is that there are contradictions within ICT policy between the effort to develop the economy and society.
", keywords = "Globalisation, ICTs, ICT Policy, Malaysia, National Identity, Vision 2020", volume = "3", number = "6", pages = "1160-11", }
