Imagining Alternative Modernity: Negotiating Islamic-Ness and Malay-Ness on Popular TV Fiction

Malay cultural identity in Malaysia has historically been wrought by the contradictions inherent in its colonial discourses, and among the Malays themselves -a transition that was made possible by virtue of religion, language, and customs. Now, television fiction (TV fiction) has transpired debates to account for its interconnectedness and Malay identity, moving away from the established works found in most short stories, novels, poems memoirs, and (auto) biographies. Instead, this paper reveals the fragmentations of Malay cultural identity which are not simply about embracing Islam, speaking the Malay language, or believing in the Malay customs, but engage with the figurative crossings of Malayness and un-Malayness in Malaysian popular TV fiction- Julia and On Dhia. Through conversation analysis of transcribed episodes, the ubiquitous alternative Malay identity issues are revealed. Specifically, this research shows that they are inextricably connected to the wider spheres of Malayness through the appropriation of media. While the issues in these TV fiction texts all strive for a degree of negotiated inclusion in their alternative Malay lives, the balance between negotiation of their subjectivities depends on the extent to which they are positioned in a wider socio-political experiences. This study lends a support to the claim that there is a dire need to position these alternative Malay realities across TV fiction in the field of postcolonial literature.