THE CONCEPT OF SELF IDENTITY IN CATATAN KEMBARA “NOTA KECIL MENYEBERANG USIA”

Self-identity refers to one’s personality or behaviors closely linked to one’s principles. It covers the moral values, thoughts, personal attitudes and lifestyles. In the Federal Constitution, Article 160 (2), the Malay self-identity provides that a Malay should be a Muslim, whose belief system and principles should be in lined with the Islamic laws, the Malay customs and Malay culture should be practiced in everyday life and Malay language should be the main communication means. This paper looks at the poem in the form of travelogue writings taken from Fahd Razy. A travelogue is a writing which documents a writer’s experience when traveling abroad. For the purpose of this study, only one poem entitled “Nota Kecil Menyeberang Usia”, from his collections of poems, Menggeledah Nurani (2008) will be focused. This study intends to take travelogue works, which has been less noticed all this while, to a more serious discourse. The analysis of this study refers to the Malay Self-Identity Model which classifies three aspects, Islam as the noble religion guided by the true belief and laws, the Malay customs and culture as the core of Malay civilization according to the Islamic laws and morality, and lastly, the Malay language as the pulse of the nation in imparting thoughts and knowledge. This paper will analyse the poem from the lens of custom and cultural aspect under the said model which plays a role in discussing issues of Malay identity in the chosen poem.