Malu dalam kerangka akhlak melayu

Abstract

‘Shyness’ and ‘modesty’ (malu) bring two meanings of either positive or negative. The negative side of ‘malu’ is often regarded as one of the factors cause people, especially Malays, to be passive, quiet, inferior, non-assertive and lack of courage. While the positive side of ‘malu’ often related to polite behavior hence the preservation of human dignity and the honor of the nation. This article is aimed at examining how ‘malu’ manifest as an ethical and good moral character in accordance with the Malay worldview. This article also aims at examining further, the position of ‘malu’ in the Malay ethical framework. Content analysis approach and library research on the works of several Malay figures in prose, poetry, metaphor, pantun, were used hikayat and Malay stories. The findings reveal the manifestation of ‘malu’ in the Malay worldview are closely related and integrated with the key concepts that emerges in keywords namely intellect, knowledge, heart (qalb), religion, adab, language and evil. As one of the important elements of a Malay Ethical Framework, ‘malu’ play an important role to refrain a person from immoral behavior; as a symbol of morality in life as well as dignity for a nation.