Written by Erda Khursyiah Basir
Culture is an integral part of every society. It is developed through beliefs, faith, practices, customs, language, pattern of behaviour and the ways the person lives. Constitutes the elements of music, food, art, economy and literature of a society, it makes every society are different which gives them an identity and makes them unique from each other.
The culture values refers to what every society hold for very long time and considered as their part of life even the backbone of their society. For example, Baju Kurung for women is one of the popular cultures of the Malay traditions. However, Malay women especially the youngsters nowadays are no longer preferred to this kind of attire as they are influenced by the other cultures and society which also accepted by the majority community as up-to-date and more fashionable.
The influenced on culture also lead to the structural change in society. For example, previously many countries were led by a King who will make any decision for every issue; no matter either it will bring the advantages or disadvantages to the society. However with the spread of culture from all over the world, every society now able to rise up and form their group in order to express their opinion towards certain issue especially when it effects their life.
The community group or members in the government departments also take part in a matter of ensuring that these structures and related institutions work for fulfil people needs. The other example is about the power of women in a family as a wife or mother. The structural change nowadays has also expanded the role of women as a decision maker for a family which previously believe controlled by the man or husband. This probably happened due to the culture change as women today also go for work and earn money for the family instead of staying at home as a fulltime housewife.
The influenced of western culture also cannot be denied has brings the huge impact to the local culture values. The western culture most of the time give their influence through the media especially the movie which consists many elements considered as not suit to a certain culture even for the majority Malaysian. This kind of influenced which sometimes consists of liberal thinking, the way they talk, the way they dress and the way they live, worried will lead to more culture taboo among Malaysian culture and society. One of impact from the western culture to the local culture is a culture acculturation whereby the local citizen trying to adjust themselves as what the western people looks, dress and even live.
Even though many believe that culture values as a powerful human tool that need to be preserve but it is easily changing even to be forget due to the current and modern approach or influence from all over the world especially though the globalisation. As culture does not remain stagnant, it also leads to the many changes in every society include customs, traditions, behaviours, perceptions and beliefs.
The structural change created by and reflects of members’ behaviours and interpretations towards certain issue. Societies and communities nowadays are controlled and structured by certain values, norms, and social pressures which due to the influenced by various culture especially the dominant culture