Treating and healing Malaysia: A Critical Analysis of Najib Razak's Metaphors

Rashid Ali, Farrah Diebaa (2021) Treating and healing Malaysia: A Critical Analysis of Najib Razak's Metaphors. The Journal of Asian Linguistic Anthropology, 3 (3). pp. 19-48. ISSN 2207-0656

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Abstract

This paper discusses the vocational roles constructed by Najib Razak, the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia for himself, the government, and the relational identities for the people and others in nine Supply Bills read by him (2010 – 2018). This study was modelled upon Charteris-Black’s Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) and Sack’s Membership Categorisation Analysis (MCA) as frameworks. The findings indicates that Najib Razak and the government played the role of a medical doctor while the people and others have been conceptualised as patients and pre-term babies, suffering from a global economic downturn, the Asian Financial Crisis, global economic recession, poverty and bribery. The people and others as patients have to depend on the government for health and recovery. This further emphasises the independent, heroic role played by the government and the weak, dependent role expected of the people and others. Through these metaphors, the people were reminded that without the government to treat and heal the people and others, it is impossible for the country to develop healthily. Therefore, the use of metaphors in the Supply Bills has served the predicative, empathetic, ideological and mythical purposes.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	conceptual metaphors, political identity, linguistic anthropology, discourse, ideology
Subjects:	J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General) J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General) > JF2011 Political parties J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General) > JF225 Organs and functions of government J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General) > JF331 Parliamentary government J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia > JQ1062 Public Administration in Malaysia J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia > JQ715 Politics and Government in Malaysia J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia > JQ719 Elections in Malaysia P Language and Literature > PI Oriental languages and literatures P Language and Literature > PL Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania > PL5101 Malay
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Languages and Management
Depositing User:	FARRAH DIEBAA RASHID ALI
Date Deposited:	07 May 2023 13:29
Last Modified:	07 May 2023 13:29
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/104589

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