Risk of over-exploiting cultural heritage

MALAYSIANS take massive pride in our heritage and culture. After all, we are surrounded by narratives valorising our nation’s cultural legacies, and local media industries frequently churn out content that reiterate the uniqueness of our culture, be it through comics, newspaper editorials, documentaries or food and travel shows.

The popularity of movies such as The Journey flatters older segments of the population, positioning their histories and lifestyles as objects for older people to take pride in and for younger people to learn from.