Pembandaran dan Perubahan Kriteria Memilih Pasangan Orang Melayu di Bandar: Kajian Kes di Kuala Lumpur (Urbanization and Changing Criteria of Mate Selection among Urban Malays: A Case Study in Kuala Lumpur)

Abstract

ABSTRAK: Kajian ini berfokus pada perubahan kriteria memilih pasangan orang Melayu bandar dan juga puncanya kepada perubahan tersebut. Untuk mencapai objektif kajian, kaedah kuantitatif dijalankan dengan menggunakan instrumen soal selidik terhadap 214 orang Melayu di Kuala Lumpur yang merangkumi 107 pasangan suami isteri. Di samping itu, kaedah kualitatif turut dilaksanakan dengan melakukan kajian kepustakaan selain menemu bual 14 pasangan suami isteri Melayu di Kuala Lumpur. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa proses pembandaran amnya dan perubahan corak pekerjaan, peningkatan tahap pendidikan dan pendapatan khususnya telah menyebabkan berlakunya perubahan kriteria memilih pasangan dalam kalangan orang Melayu di Kuala Lumpur. Perubahan yang paling drastik ialah kedudukan sosioekonomi keluarga pasangan tidak begitu dipentingkan lagi, sebaliknya kriteria-kriteria pasangan itu sendiri, seperti keperibadian, keimanan, keadaan sosioekonomi sendiri dan keadaan fizikal lebih diberikan keutamaan. Pada masa yang sama, unsur-unsur sosiobudaya dalam masyarakat Melayu yang merangkumi nilai norma, adat Melayu dan agama Islam didapati tetap berperanan besar dalam mempengaruhi kriteria memilih pasangan orang Melayu di Kuala Lumpur.

Kata kunci: Pembandaran; orang Melayu bandar; kriteria memilih pasangan; perubahan; unsur sosiobudaya

ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the changing criteria of mate selection among urban Malay couples as well as the causes of the changes. To achieve the objectives of this study, quantitative method has been applied by sending questionnaires to 214 respondents in Kuala Lumpur, referring to 107 Malay couples. Qualitative method consists of library research and interviews on 14 Malay couples in Kuala Lumpur. The findings show that the urbanization, especially the changes in employment patterns, increased education and income levels had resulted in the changing criteria of mate selection among the urban Malays in Kuala Lumpur. The most drastic change is that the socioeconomic position of the couple’s family is not so concerned, but rather the criteria of the couples themselves, such as personality, devotion to religion, self-socioeconomic condition and physical condition are more concerned. At the same time, socio-cultural elements in the Malay community which encompassed the values of norms, Malay customs and Islamic religion remained a big role in influencing the changing criteria of mate selection among urban Malays in Kuala Lumpur.

Keywords: Urbanization; urban Malays, criteria of mate selection; changes; socio-cultural elements