::Malaysian Culture::

 

1. More harmony than control of the environment

2. More relationship than task-oriented

3. More group than individual-oriented

4. More hierarchical than equal

5. More shame driven than guilt driven

6. More high-context than low context

7. More polychronic than monochronic time orientation

8. More religious than secular

           During class discussion, we agree of all of Malaysian culture above except for number 2 and number 7. For number 2, we believe that our culture in Malaysia is more on individual-oriented than group-oriented. We said like that because even we notice that our culture more on group-oriented that individual-oriented; however in counseling we still focus on individual. As a professional counselor, we cannot tend to focus or bias on group. Like we have been discussing before, we must be neutral when dealing with diverse clients. Try to not let yourself influenced by others.

            The other point that we disagree is the last point which is more religious than secular. From our first discussion, we believe that not all counselors practice religious counseling toward their clients. However, after we hear explanation from our beloved lecturer, Dr. Siraje, our perception toward this thing changes. Counselors always practices and apply religious counseling in their counseling session even from different culture and religions. It is only us whose not realize about it.

We further our discussion by try to relate moral with religion because we think that moral and religion has same value which is both of it want us to practice good conduct in our life. But, it only make us become more confuse. So, we need to take this things seriously and aware of the importance to learn multicultural in counseling.

AFIQ ZULKARNAIN     0815251

::afiq's views on cross-cultural counseling::

First of all, I am truly sorry for being late with the post. After taking cross cultural counseling subject with Dr. Sskamanya Siraje, one thing that I really understand is cross cultural is not only about culture only but also involve other aspects of life such as gender, age, language, religion, races and so on. During counseling session, even for Malay counselor-Malay client, counselor must be aware and sensitive on dealing with his/her client. This is because the context of culture here is not the “culture”. What I mean here, culture is not embrace only races or religions between counselor-client, but in this case, the gap differences between age and the position between both of them which is teacher and student. These differences can affect and disturb the counseling session if the counselor did not know to play his/her initial roles in conducting multicultural counseling.

From what I understand in cross-cultural perspective in counseling are all individuals in many respects are; 1) Like no other individuals, 2) Like some individuals and 3) Like all other individuals. What I understand from these is not every person is the same. Each of them has different culture, belief, race, religion and so on. Means, what is good in one culture must not be the same with other culture. Counselor must be aware of this thing and make different approach and intervention that is good and suitable with client’s culture. Remember, counseling is to help, not to harm!!

To be a good counselor in multicultural counseling, one must be able to free themselves from other principle, influence and other personal things, and be neutral. There is no right and wrong in multicultural counseling. Besides, try to understand and learn from each culture in Malaysia as possible as you can. Understand, adapt and accept. Moreover, like I have mention before, try to create a different and appropriate approach and intervention to deal with multicultural client. When a counselor aware of the culture of the client, it can help the counselor to avoid from do mistake such as when dealing with sensitive issues or beliefs and religions.

AFIQ ZULKARNAIN     0815251

attending cross culture event (1st immersion project)

Sr rafidah is talking about the culture in US

three panel are giving their opinion about the culture in yamen, US and UK

i have attend the event that under by counseling unit in IIUM. This event actually i did not know about the title that they going to present in Mini auditorium. it is also my lecturer that teaching me this semester in basic counseling ask me to come and joint the program. actually, i already have a lot of things after zhor, i have meeting with central to do the exhibition program and so on. so, at last i came to the program.


first, it is boring because i did not about the title, but after the MC told about they want to share the cross culture, i became excited to know. The person are going to present in the stage is one of the counselor from UM. Her name is Sr Rafidah Aga Mohd Jaladin. She talk a lot of things during she came abroad to further study in that time. i can believe that she can manage to socialize with others in western country. she told us that, we can judge the other culture is bad from our culture.


next presenter Sr Siti Wajihah bt Kholil, she is student in MASTER at UM. she told us how she been raised up in the oversea and how she manage with other people that labeled her us terrorist. maybe this is after the booming in PWTC at USA. last presenter is Sr Samar Abdullah Al-Montasser. She is international student and still studying at IIUM. She talk a lot how she adapt with IIUM culture. she also talked that how to break the judgemental to the other culture. if we are live outside the country, we must start to talking with other people who are different culture with us. we also must accept the other culture but not all the culture. which means, what the good things, we can follow and what the bad things we just leave it without we leave our own culture. that what i learn in the program by counseling unit at IIUM. ^^,


AHMAD IZZAT BIN MOHAMAD NAZIF 0910239

cross monday

this is the first day after i have finished my holiday in Kelantan. this is also the first day i do my journal in cross culture class. it is seem that, i have misunderstanding about making the blog because before this we have been given the task that required to go some place that have the different culture, different value and different belief. i have decide that my group will make a trip to go to museum orang asli near the university. in this week, i have learned about the some case that our lecturer gave yesterday. it is about how using the RCID theory to the case. that case is talked about the school having conflict between malay and chinese students.
from the question above, i thought the question is about how we want to implement the RCID to case. the question is very simple, but it is not that very simple. this is the trick from my lecturer made to know how the student understand about the theory, not only to memorize it. when my lecturer asked to my group to answer the question, i try to do it with gave the some explanation to the case using the theory, but my lecturer asked to do in outline or draft. i blurred and asked some help from my friends to answer it. my friends told me that just give the answer like this, " tell that the student must know and understand about what is their right in the school and in the country". next group also try to answer the question, but it seems that the other group also same with mine. it is not my group who did not understand it but the other group also same. after finishing all the group, the lecturer told us about the trick of the question. it is not about the relate of the theory, but the benefit of the theory in the case. we proceed to the next questions, question B. in this question, my lecturer give the other theory which is different from RCID. it make me a little confuse with that theory. that all about the samples of mid term exam. it is really though eventhough for the question is looked very simple, but the hidden meaning is really difficult to do it. we finished the class after heard the reminder from the student handphone. thats all. written by Ahmad Izzat bin Mohamad Nazif. 0910239