ABSTRACT

Roughly half the money spent for household purposes goes on rice, which people have seen plays an important part not only in the physical but also in the social life of the people. Strong social and family ties bind Malays all over the country in the same way as they are seen to do in the area studied. Minor differences of detail and emphasis change; but the pattern of social and family behaviour remains the same. The Malay family, wherever it is, still clings to traditional methods of demonstrating its income position in the society by the celebration on a lavish scale of religious and magical occasions. The social organisations and traditions of Malay peasant society, again, make it unlikely that an individual will be allowed to fall completely into penury. Although on the whole the conditions of the fisherman are fairly satisfactory, one would not wish it to be assumed that they are incapable of improvement.