失靈的運動國族主義？李宗偉、羽球運動與馬華社群的國族認同
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2019
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本研究分別從觀賽與國族兩個面向，探討馬來西亞華人社群（簡稱馬華社群）觀看大馬羽球國手李宗偉的羽球賽事所產生的國族認同情感，以及馬華社群如何應對執政黨利用李宗偉作為政治選舉的拉票工具。在與十六名受訪者的深度訪談中，本研究深入地探討馬華社群對李宗偉的認同流動過程。研究結果發現，馬來西亞特有的公共空間－嘛嘛檔（mamak stall）透過低廉的飲食消費、融合三大種族的特色料理，以及運動賽事的轉播，模糊了傳統餐廳經常存在的單一種族劃界，並提升了馬華社群對嘛嘛檔的空間認同，而李宗偉所代表的國族形象也在嘛嘛檔中被建立。但是，李宗偉在奪牌之後卻迅速成為執政黨的利用工具，其個人力量及代表性被政治機器所挪用，執政黨嘗試藉此左右馬華社群的國族認同，卻也因此誘發了危機。研究發現，曾經或現在移居海外的馬華社群經常與國內強勢的馬來霸權發生衝突，無法認同官方所定義的國族概念，反而透過國家運動賽事等文化元素去想像國族身份與認同，換言之，馬華社群的國族認同往往建立在觀賞李宗偉的羽球賽事上，但種族間的不和諧卻隱隱約約發酵在日常生活當中，例如受到教育壓迫以致選擇留學海外等。面對雙層認同的流動，馬華社群的認同總是不斷地在國族與種族之間拉扯。馬華社群始終認為，即便國家仍以馬來文化為建國基礎，但就目前局勢來看，馬來西亞不再適合以種族／族裔認同進行區隔或劃分，反倒要強調「馬來西亞」的國族概念，方能解決國內種族之間的矛盾，進而達成多元文化的民主社會。
This study explored the national identity of Malaysian Chinese community when they watched the badminton tournament of Malaysian badminton player, Lee Chong Wei, and how the Malaysian Chinese community responded to the ruling party's appropriation of Lee as a tool for political election. In an in-depth interview with 16 respondents, this study delved into the process of Malaysian Chinese community's identity flow towards Lee. The results showed Malaysia's unique public space – mamak stall, whereby through cheap food consumption that integrated the three ethnics unique tastes, as well as the broadcasting of sports channel, has eliminated the fuzzy limitation of single race that was often found in traditional restaurant. This has also promoted the Malaysian Chinese community’s recognition towards mamak stall as a place to unite all races with Lee representing the national image of unity. However, Lee quickly became a tool used by the ruling party after he became the world champion. The ruling party tried to influence the national identity of the Malaysian Chinese community by this means, which ended up causing a racial crisis. Also, this study found that most of the Malaysian Chinese do not agree with the privilege granted to the Malay by the National Constituency. They believed all that was born in Malaysia should be treated equally and regarded as Malaysian, not as unequal racial groups. Therefore, only through sports that the Malaysian Chinese are able to find their sense of belonging, their national status and identity as a Malaysian. In other words, a kind of Malaysian Chinese nationalistic affect is often built during Lee’s competition, but the disharmony and unfair treatment between ethnics happened daily, such as the oppression in education which causes many to choose to study abroad and etc. Faced with such double identities, the Malaysian Chinese are constantly caught between their national and ethnic affinities. They believed that even if the country was founded on Malay culture, Malaysia is no longer suitable to be ruled under racial or ethnic segregation. Nonetheless, the national concept is needed in order to resolve the contradictions between domestic races and to achieve a multicultural democratic Malaysia.
This study explored the national identity of Malaysian Chinese community when they watched the badminton tournament of Malaysian badminton player, Lee Chong Wei, and how the Malaysian Chinese community responded to the ruling party's appropriation of Lee as a tool for political election. In an in-depth interview with 16 respondents, this study delved into the process of Malaysian Chinese community's identity flow towards Lee. The results showed Malaysia's unique public space – mamak stall, whereby through cheap food consumption that integrated the three ethnics unique tastes, as well as the broadcasting of sports channel, has eliminated the fuzzy limitation of single race that was often found in traditional restaurant. This has also promoted the Malaysian Chinese community’s recognition towards mamak stall as a place to unite all races with Lee representing the national image of unity. However, Lee quickly became a tool used by the ruling party after he became the world champion. The ruling party tried to influence the national identity of the Malaysian Chinese community by this means, which ended up causing a racial crisis. Also, this study found that most of the Malaysian Chinese do not agree with the privilege granted to the Malay by the National Constituency. They believed all that was born in Malaysia should be treated equally and regarded as Malaysian, not as unequal racial groups. Therefore, only through sports that the Malaysian Chinese are able to find their sense of belonging, their national status and identity as a Malaysian. In other words, a kind of Malaysian Chinese nationalistic affect is often built during Lee’s competition, but the disharmony and unfair treatment between ethnics happened daily, such as the oppression in education which causes many to choose to study abroad and etc. Faced with such double identities, the Malaysian Chinese are constantly caught between their national and ethnic affinities. They believed that even if the country was founded on Malay culture, Malaysia is no longer suitable to be ruled under racial or ethnic segregation. Nonetheless, the national concept is needed in order to resolve the contradictions between domestic races and to achieve a multicultural democratic Malaysia.
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李宗偉, 羽球, 觀螢文化, 馬華社群, 國族認同, 馬來西亞, Lee Chong Wei, Badminton, Screen Culture, Malaysian Chinese, National Identity, Malaysia