Why Am I Doing This Research?

Why am I doing this research?

There are a lot of factors which motivate me to do this research and one of them comes from my personal and professional background. As a person, I am a product of a mixed-ethnic blood as depicted in this old photo. Specifically, I am an Indian-Malay-Muslim woman of age 35 years old. My late grandfather was an Indian Muslim migrant (trader?) from Southern India. I have experienced life from low socio-economic background during my schooling years to middle socio-economic background during my employment years. Therefore, I like to think that I have a multicultural identity as a result of an intersection of ethnicity, religion, gender, age, and social class.

As a professional, I am a product of Western education and training in psychology and counselling from the University of Western Australia (Perth) and University of Malaya. However, my own reflection of practising and teaching experiences for more than 10 years has helped to foster my multicultural awareness regarding cultural issues in counselling in the Malaysian context. Based on this awareness, I have started publishing articles to share my thoughts and experiences with other helping professionals in Malaysia. Some of these published works are chapters of books, journal articles, and conference papers:

1. Aga Mohd Jaladin, R. (2003). Counselling approaches and related issues in sexual relationships. Masalah Pendidikan, 26, 115-124;
2. Salim, S., & Aga Mohd Jaladin, R. (2005). Development of counselling services in Malaysia. In Z. A. Ansari, N. M. Noor & A. Haque (Eds.), Contemporary issues in Malaysian Psychology (pp.237-264). Kuala Lumpur: Thomson Learning;
3. Aga Mohd Jaladin, R., & Amit, N. (2006). Value issues in the helping relationship. Masalah Pendidikan, 29, 47-56. ISBN 0126-5024;
4. Aga Mohd Jaladin, R., & Amit, N. (2007). Values pertaining to spirituality and religion in counselling: Issues and challenges in the Malaysian perspective. In A. Husain, S. Jamaluddin, O. Hashim, S. C. Lau, M. Mohd Nor., & H. Sulaiman (Eds.), Horizons of spiritual psychology (pp.231-247). New Delhi: Global Vision Publishing House;
5. Amit, N., & Aga Mohd Jaladin, R. (2005, 28-29 November 2005). Aspek kompetensi seorang kaunselor pelbagai budaya (multicultural) dalam pengamalan kaunseling di Malaysia [The competency aspect of a multicultural counsellor in the practice of counselling in Malaysia]. Paper presented at the Persidangan Kaunseling Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.

This makes me realize that there is a pressing need for a multicultural focus in the Malaysian counselling profession in Malaysia especially in a journey towards developing our own counselling model - a culture-sensitive model when counselling the Malaysian clients. Don't you agree?