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This article is a discussion of the treatment of Malay names in AACR2R (AngloAmerican Cataloguing Rules, 1988), together with the proposals put forward by the Malaysian National Committee on Cataloguing and Classification with regard to changes in the rules and the current practices adopted by major libraries in Malaysia. Second, I will describe some of the sources to which cataloguers may refer when deciding on the form of Malay name for a catalogue entry. In addition, the adequacy of such sources as name authority control tools is addressed briefly.
The Malay name: entry elements
Malay names are the direct antithesis of Western names. Western norms cannot be applied to Malay names. For one thing, Malay names usually do not carry a surname. To enter a Malay author's name under the last element of the name would generally be wrong. For example, in the case of Abdul Aziz Deraman, Abdul Aziz is the given name and Deraman is the father's name. The problem, however, is that Deraman does not carry a "surname" function as found in a Western surname context. The offspring of Abdul Aziz Deraman will carry the name of Abdul Aziz instead of Deraman. The son of Abdul Aziz, Othman, will thus be named Othman Abdul Aziz instead of Othman Deraman. This situation also applies to sons of Othman, who will carry the name of Othman instead of Abdul Aziz. This point illustrates that there is no perpetuity in Malay last names.
Malay female names are treated similarly. Asmah Haji Omar will always remain as such, even after marriage. Asmah is the given name, Omar is the father's name, while Haji is the father's acquired religious title. When Asmah marries, she does not assume her husband's name. She will always remain as Asmah Haji Omar. To refer to her as Mrs Omar is grossly misleading. The term "Puan" or "Mrs" Asmah Haji Omar is used with her name, which will immediately convey the message to Malaysian minds that the name belongs to a "married" lady whose name is Asmah Haji Omar but who is not the wife of Haji Omar! Similarly "Cik" or "Miss" Asmah Haji Omar refers to an unmarried woman whose name is Asmah Haji Omar.
In other words, Malay...