CHALLENGING MASCULINE IDEOLOGY: WOMEN AND SAKA IN MALAY HORROR FILMS

Malay society perceives Saka as a type of spirit (jinn) that is passed down from one generation to another either directly or indirectly. Saka is used for several reasons such as to protect the family or help them do heavy work. Blood relation is crucial as Saka is usually matrilineally passed down from a female elderly to the younger female member of the family. Various studies have been done on the female character in horror films in Malaysia; however, there is an apparent dearth in studies on the relationship between Saka and Women. Hence, this paper will examine women characters and Saka in two horror films in Malaysia namely Suhaimi Baba’s Waris Jari Hantu (2007) and Ahmad Idham’s Senjakala (2011). Using textual analysis, this study applies Julia Kristeva’s theorisation of Abjection within feminist psychoanalytic paradigm as its theoretical framework to excavate the meaning and ideology of these films.