Pursuing Home Economics through Traditional Islamic Sports: The Case of Kite Sports in Malaysia

Abstract

It is evident that sports products serve not merely as a means of physical exercise, but also as an emblem of the latent potential inherent in home economics, which can be actualized through the enactment of government policies pertaining to sports. One of the sports policies in Malaysia is the Guidelines for Sport According to Islamic Perspectives. Although the sports policy based on Islamic perspectives has been introduced in Malaysia, its true potential in empowering home economics through traditional sports products remains largely unexplored. This paper therefore examines how sports-related Islamic principles, such as goodwill, unity and harmony, can drive home economic growth through sports products, including production, marketing, innovation and design. This study uses a qualitative approach to explore the potential of wau (traditional kite sports) for home economic empowerment. The data collected consists of two main sources: printed materials and first-hand experiences of individuals actively involved in the wau sector. Accordingly, this paper has selected the traditional sports practiced by the Malay community in Malaysia as the subject of its investigation. Compliance with the aforementioned policy, namely the Guidelines for Sports According to Islamic Perspectives, can enhance competitiveness and increase income within the home economic sector. Indeed, the government's support, in the form of encouragement, recognition and technical training, provides traditional sports product operators with the opportunity to meet the demands of the local market, as well as to produce new sports products. It can therefore be argued that the Sports Guidelines According to the Islamic Perspective represents a significant driving force in the strengthening of the potential of home economics, particularly in the context of the traditional sports products industry