Will the Malays be discarded again?

By Saybhan Samat

(December 16, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Election fever is running wild, with the presidential election scheduled for January 26th. After that, the parliamentary election will be held, these elections will run more wild than the present presidential election underscoring that democracy is very much alive in our island. One community which has unstintingly contributed to the development and welfare of this country which had stalwarts like T.B. Jayah, Justice Akbar, PC Saban who captured Sardiel, and saints who reached the ultimate in spiritual heights like Tuan Bagoos Krawan Balankaya, Tuan Panghera and Tuan Tengu Hussein has been marginalized in the political process. No Malay has made the national list of any political party and Malays themselves do not appear as candates in any elections on account of the paucity of their numbers.

So as in the recent pass there will be no Malay representative in parliament and they will once again descend to their torpor of resignation. The Malays themselves are unaware of their proud past heritage. In the latter part of the 13th century a Javanese Kingdom was established in the north of Sri Lanka for 50years-remembered by place names as Jaffna or Java Patanam, Chavakachcheri and Chavankottai, Javanese trading vessels called on Sampan Tota (Hambantota) on their way to Madagascar and the African coast. In addition a name such as Jawatte, Ja-ela, Java Lane, Malay Street and Cassimgama underscores the presence of Malays in the island. The Malays have contributed extensively to encourage local arts and crafts, as in batik making, rattan work and in the preparation of delicacies such as nasi goreng, wattalapam, kalu dodol and Malay pickle. Also words like rambuttan, durian, annasi, papol are terms which originated from Indonesia.

In the 18th century the Malay soldiers served under the Dutch and later under the British when the Malay regiment had the proved distinction of being the first Asiatic Regiment to be awarded the King’s colours. When in 1873 the regiment was disbanded, the men found employment in other military units, police and prison services, the Colombo Fire Brigade, the estates and the salterns .

In the next three decades the Malays reached their peak forming 75% of the Police Force 90% of the Prisons services 100% of the Colombo Fire Brigade and good many of them worked at the Hambantota Salterns and the estates.

The early Malays showed remarkable religious zeal as evinced by the land marks of shrines they left behind. It is believed that if the Malays follow the pious standards set of their fore fathers they may once again achieve their past glory. Sadly, the Malays have inclined to Western culture and lost their culture, religion and heritage in addition to being marginalized politically. The Moors have lumped them into the Muslim community forcing them to lose their Malay identity. More and more Malay girls in the recent past have married outside their community. The mother tongue of the Malays, Bahsa Melayu, spoken for over 250 years, since the original exiles came here with their wives from Malaysia and Indonesia in the 18th century is in danger of disuse, although a few Malays are conducting language classes in collaboration with the Malaysian Embassy in Colombo. Very few attend these classes due to there being no incentives.

In recent years Sri Lankan Malays have been confronted with a new problem which will have the effect of breaking up Malay society into 3 different distinct sections and this is a problem brought about by the implementation of the government policy with regard to the medium of instruction in schools. This will eventually result in the growth of different sections of Malays, English speaking Malays, Sinhalese speaking Malays and Tamil speaking Malays, with little or no social life with, one another aggravating the existing problems within this community.

Efforts to emigrate to Malaysia and Indonesia have failed. The embassies of both countries give bland and ridiculous explanations on why they cannot permit Sri Lankan Malays to go to their land of origin. Embassy officials are not helpful at all and they are totally indifferent to the plight of the Malays of the island.

In the recently concluded ethnic war 22 Malays gave their lives and 6 were missing in action. If a comparison is made with the number of Sinhalese dead according to the population ratio of Sinhalese and Malays more Malays have given their lives than Sinhalese.

There is no doubt that the Malays have contributed so much for this country without causing any problem to any government that was in power. They have been patriotic, hard-working, loyal, law-abiding and honest citizens throughout the history of their residents in this island. It is only fair that the government recognizes their contribution and extend Malay representation in parliament from where the representative can focus on their grievances and seek relief and alleviation from discriminations and other he other innumerable problems that they have long suffered. This will be a gesture of gratitude by the government for the contribution that the Malays have made to the Sri Lankan ethos.

The Malays have had nominated representatives in parliament during the regime of Mr. S.W.R.D Bandaranaike when Dr. M.P Drahman and Zahir Lye represented the Malays.

It is an opportune time now in the season of elections, for the Malays to band together and demand of the President that he nominate a suitable Malay in the national list to parliament. The demand could also be made to the opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka too. Malays must arise from their lethargy and torpor and become active like the Malays of the past and regain their glory. The first step is to take their religion Islam seriously and sincerely practice it, success will surely follow if their efforts are sincere. Their fore fathers achieved their bravery, courage, honour, dignity and success by the practice of Islam. The shrines of Malay saints which abound in this island is evidence of Malay piety and success. Awake oh! Malay brothers and sisters!

-Sri Lanka Guardian