Uthaya Sankar SB

It is always good and useful to know where we came from. We are now a nation: Malaysian. But it would never hurt to know how and where our great grandparents came from. Besides, how can we be proud of ourselves if we don't know our history. Below are notes compiled by Uthaya Sankar SB from various resource to help us understand, respect and accept the differences we share. Now, that is the beauty of Malaysia!

Parameswara, the founder of Melaka, was actually a pirate (lanun) from Palembang, Sumatra. According to C. Mary Turnbull in A Short History of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Parameswara ran away from Palembang when attacked by Majapahit and came to Temasik (Singapore). He fled when Siam army attacked. He came to Muar and then Melaka; and started a new setlement. “Melaka” originated from the Arab word “malakat” which means “market”.

History proves that Malays in Malaya actually came from a place called Malayu near Jambi, Sumatra. They came to Malaya and settled down. So, the “Kaum Melayu” and “Bahasa Melayu” that we have are actually from east Sumatra.

Dr Hassan Ahmad berpendapat, orang Melayu-Sumatera yang datang ke Semenanjung Tanah Melayu untuk menginap di situ sebenarnya berpindah ke kawasan tamadun yang sama, bukan sebagai orang asing, walaupun mereka boleh jadi dianggap sebagai orang dagang, tetapi bukan sebagai pendatang atau imigran di Tanah Melayu. Karya agung Melayu, Sulalat al-Salatin atau Sejarah Melayu (1612) mengungkapkan konsep ini, secara simbolik, dengan mengulangi tradisi bahawa raja-raja Melayu baik di Melaka atau di tempat-tempat lain di kawasan yang sama, berasal dari Bukit (Gunung) Seguntang Mahameru di Sumatera. BACA LAGI

The aboriginal people of this country are the Senoi (Semai, Temiar, Che Wong, Jah-hut, Semoq Beri and Mahmeri), the Melayu Asli (Temuan, Semelai, Jakun, Orang Kanaq, Orang Kuala and Orang Seletar) and the Semang (Kensiu, Kintaq, Jahai, Lanoh, Bateq and Mendriq).

The indigenous people of Sarawak are the Lugat, Murut, Kalabit, Tagal, Penan, Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Bukitan, Bisayah, Punoh, Tabun, Ukit, Berawan, Dusun, Kajang, Lisum, Melanau, Sian and Kadayan. In Sabah, the majority of the indigenous people are the Kadazan and Bajau.

Asal-usul Istilah "Melayu" - Istilah Melayu adalah merujuk kepada nama bahasa dan bangsa. Walaupun istilah Melayu telah wujud sejak abad ketujuh tetapi ia cuma sebagai nama sebuah tempat atau kerajaan yang terletak di Jambi sekarang ini. Untuk mengetahui asal usul istilah Melayu kita perlulah mengetahui asal usul bangsa Melayu itu sendiri yang menuturkan bahasa berkenaan.

Asal-usul Istilah "Bahasa Melayu" - Asal usul perkataan Melayu masih belum dapat disahkan oleh sejarawan. Bagaimanapun terdapat beberapa bukti sejarah yang cuba mengaitkan asal-usul bahasa Melayu.

Asal-usul "Bangsa Melayu" - Pandangan pertama menyatakan bahawa bangsa Melayu berasal dari utara (Asia Tengah) dan pandangan kedua menyatakan bahawa bangsa Melayu memang sudah sedia ada di Kepulauan Melayu atau Nusantara.

According to history, Chinese and Indians came to Malaya long before the Malays themselves. But they came as traders and did not intend to settle in Malaya. Early history shows this fact. Most famous early settlements in South East Asia are Chinese and/or Indian based. Funan, Sriwijaya, Tun-Sun (Terengganu), Chih-Tu (Kelantan) and Kadaram (Kedah) are among them.

Some of the Chinese and Indian traders married local people and settled in Malaya. That is where we get the Baba-Nyonya and Indian-Cetti people. Diplomatic relation was also very obvious between Malaya (Kesultanan Melaka) and China. Not to forget about Puteri Hang Li Po.

Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism was also brought to Malaya by Indian traders. Some believe that Islam was brought to Malaya from China.

This shows that Chinese and Indians were already here in Malaya before the Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Indeed, the westeners started coming to South East Asia after getting to know about this place from Chinese, Indian and Arab traders. South East Asia was well known for spice which was in high demand among the westeners.

Chinese came to Malaya as traders in 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century. They settled in Penang and Singapore; Lukut and Sungai Ujung which are well known for tin mines. In Perak, Long Jaafar brought Chinese miners in mid 19^th centry to work in Larut.

These Chinese were willing to leave China because of the unstable political situation in China. The Ching government was also corrupt. Natural disasters like flood and drought was also among the reasons. Most of the people came to Malaya from Hokkien and Kwangtung (South China)

Anyway, these Chinese who came to Malaya did not plan to stay here. They thought of going bak to China after they earn enough money for their family. But in 1930’s, even though many went back to China during the world economic problem, many Chinese decided to stay and make Malaya their ‘home’. Furthermore, Chinese women also started coming to Malaya. So, the Chinese could start a family in Malaya.

Methods of entry by the Chinese to Malaya: Credit Ticket System; Personnel Recruiting System; Kongsi House Recruiting System; Individual Arrangements; and In Groups.

Before 19^th century, Indians came to Malaya as traders. They were treated as “royal traders” by the local. When India was under British rule, Indian prisoners were sent to Malaya. According to Mahdi Shuid and Mohd Fauzi Yunus in Malaysian Studies, these Indian prisoners were used to construct buildings, roads and bridges in Malaya.

In 1980’s, the British brought Indian labours to work in sugarcane plantations in Seberang Prai.They were cheap labourers and easy to recruit.

Most of these Indian labourers came from South India; 80% of them Tamilian from Tamil Nadu. There were also Telegu people from Andra Pradesh. But since all the people from South India were gathered in Nagapattanam, Tamil Nadu before coming to Malaya, we tend to call them all as "Tamilians'.

British also brought white collar workers from Kerala and Ceylon. They worked as clerks, hospital assistants, railroad station masters and as mandoors. These Malayalees and Ceylonese are English educated. They have been warned and advised by the British not to be close with the labourers.

As for the Punjabis from Punjab (North India), they joined the army and handled the bullock-cart services in Malaya. Since they came to Malaya from a port in Bengal, we ended up calling them "Benggali" even though they are actually "Punjabis"!

The Indians were willing to leave India and come to Malaya mainly because of the caste system practised in India. According to the caste system, a person in the low caste can never improve his status in the society.

Other reasons are: increase of population but not enough food; no job; drought (kemarau); land tax (lagaan) imposed by the British; and because Indians believed that Malaya or Suwarnabumi (“Semenanjung Emas”) was a far more better place.

Methods of entry by the Indians to Malaya: Contract Labour System; Kangani System; and Individual Arrangements.

P/S: please find your own notes about methods of entry by the Chinese and Indians to Malaya before 1930.