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The Malay LessonJanaka YagiralaThe Malay people came to Sri Lanka during the British colonial rule mainly as soldiers under the British Army. When they came they usually came with their families, hence soon became a sizable minority within Sri Lanka settling predominantly in Colombo and Hambantota. They had their own ethnic identity, language (Bahasa Malayu), culture, cuisine and professed the religion of Islam. Once the British left, the Malay people adapted to the changing environment. Today they are an integral part of our society and loyal citizens to the motherland. Among them are famous singers like Haroon Lanthra and G.S.B Rani Perera and valiant soldiers like Tuan Muthalif and Rizvi Medin who paid the ultimate sacrifice to our motherland thanks to the treachery of Millennium City. Most Malays fluently speak Bahasa Maleyu, when their brethren of South Africa, the Cape Malays took up the Afrikaan vernacular. It is most commendable since it is not an official language in Sri Lanka and that a majority have their school education in Sinhalese. The Malays were very lucky to not have diabolic dreamers like Pommambalam, Sundaralingam, Amiththalingam and Chelvanagam whose hallucinatory visions of secession eventually became a nightmare to their own people (and all of our country) in the form of butcher Praba. Instead, they integrated into mainstream Sinhalese society while preserving their ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious identity. It is this lesson of integration that other minorities of Sri Lanka should learn from. |
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