MALAYS IN UNIFORM: THEIR FOOTPRINTS IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY IN CEYLON/SRI LANKA

By TUAN B. KAMISS

Unveiling the Hidden Legacy of a Forgotten Community

This book delves into the fascinating history of Malays in Sri Lanka, a community that has been an integral par

• Language: English
• Publisher: MALAYS IN UNIFORM
• Release date: Jun 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9781068880100

Book preview

APPRECIATION

We are grateful to all contributors to this book for sharing their valuable information, images, and support that make this work a remarkable achievement.

Contents

APPRECIATION

PART I: BACKGROUND OF THE MALAYS’ PROUD ANCESTRY (ORANG JAWA)

Very Early Arrival of Malays in Ceylon

Prelude

How and Why did our Ancestors arrive in Sri Lanka?

Batavia – The Administrative Centre & Central Hub of Commerce

Invitation to the Dutch VOC Authorities by the King of Kandy

Our Ancestors Arrival and Domicile in Sri Lanka (Tiba dan Tinggal)

Colonial Forts/Fortresses and Garrisons

Pictures of some of the Forts that are still intact

Pictures of the Forts that are in a bad state of repair/dilapidated

The domicile of the soldiers & their families

Hand over from Dutch to the British

Our Malay Ancestors Military Service with the British Administration

The First Kandyan War – 1803

The Second Kandyan War – 1815

The Great Rebellion of 1817 – 1818 aka The Uva–Wellasa Uprising

The Matale Rebellion of 1848 aka Rebellion of 1848

The effects of disbanding of the Malay Regiment

Sacrifices & Bravery of the Malays serving in the Armed Forces & Police

A SUMMARY OF THE MALAYS’ BACKGROUND

Martial Arts called Silat or Pencak Silat

Religious Following

Well-known Mosques built by our Ancestors

MAHARA JUMMAH MOSQUE

STORY OF THE MALAY MOSQUE WITHIN THE MAHARA PRISON

FORMATION OF THE MAHARA MALAY GUARD

(Please see under Sri Lanka Prisons)

Malays that Attained Sainthood

The Dwindling Language called the Ceylon Malay

Ethnicity of the Sri Lankan Malays

Our Proud Malay Heritage

Extracts from the Book ‘Early Prints of Ceylon 1800-1900" by R.K. de Silva

"THE JEMIDARS – Ceylon Malay Rifle Corps and Ceylon Sepoy Rifle Corps

THE SERGEANTS – Ceylon Malay Rifle Corps and Ceylon Sepoy Rifle Corps

CORPORAL – Ceylon Malay Rifle Corps

PRIVATE – Ceylon Sepoy Rifle Corps

MALAY WAR HEROES

A SILENT REMEMBRANCE!

The Ceylon Medal 1818

PHOTOS OF MEDALS

Malay recipients of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal and the Efficiency Medal [Ceylon]

Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations

Historical Record: Mudliyar Baba Ibrahim Doole

PART II: CEYLON POLICE / SRI LANKA POLICE Rank Structure / Insignia

Backdrop

A Leaf from the Past!

CONSTABLE SABHAN

MEMORIES!

FROM MY FAMILY HEIRLOOMS!

WEAPONS USED BY MALAYS FOR VARIOUS WARS IN CEYLON

BANIFON HASSIM DOLE

A Picture Frozen in Time!

M.C. MAHAMOOR

BABA RAM DOLE

WPC2 - LEILA PACKEER

TUAN MOHAMED BUHARY MAHAT (TONY)

BABA BAGOOS SOURJAH

B.M.N. JURANGPATHY

TUAN H. JAYAH

TUAN AHMED HARRIN SOURJAH

M.B. RABAN

BABA MAHIL DOLE

HAFEEZ MARSO

MOHAMED WAZIR SOURJAH

M. R. LATIFF

TUAN FAISAL HADJI

NIZAM JAMALDEEN

TUAN FAZAM AMATH

TUAN JUHARA KAMAL RAHIM

BONGSO BROTHERS

TUAM NIZAM MOHOTHAR (Eldest son)

TUAN MUBARAKEEN MOHOTHAR (2nd son)

TUAN NOOR MOHOTHAR (3rd son)

Halaldeen the Scourge of the Thugs

PART III: ROYAL CEYLON AIR FORCE / SRI LANKA AIR FORCE

Brief History

NOOR R. RAHIM, PSC, QFI

TUAN FAROOK BUHAR

TUAN RAJIOON SINGALAXANA

MASS SIRAJUDEEN CASSIERE

TUAN MOHAMED RAJUDEEN MUTHALIF

MOHAMED JAILEN BUCKER

TUAN ZAREER HAJIREEN

MASS NILAM ASMONE

MOHAMED SHABDEEN DAIN

IQBAL PREENA

TUAN H. JUNKEER

T.N. MISKIN

TUAN NOOR RAHIM

FEROZE MISKIN

HAAJI S. SARIFFODEEN

SHIRAZ JALDIN

ALAN MUSTHAFA AHAMED PACKEER

TUAN KIYAS SARAP

THASLIN NAZLY DEEN, RSP

PART IV: ROYAL CEYLON NAVY / SRI LANKA NAVY

A Brief History

SHANTHI BAHAR

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SRI LANKA NAVY (1974-1986)

M. RAFI ABDEEN

TUAN FAROUK HALAL MORSETH

PART V: MALAY REGIMENT / RIFLE REGIMENT/ BRITISH & CEYLON ARMY / SRI LANKA ARMY

RANKS & INSIGNIA

Backdrop

Captain Noordeen of the Malay Regiment

TUAN FALEEL BABANOOR MORSETH

TUAN SAMAYRAAN BUHARY SALLY

B.A. ‘BABA’ SADAR

HAMEEM MEEDIN

TUAN ANWAR DOLE, P.P.N., Justice of Peace

TUAN AZEEZ AMEER

M. RASHID HAMIDON

TUAN FAIZAL ABDEEN

TUAN NAZEER JAYAH

F.R.A.B. (BASHUR) MUSAFER

TUAN MARJAN BOHORAN

TUAN KAMOORZAMAN JAMALON

T. M. FAIZAL HAMEEM

M.Z.R SALLAY

FADYL MEEDIN, RSP

TUAN BAHAR MORSETHRWP RSP USP

Brigadier Tuan Bahar Morseth

SURAJ BANGSAJAYAH

TUAN NIZAM MUTHALIFF, RWP, MI

TUAN RIZLY MEEDIN

TUAN NIZAM RAJA DANE

DILSHAN REZANO SALLAY

MASS MURAD JAYAH

RIZAN HAMIDON

MASS PRESHAN AZMEEN JAYAH

HISHAAM OUSMAN

TWO KAMISS BROTHERS WHO SERVED IN THE ARMY

PART V(A): SRI LANKA CADET CORPS

BABA GAFFOOR NOOR SARIFF’ODEEN

PART VI: COLOMBO FIRE BRIGADE

ORANG MALAYU – THE PIONEER FIRE FIGHTERS OF SRI LANKA

The History & Contribution of the Malay

Community to the Colombo Fire Brigade

A.W. MUSAFER

SABIREEN NASSAR

PART VII: SRI LANKA PRISONS

The Role of Malays in Ceylon Sri Lanka Prisons Department

MAHARA PRISON

Conclusion

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

PART I: BACKGROUND OF THE MALAYS’ PROUD ANCESTRY (ORANG JAWA)

(Noor R. Rahim)

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Very Early Arrival of Malays in Ceylon

It is a known fact that our Ancestral Motherland was Indonesia.



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Prelude

It is a known fact that the migrant Malay fishermen & traders from the Indonesian Archipelago arrived in Ceylon way ahead of the influx of vast known bodies of Malays in later years; which is well before the documented arrival at various stages in later years. These fishermen/traders had landed in the South & South Eastern coasts of Ceylon and hence there is clear proof; as seen by the name of Hambantota (which was earlier called Sampantota) & Samanthurai (which is derived from Sampan Thurai). The popular belief is that the name Hambantota was derived (at the time of the British) as the Sinhalese called the folks Hamba Keranno and hence the name Hambantota.

There is also the story that many of the ancient Kings of Ceylon had Malays as their bodyguards.

It was in the mid-13th century that a Javaka King of Tambralinga Kingdom, CHANDRABHANU SRI DHAMARAJAH invaded Ceylon from the North; with the main purpose of acquiring/ plundering the Buddhist relics in Ceylon. He was repelled (defeated by King Parakrama Bahu II from the Sinhalese Kingdom of Dambadeniya). Chandrabhanu retreated in defeat and secured the Tamil Throne for himself in the Province of Jaffna. He was subsequently defeated by the Pandyan dynasty from Tamil Nadu and met his demise. His son SAVAKANMAIDAN; took over and was to be soon ousted by the Pandyans.

Thambralinga Kingdom comprised parts of Siam; Malaya & Sumatera. After the demise of Chadrabhanu it is said that the Kingdom was lifted up and absorbed by the respective/individual countries themselves. Being a devout Buddhist he is credited with the construction of the Phrae Boromadhatu Stupa in Southern Thailand.



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During the British Regime’s conquest to capture the Kingdom of Kandy a Malay Mercenary Prince SANGUNLO fought for the Sinhala Kings and led a contingent of Sinhala Troops and was killed by the British in Battle. In addition, they apprehended a deserter from the Rifle Regiment named Odeen aka. William O’Deen (a Malay of Ambonese origin; who served as a Drum Major with the Regiment). He was sentenced to death for treason; but given a reprieve and sent to a Penal Colony in Perth, Australia.

The various peoples of the archipelago too converged to this City, and was the practice for each Ethnic Group to create their own Kampongs.

Thus to communicate with each other a common language was automatically created and was known as Bazaar Malay or Bahasa Campuran.

It was very long after that Bahasa Indonesia was created and officially designated

as the Official Language of Indonesia. Hence the Bahasa Campuran that our ancestors brought along was much older than the present day Bahasa Indonesia/Melayu

In the early 17th century the low country of Ceylon was ruled by the Portuguese in a rather iron-fisted and brutal manner – grossly intimidating and ill-treating the indigenous peoples of the land. Their conquest to rule the whole country always ended in dismal failure. Though undocumented there is a possibility that there were mercenary Malay soldiers; particularly of Ambonese origin who served with the Portuguese. The Portuguese were defeated and driven away from the islands by the Dutch.

How and Why did our Ancestors arrive in Sri Lanka?

Before reminiscing into our glorious past it is wished to give the Readers a brief insight into the background of how and why our Ancestors arrived in Sri Lanka and settled down to be now known as the Sri Lankan Malay Community.

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Our history starts off from the time of the Dutch conquest/occupation of the present Indonesian Archipelago.

The present Indonesian Archipelago was invaded and occupied by the Dutch East Indies Company or the Dutch VOC (Veeranigde Oostindishe Compagnie) as they were called (acting on behalf of the Netherlands Government) in the 17th Century. The conquest and occupation of the Archipelago was for the purpose of taking over the lucrative spice trade; which was the most sought after commodity in the European World at that time; similar to what the oil industry is to the world today. The Archipelago was called the DUTCH EAST INDIES.

The best spices came out of the Archipelago; and the finest from the Malukku Islands; of which Ambon is one of its Provinces. The Maluku Islands is also known as the Moluccas or the Spice Islands, lying between Sulawesi and Papua. These Islands were initially under the control of the Portuguese; and the Dutch wrested the control of the Island by defeating them in 1602.

The whole Archipelago consists of 17,500 islands of which 6,000 are inhabited. The islands stretches 2,300 miles from East to West. There are 250 to 300 distinct Cultural Groups; and as many as 700 Languages/Dialects among the Ethnic Groups of the archipelago.



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An Artificial Image of VOC presence in Ceylon

Appended below are some of the major ethnic groups based on an area basis:

Batavia – The Administrative Centre & Central Hub of Commerce

Batavia was founded and established as the central hub of commercial trade; and the principal administrative center of the Dutch East India Company in the Dutch East Indies Archipelago. Now of course it is called the Indonesian Archipelago (Nusantara Indonesia). The name INDONESIA meaning INDIAN ISLANDS was coined by an Englishman named J. R. Logan in 1850. It was derived from the GREEK words INDOS (INDIA) and NESOS (ISLAND). A German Geographer named Adolf Bastian used this as a title to his book INDONESIEN in 1884; and in 1928 the Nationalist Movement called The Congress of Young People adopted it as the name for their Hoped for Future Nation. Furthermore they drafted the famous Sumpah Pemuda (Young People’s Vow) declaring Bahasa Indonesia as The Language of National Unity.

Batavia is the Latin word for Holland; which replaced the indigenous name of Jayakarta; as it was called, before the Dutch conquest of the Indonesian Archipelago.

Due to Batavia being the Central Hub of Commercial activities in the whole area, in and around the Archipelago, it naturally became a very busy meeting place of all the various peoples in the Dutch East Indies and its surrounding countries.

It so happened that the peoples that converged into Batavia lived in Kampongs in and around the capital city of Batavia; keeping well within their own ethnic groups. For the purpose of communication they very unintentionally and through necessity created a Bahasa Campuran (Mixed Language) or Melayu Bazaar (Bazaar Malay or Market Malay). I believe this is the fore runner to Bahasa Indonesia, which encompasses words from the various dialects and languages that abound in the Archipelago; as well as Languages of other Nations that came to trade in this key City.

Invitation to the Dutch VOC Authorities by the King of Kandy

History has it that in the early 17th century, Sri Lanka was partly ruled by the Portuguese and was constantly battling the Sinhala Kingdom. Although the Portuguese dominated the low country (mainly the coastal areas) they were nowhere close to conquering the Kandyan Kingdom. Their rule of the low country was rather very iron fisted, ruthless and oppressive to the local populace of those areas, controlled by them. Hence the Sinhalese King Rajasinghe II (the King of Kandy) invited the Dutch to help defeat and get rid of the Portuguese; under the Kandyan Treaty of 1638. The Dutch grabbed this opportunity as Sri Lanka could give them control of the Spice Route (Sea Route) in their sought after quest to control the seaway from West to East.

Our Ancestors Arrival and Domicile in Sri Lanka (Tiba dan Tinggal)

Well over 95% of our Ancestors arrived in Sailan (Sri Lanka), or ZEYLAN (as the Dutch called the Island), from Batavia (presently called Jakarta), with the Dutch Troops (1640 - 1796).

It is a known fact that our Malay Ancestors arrived in Sailan (now Sri Lanka) with the Dutch VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, VOC, United East India Company) in the year 1640. Most of them as part of the Dutch Army that overthrew and got rid of the Portuguese from the Island. This resulted/enabled the Dutch to keep the so called and very important SPICE ROUTE (Sea Route) connecting the seaway from West to the East for their own dominance and International trade purposes.



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(Above: An Artificial Image of Malays being recruited and sent from Batavia to Colombo) (Below: Image of a Malay Kampong during the British period)



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It was in the year 1658 that the Dutch Authorities in the Dutch East Indies decided to make Sailan a place for their exiles, comprising of dissident Royalty and Politicians; their retinues; supporters and other dissidents that they deemed were a threat to their security. In this article only those exiles that have left or created known and recognized and documented achievements are mentioned.

In addition to their fighting prowess, loyalty and dedication, our ancestors brought along with them, their own Language; Traditions & Customs; Culinary Prowess; Forms of Recreational Activities (inclusive of sports & martial arts); Arts & Craft; and their easy going way of life. There were many Malays who attained Sainthood and are enshrined in Sri Lanka.

Colonial Forts/Fortresses and Garrisons

Having wrested control of the Island from the Portuguese, the Dutch soon occupied the Forts, Fortresses and Garrisons that were captured. These establishments were further fortified and improved upon and covered the coastal regions of the island. Most of these fortifications have now been destroyed, neglected and left to ruin except the ones in Galle, Matara, Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa which remain in good condition; and are currently tourist attractions.

The British inherited and took control of these Forts that were built by the Portuguese/Dutch, on the Dutch hand-over of the Island to the British. In addition they created and manned many Garrisons in and around the Island. The only Fort they built was in Matale; which was named after Major-General Hay McDowell, called Fort MacDowell, which is now totally destroyed. Only the cemetery remains as a landmark. They also constructed an observation tower in Hambantota at an outpost that was earlier manned by the Dutch Forces. The observation post served as a lookout post for the observation of the Sea Route from West to East and defence of the coastal area in the south of the Island. This Observation Post is also no longer in existence

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(Map showing the Forts ringing the Island of Sri Lanka during Colonial Rule)

Pictures of some of the Forts that are still intact

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Galle Fort

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Batticaloa Fort



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Jaffna Fort

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Hammenheil Fort

Trincomalee Fort Frederick



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Star Fort Matara

Pictures of the Forts that are in a bad state of repair/dilapidated

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Mannar Fort Kalpitiya Fort

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Negombo Fort Remains of a Fort in Kayts

The domicile of the soldiers & their families

It was all but natural for the families of the soldiers to live with them at the Forts, Fortresses,

and Garrisons; or near its vicinity. They either brought their spouses from back home or some even inter-married from the local populace; especially womenfolk that followed the Islamic faith. If one should have the opportunity to visit these places, one will still find the progeny of the soldiers in these areas. Albeit, they are in most instances unrecognizable as Malays; as they have blended with the local populace. Not unless they tell you that they are Malays will you be able to recognize them as such. They have almost totally lost their identity and their language – even their features so to say.

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These Malay soldiers (most of them) followed the Islamic Faith and are credited with having built places of worship near the Forts or Garrisons that they served in. Only a very few of these Places of Worship remain, and are recognized. These mosques (that remain and are well recognized) are covered later on in this book. There may be many more; especially near the neighborhood of the garrisons and Forts that may have existed during their time. However, there are no established information as such.

Artificial Image of Hambantota Sea Coast

Hand over from Dutch to the British

The Dutch ceded/handed over control of Sailan (Ceylon) to the British HEIC (Honorable East Indies Company) in 1796, under the DeWitt Agreement (Also