NDIAN “PENDATANG”, CHINESE “PENDATANG”, MALAYS ?????

Ahmad Ismail’s, an UMNO stalwart from Penang, “outburst” during the recent Permatang Pauh election caught many, especially the Chinese community, by surprise. He was said to touch on the sensitivities of the Chinese and Indian communities by simply saying that the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia today are “pendatang”. (Whatever his political connotation is, we leave it as it is as this article has no political motives whatsoever). His remark has prompted Najib Tun Razak to formally apologise to the Chinese and Indian communities and urged Ahmad Ismail to do the same. MCA president, Ong Ka Ting, applauded Najib’s “political” gesture and thanked him for the apology.

Let us read history in its proper context.

Due to its geographical nature, The Malay Archipelago comprises of various big and small islands, isles and islets ranging westward from Madagascar Island, East of Africa to the Polynesian isles in the Pasific and include Taiwan, Hainan Island and parts of Vietnam and Cambodia in the north and even New Zealand in the south.

The historically well-known Parameswara who fled to Kota Singa (now Singapore) and then established the Sultanate of Malacca, was a descendant of the Palembang sultanate and this made the hosts of Malacca sultans after him were his descendants. Parameswara leaved with him hosts of other descendants whom later established a number of sultanates in Peninsula Malaysia. The Perak Sultanate was established by DYMM Sultan Muzaffar Syah, the eldest prince of Sultan Mahmud Syah, the last sultan of Malacca.
The Johor Sultanate was developed when Sultan Mahmud Shah (Sultan of Malacca in exile and the first Sultan of Johor-Riau-Lingga) fled to Bentan and later to Kampar, Sumatra during the Portuguese bombardment of Malacca. When he died, his son Sultan Allauddin Riayat Shah was proclaimed the second Sultan of Johor. (The current Johor Sultanate is not descendants from the Johor-Riau-Lingga sultanate).

It was also historically mentioned that Parameswara’s earlier descendents goes back to Sang Nila Utama and Wan Empuk/Ratu Chendera Puri (the fist Malay-Singapura Sultanate rulers circa 1160-1208) to Raja Suran of a Ceylonese Dynasty to Raja Iskandar Zulkarnain (Alexander the Great) of the Greek Macedonia.

Origins of the Kedah Sultanate is full of legends and myths and mainly from verbal sources. It was said that the Kedah Sultanate had very close relationship with Raja of Rum (Turkish), Raja of Parsi (Persia/Iran), the Moghul Sultanate in India and the Maurya Dynasty also of India and the Siamese dynasties. Phra Ong Mahawangsa, a Hindu-Bhuddist seventh ruler of Old Kedah later converted into Islam and adopted the title Seri Paduka Maharaja Derba Raja and was later known as Sultan Muzaffar Shah. In the context of the Malay Sultanates, he was recognized as the first Kedah Malay Sultan to rule under the Islamic government banner. This was said to happened during the late 11th or early 12th century.

According to historical sources from China, Kelantan was once ruled by one Maharaja Ku-ma-r during the 15th century. It’s not known the origin of Raja Ku-ma-r. According to Siamese historical sources, Kelantan was ruled by Raja Seri Dewa circa 1493. His origin was not established. Local sources indicated that when Kelantan was attacked by Malacca, Sultan Mansur Shah, the then sultan of Kelantan, retreated to Pattani.

The Syed Jamalullail family of Perlis was said to originate from Palembang. Syed Harun Jamalullail was appointed the Penghulu of Mukim Arau by the then Sultan of Kedah and later his son, Syed Harun was proclaimed Raja of Perlis.

Raja Lumu was the first ruler to use the title Tuanku Sultan of Selangor in 1766. Raja Lumu, the son of Daeng Celak the Yamtuan Muda of Johor, and his brother are decendants of Opu Trendiburang Daeng Rilaka, Raja of the Land of the Bugis, came all the way from Land of the Bugis, Celebes Island to Tanah Melayu.

It is a well known fact that the Negeri Sembilan royal families are descendants of Minangkabau sultanate in Pagaruyung, Sumatera and so do all of the Minangkabaus in Malaysia.

The earliest known Chinese settlers in Tanah Melayu was those Chinese whom accompanied Princess Hang Li Po to Malacca. The Babas and Nyonyas are all said to be descendants of Hang Li Po and her followers.

The earliest known Indian settlement in Tanah Melayu was also during the Malacca Sultanante. Indian tradesmen, mainly of the Ceti origin, came to Malacca and started the Ceti Peranakan through marriage with locals and made their headway into the royal court of the Sultanate; one such example was the aristocrat Seri Nara Diraja who held a dignified position in the royal court of the Malacca sultanate.

Let us now examine some of the contemporary Malay sub-ethnic groupings :

The Malay communities in Malaysia today are formed from the various sub-ethnic groups from every corners of the Malay Archipelago that had migrated to Tanah Melayu since hundreds of years ago; this include the Achehs (North Sumatera), Minangkabaus (Western Sumatera), Mandailings (North Sumatera), Bengkulus (Bengkulu Island off Sumatera), Rawas (Rawa Island), Palembang (South Sumatera), Lampungs (Jawa Island), Jawa (Java Island), Sunda (Sunda Island/Straits), Bugis (South Sulawesi, Celebes Island), Banjars (South Kalimantan), Sulus (Isle of Sulu), Minahasas/Menados (Manado, North Sulawesi), Pattani (Southern Thailand), Cham (Kingdom of Champa, Central Vietnam/East of Cambodia), There are also a small number of Flores (Isle of Flores), Lomboks (Isle of Lombok), Sumbas (Isle of Sumba), and Malukus (Isle of Molucas).

Jawa : a well-known Malay ethnic from Java Island.

Bugis : originated from Land of the Bugis, South Sulawesi, Celebes Island. The Bugis are mainly traders; they traveled all over the Malay Archipelago to trade. Bugis settlement can be found largely in Selangor and Johore.

Bawean (pronounce Boyan) : came from Bawean Isle and can be found all over West Malaysia, especially city centres such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bharu, Malacca and Seremban including Singapore. It is not known when Baweanese first came to Tanah Melayu but a population census in 1849 indicated substantial settlements of Baweanese existed in Singapore and the Straits Settlement.

Jawi Peranakan : Malay ethnic of Indian origin; mainly male traders migrated from South India to Penang Island and married local Malay women. Their offsprings are known as Jawi Peranakan. The “Maricans” are one example of Jawi Peranakan; for instance Tan Sri Hassan Marican, President & CEO of Petronas.

Mandailing : sub-ethnic of the Batak clan evolved in Northern Sumatra. Migrated to Tanah Melayu circa 1820’s to study Islamic religion. Can be found in Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Penang. Those Malay names ending with Nasution, Lubis, and Siregar are of Mandailing origin.

Patani : located in Southern Thailand was once ruled by the Malay Patani Sultanate consisting of Patani Dynasty and Kelantan Dynasty during the mid 15th century. Both these dynasties among them had at least 16 known sultans and sultanahs ruled Patani between the 15th century right up to the 19th century when the Siamese rulers “took over” the sovereignty and administration of the Patani sultanate. The Patani settlement’s main concentration is in Kelantan and small numbers can also be found in North Perak, Perlis and Kedah. The “latest wave” of Patani “migration” into Peninsula Malaysia occurred most recently thr000ough the opening up of “tom yam” eateries all over the country.

Banjar : originated from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The Banjars first known wave of migration to other parts of the Malay Archipelago including Tanah Melayu was during the 1850’s when conflicts between ruling dynasties and the Dutch came to its apex. Their settlement can be found all over Malaysian largely in Perak and Sabah.

Other Malay sub-ethnic groups known are Orang Kampar (from orginating from Kampar, Western Sulatera) and Orang Rawa (originating from Pulau Rawa off Sumatera). Both are closely related to Minangkabaus and their spoken dialects are similar to that of the Minangkabaus.

It is interesting to note that one Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar Dato’ Hussein Mohamed Taib, who was a chief administrator in the Pahang Civil Service as well as a court officer in the Pahang Sultanate is a descendant of the Bugis-Johor aristocrat family that migrated to Pahang in the 18th century. His son, Abdul Razak Hussein was the 2nd Prime Minister of Malaysia and his grandson, Najib Tun Razak is the current Deputy Premier.

All in all, the issue here is that the Chinese are definitely “pendatang”, the Indians are also definitely “pendatang” as well as most Malays in Malaysia are also definitely “pendatang” within the historical context. What is there for us to shout about. Najib in the first place should not offer any apology as he is also a descendant of “pendatang” and Ahmad Ismail has reaffirmed his stance that what transpired in Permatang Pauh was based on historical facts. It is a historical fact that we are all indeed “pendatang” to this holy and sacred land.

What’s more important for us all “pendatang” is to forge close cooperation in the spirit of merdeka and look ahead to better ourselves and together develop this nation despite our differences in our very own “pendatang” characteristics.

Sources : Ensaiklopedia Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu, DBP.