An afternoon of Malaysians in Sydney in Support of the Anti-ISA Candle Light Vigil
We participated on the 1 Aug 10 Candle Light Vigil in our own way, some 7000 km away from the homeland. This was like the good old days when race was not an issue and good fellowship between human beings were bonded by the love of good Malaysian food and the country of our birth.
We participated on the 1 Aug 10 Candle Light Vigil in our own way, some 7000 km away from the homeland. Two Malay families and their young children, 3 families of Chinese Malaysian and Singaporean ethnicity had lunch together from 1 – 6pm, the whole pleasant sunny Spring-like afternoon of about 22 deg C. We had great halal Cong Lo mee, fish & veg curry with roti canai, prawn curry cooked Malay style, BBQ duck, prawn wonton, fish balls, plenty of cakes, fruit juice, light wine and Malaysian coffee. This was like the good old days when race was not an issue and good fellowship between human beings were bonded by the love of good Malaysian food and the country of our birth (not withstanding the Singaporeans – they like our food too).
We talked about the activities of the children, the politics in Australia, the afternoon Aussie football, the high cost of living, the best Malaysian restaurants here and speed fines that we have contributed to the Sydney state government consolidated revenue. Interspersed in the conversation for the whole afternoon, we talked about Malaysia – ISA, Chin Peng, the difficulty of Malay kids adapting to Malaysia on returning, just as the Chinese kids face as well and other current Malaysian issues.
In the conversation, a fascinating story came out from the Malay lady in this lunch date. From her personal research from her relatives and their ancestry line, she found that the Malay, Chinese, Indian in Malaysia have a lot more linkage in their bloodline than we ever thought it had been since the early days of the Indian presence and influence in Sumatra coastlines, parallel and so close to Malaysia, and the Chinese arrivals during the period of great Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho) to the Straits of Malacca and the world, long before Columbus’ time, in search of the magic youth herb for Shih Huang Ti 221 BC, as we deduced. Her great great parents were half Chinese. So the question she asks is, ”Who is a Malay?”
Her findings appear to say that there is a lot of inter-racial marriages than most would like to admit and the Malay ancestry is a lot more mixed than first thought, although many historians already have these facts but are not widely known in Malaysia. Her fascinating research is being put onto paper and hopefully it will be published in the near future. Her efforts are more for her family members and to be able to pass down to her children so that they know where their roots are from. The Malays are more related to the Chinese and Indians than most would know or would ever find out.
We were never far away from the Candle Light Vigil as the candle was burning the whole afternoon. We had a great afternoon; genuine fellowship and conversation without a minute of boredom. We would like to think that most Malaysians in Australia would share the same thoughts on ISA detainees and the Candle Light Vigil on 1 Aug in their own way, as we did. Even if they did not, at least we knew that there were 5 families of different ethnic backgrounds who got together to have a great time and to also stand with the Malaysians all over the world to abolish the ISA on this Day.
We had it easy today compared to all in Malaysia and UK doing the Candle Light Vigil. As I am preparing this report, I am aware of the police sledge hammer approaching the vigil by blocking participants to the vigil sites and the much-hated jailing of some just trying to express their love for the country. We stand united with you to free Malaysia from ISA that has set back the nation for far too long. Stay strong.
Malaysia Interest Group Sydney, 1 Aug 10, 10pm (Malaysian time)
