Malays in Singapore

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The Malays in Singapore (Malay : Orang Melayu Singapura) constitute 13.9% of the country's population.

Contents

[edit] Origin and identity

The Malays in Singapore are largely of mixed descent. The local Malays, originally from the aboriginal Orang Laut and other coastal Malay groups from the Malay Peninsula or Riau Archipelago, have largely intermarried with non-Malays. Intermarriages prior to the British colonial period were largely restricted to people from maritime Southeast Asia, notably the Javanese, Boyanese, Minangkabau and Bugis, as well as some Chinese and Indian traders. Such intermarriages become more widely practised during and after the British colonial period (particularly after World War II), and they were between the Arabs, and to a much lesser extent, the Europeans and Thais. More recently, some Malays have taken Filipino spouses, partly perhaps, due to the the fact that they are closely related to the Malays.

Such intermarriages were made possible mainly in two ways; firstly, marrying a Malay Muslim individual simply requires the other party to be a Muslim or to convert to Islam (a relatively simple process as it does not involve any elaborate rites). Secondly, the Malays traditionally stress religious as opposed to racial affiliation between individuals, although acceptance and adoption of the Malay language and culture is viewed much more favorably.

Many modern Malay Singaporeans strongly identify with their Malay ancestry, and tend to understate whatever other ancestry the individual himself may have. This is evidenced in their speech, customs, language, and self-identity, although Malays may incorporate elements of foreign culture into Malay culture, especially Arab and Indian.

Linguistically, most Malays in Singapore speak the Johore-Riau variant of Malay similar to that spoken in Malaysia rather than that of Indonesia. English is also widely spoken. Some Malay Muslims may also learn a little bit of Arabic in their Islamic religious classes.

[edit] Religion

The majority of Malays in Singapore are Sunni Muslims belonging to the Shāfi‘ī (شافعي) sect. Most are practising believers who adhere to Islamic principles. A small community of Malay Christians also exist in Singapore.

The government has strongly discouraged the publication of the Christian bible in Malay, and strongly discourages missionaries from attempts to convert the local Malay populace. Such missionaries are especially concentrated on more unorthodox Protestant sects, notably Charismatic and Baptist, who are noted for their zealous attempts to convert non-Christians. So far, the Christian missionaries have not made a significant dent in a strong Muslim society.

Malay Muslim men attend Friday prayers at the communal mosque every week. Malay Muslims observe Ramadan yearly, which involves fasting during the daytime for a month before the Muslim month of Syawal during which they celebrate Hari Raya Puasa or Eid ul-Fitr.

[edit] Culture

The majority of Malays in Singapore generally share a similar culture with those in Peninsula Malaysia.

[edit] Status of Malays in Singapore

Although many Malays in Singapore are generally of mixed descent, they are still recognised as indigenous people of Singapore by the Singapore Constitution, Part XIII, General Provisions, Minorities and special position of Malays, section 152:

The Government shall exercise its functions in such manner as to recognise the special position of the Malays, who are the indigenous people of Singapore, and accordingly it shall be the responsibility of the Government to protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote their political, educational, religious, economic, social and cultural interests and the Malay language.

[edit] Malay Contributions to National Life

Note : For Malays in Singapore, the last name is patronymic, not a family name. The person should be referred to by his or her first or second name which is the given name.The Malay word bin (b.) or binte (bte.), if used, means "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.


[edit] Politics

  • Abdul Rahim Ishak (deceased) - Minister of State (Education) (1965 - 1968) and Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) (1972 - 1981). Brother of the first President of Singapore, Yusof Ishak.
  • Abdullah Tarmugi - Speaker of the Singapore Parliament, former Minister for Community Development.
  • Ahmad Ibrahim - an early PAP cabinet minister.
  • Dr Ahmad Mattar - former Minister for the Environment - credited with cleaning up the Singapore River and other waterways.
  • Othman Wok - former Minister for Social Affairs - credited with securing inter-racial unity and Malay support during PAP conflict with UMNO.
  • Sha'ari Tadin - former Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, Member of Parliament and first Malay graduate PAP MP, 1968.
  • Prof Yaacob Ibrahim - Minister for Environment and Water Resources - credited with developing alternative water sources for Singapore and reducing dependance on Malaysian water.
  • Yusof Ishak - Singapore's first President.

[edit] Arts & Media

  • Abdul Wahid Bin Ahmad - singer, comedian and actor better known as Wahid Satay who appeared in many Malay films of the 1950s to 1960s. He became known by the moniker "Satay" after audiences indentified him with his role as a satayman in the Malay horror movie Pontianak in 1957. He was recently awarded the Perdana Golden Award at the 9th Perdana Festival in 2007 organised by Suria television network.
  • Alfian Sa'at - acclaimed poet and playwright in English and Malay.
  • By Definition - pop group, winner of the reality TV series competition Live The Dream (group category) (2007).
  • Djamal Tukimin - writer, poet and theatre activist. Winner of the Tun Seri Lanang Award , the highest Malay literary award in Singapore, in 2007. Also the receipient of the Anugerah Warisan Kencana (Golden Legacy Award) given by the Taman Warisan Melayu (Malay Legacy Group) in 2007. He is the writer of the book Arus Teater Melayu (The Direction of The Malay Theatre), which highlights the history of the Malay Theatre in Singapore since the 1970s and also discusses it future.
  • Fendi Sahid - singer, winner of the reality TV series competition Live The Dream (solo category) (2007).
  • Imran Ajmain - singer, songwriter and producer. Co-writer of the hit song Usah Lepaskan (Don't Let Go) sung by Taufik Batisah (2007). Also the writer of the theme song for the Malaysian soap opera series, Kerana Cintaku Saerah (Because of My Love For Saerah), entitled Seribu Tahun (A Thousand Years) (2007).
  • Iskandar Jalil - world renowned pottery artist.
  • Ithnaini binte Mohd Taib - singer, host and actress better known as Anita Sarawak who appeared in several Malay films in the 1960s. She is more known for her live energetic singing performances in the 1970s and 1980s. She now still ocassionally hosts some TV shows.
  • Marpiah binti Abdul Rahim - singer, comedianne and actress better known as Momo Makarim aka Momo Latiff who appeared in many Malay films of the 1930s to 1970s. She had also appeared in a number of films with P. Ramlee. She was recently awarded the Johan Pingat Sarawak medal in Sarawak, Malaysia on her 86th birthday on 8 September 2007.
  • Mazlan Ahmad aka Phyreman - Pioneer graffiti/streets artist, founder of renowned graffiti crew Operation Art Core Singapore/Worldwide.
  • Muhammad Mirzahady Bin Amir - singer, winner of the reality TV series competition Singapore Idol (Second Season in 2006). Also the winner of the first Asian Idol held in 2007. Performs under the name Hady Mirza.
  • Muhammad Taufik Bin Batisah - singer, winner of the reality TV series competition Singapore Idol (First Season in 2004). Performs under the name Taufik Batisah.
  • Najip Ali - musician and TV personality. He became a household name for being the wacky host of the TV programme Asia Bagus in the 1990s.
  • Norleena Salim - popular TV actress and comedianne, mainly known for her role as Rosnah in Mediacorp's sitcom Under One Roof.
  • Othman Hamzah - singer, songwriter, producer and motivational speaker. Winner of the TV singing competition series Talentime in 1979. Was a best selling local singer in the 1980s.
  • Shamsuddin bin Dali - actor and comedian who goes under the name S. Shamsuddin. He has acted in a number of Malay movies in the 1950s to 1970s. He also appeared in a number of films with P. Ramlee.
  • Suhaimi Subandie - musician and founder of hardcore band Stompin' Ground.
  • Wandly Yazid - composer and arranger of Malay film music (1940's to 1960's).
  • Zubir Said - musician and composer of the Singapore National Anthem 'Majulah Singapura'.

[edit] Sports

  • Abdul Halim bin Haron - bodybuilder, gold medal winner in the Busan 2002 Asian Games (bantamweight category).
  • Azman bin Abdullah - bodybuilder, five times winner of the Mr Singapore and Mr Asia title. Three times winner of the SEA Games gold medal. Gold medal winner of the World Games Bodybuilding Championship.
  • Fandi Ahmad - soccer player (retired), ex-Singapore National Team member and Singapore's first sporting millionaire. Regarded by many as one of the finest soccer player produced by Singapore.
  • Fatholomein Ali Binsawi - bodybuilder (retired), three times winner of the gold medal in the 1979, 1987 and 1989 SEA Games (welterweight category).
  • Ibrahim bin Sihat - bodybuilder, three times winner of the SEA Games gold medal. Silver medal winner in the Busan 2002 Asian Games (bantamweight category).
  • Indra Sahdan Daud - soccer player, recently made captain of the Singapore National Team . Regarded as Fandi's successor in terms of his prowess and ability on the field.
  • Ismail Marjan - badminton player (deceased), men's doubles player. Winner at the International Badminton Championships in Glasgow in 1952. Winner of the Thomas Cup and All England Championship 1949-1955.
  • Jumaat Ibrahim - boxer (retired), National Champion 1962-1970 . Winner of the bronze medal at the 1965 SEAP Games and silver medals at the 1967 and 1969 SEAP Games (flyweight category).
  • Kamsari Salam - cyclist (retired), winner of the silver medal at the 1965 SEAP Games and bronze medal at the 1967 SEAP Games.
  • Lon bin Mohamed Noor - weightlifter (deceased), National Champion 1947-1956. Winner of the bronze medal at the 1951 Asian Games. First Malay athlete from Singapore to participate in the Olympic Games. Finished 8th place out of 19 in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki (bantamweight category).
  • Mardan Mamat - golfer, first Singaporean to win a European Tour event by winning the 2006 OSIM Singapore Masters Tournament.
  • Mohd Ismail Muhammad - bodybuilder, two times winner of the SEA Games gold medal. Silver medal winner in the Busan 2002 Asian Games (middleweight category).
  • Muhammad Imran Abdul Rahim - silat player (retired), world junior champion (2000), world champion (2004 and 2007) and winner of the gold medal in the 2005 SEA Games (tanding Class H 80-85 kg category).
  • Mohamed Zain Amat - shooter, winner of a gold medal in the 2005 SEA Games (double trap - shotgun) and winner of three gold medals in the 2007 SEA Games (individual and team trap event, team double trap).
  • Mohamed Zulfakar bin Mohamed Ramli - silat player, winner of the gold medal in the 1999 and 2001 SEA Games (tanding Class D and C category respectively), world champion 2002 (tanding Class C category).
  • Nor Azhar Hamid - athletic high jumper (retired), three times winner of the SEAP Games gold medal (1969, 1973 and 1975).

[edit] Academia

  • Hussein Mutalib - Associate Professor, Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore.
  • Dr Lily Zubaidah Rahim - Lecturer, Department of Econonmic History at the University of Sydney, Australia. Author the book The Singapore Dilemma: The Political and Educational Marginality of the Malay Community which examines the factors that have contributed to the persisting socio-economic marginality of the Singapore Malay community. She is also the daughter of Abdul Rahim Ishak, a former Minister, and the niece of Singapore's first president, Yusof Ishak.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Further Reading

  • Brown, C.C, Sejarah Melayu or Malay Annals: a translation of Raffles MS 18, Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 25, No. 2 & 3, 1952
  • Chia Jeannette Hwee Hwee, A History of Javanese and Baweanese of Singapore, Department of History, Thesis for the BA of Arts and Social Sciences, 1993
  • Dr Khoo Kay Kim, Elinah Abdullah, Wan Meng Hao (ed.), Malays/Muslims in Singapore: Selected Readings in History 1819-1965, Centre for Research on Islamic & Malay Affairs, Association of Muslim Professionals Singapore, 2006
  • Dr Syed Farid Alatas, Keadaan Sosiologi Masyarakat Melayu, Occasional Paper Series Paper No.5-97, Association of Muslim Professionals Singapore, 1997
  • Dr Syed Hussein Alatas, Prof Khoo Kay Kim & Kwa Chong Guan, Malays/Muslims and the History of Singapore, Occasional Paper Series Paper No.1-98, Centre for Research on Islamic & Malay Affairs, Association of Muslim Professionals Singapore, 1997
  • Haffidz A. Hamid, Mohd Azhar Khalid, Mohd Alami Musa & Yusof Sulaiman, Factors Affecting Malays/Muslim Pupils' Performance in Education, Occasional Paper Series Paper No.1-95, Centre for Research on Islamic & Malay Affairs, Association of Muslim Professionals Singapore, 1995
  • Li Tania, Malays in Singapore: Culture, Community and Ideology, Oxford University Press, Singapore, 1989
  • Lily Zubaidah Rahim, The Singapore Dilemma: The Political and Educational Marginality of the Malay Community, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998
  • Judith Djamour, Malay Kinship and Marriage in Singapore, London: Athlone Press, 1965
  • Pang Keng Fong, The Malay Royals of Singapore, Department of Sociology, Thesis for the BA of Social Science, 1984
  • Parliamentary Debates of Singapore, Sultan Hussain Ordinance/Kampong Glam Conservation, Volume 57(7), Tuesday 12 March 1991
  • Perkins, Jane, Kampong Glam: Spirit of a Community, Singapore, Times Publishing, 1984
  • Tengku Mahmud vs. Tengku Ali, Straits Settlements Laws Report 1897 (Vol. 5)
  • Tham Seong Chee, Malay Family Structure: Change and Opportunity with reference to Singapore, Seminar Paper No. 13, Academic Session 1993/94, Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore
  • Zarinah Binte Ali, The Istana at Kampong Gelam: From Royal Ground to National Heritage, Department of Southeast Asian Studies Programme, Thesis for the BA of Arts, 2001/2002
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