M.A. Bakeer Markar’s 13th death anniversary falls on September 10:

Man of dignity and national integrity

M R M Fouzi

The life of late M.A. Bakeer Markar is one to be emulated by our younger generations, who have the aspiration to do good to humans by being humane.All of us who had either close contact working together or was merely an acquaintance, will vouch for M.A. Bakeer Markar’s humble, amiable, tolerant, humane character.

The first time I saw youthful Markar was as the bridegroom, on the occasion of his marriage to his bride Sithy Kadija, the eldest daughter of late “Wairooshi” Mohamed Raphaie of China Fort, Beruwala. I am one of those fortunate in knowing him from my childhood, as his immediate neighbour in China Fort, Beruwela. He was then the Chairman of the Beruwala Urban Council, being a budding, up-coming young politician and an active practicing lawyer of the Kalutara Unofficial Bar.

Forefront leader

He was of the firm belief that the beauty of Sri Lankan democracy is in how the majority community treats, honours and respects the minority communities. The yeoman service he rendered during the unfortunate riots of July 1958 is ample testimony to his understanding of human suffering and the need for mutual co-existence.

The scanty Tamil population that resided within Beruwela at that time comprising teachers, clerical hands and the businessmen were harassed, attacked, wealth looted and properties set on fire. At this critical time, late Markar was at the forefront protecting this small helpless population. The local leaders of Beruwala, both Sinhalese and Muslims rallied round him providing relief and shelter to these suffering affected Tamils.

Accessible

He was always quite accessible to everyone. I have enjoyed working with him as a constituent and as a staunch supporter throughout his political career. He was a very close friend of the media too. Journalists who moved with him knew his bounty.

His was a far reaching vision which brought about the success story of his political career. His mission was friendly co-existence with all the communities but this did not deter him from displaying his Muslim identity.

Although he kept to his community identity, he was most endeared, honoured, admired and hailed by all as a national leader.

The way he won the Beruwala Electorate in the Parliamentary General Elections of 1977 speaks volumes about his credibility and popularity amongst all communities in Sri Lanka. In that General Elections, he was elected as the first Member of Parliament for Beruwala with an overwhelming record majority of more than 25,000 votes (they were not the Preferential votes of the present day), over his closest rival candidate from the majority community, who was placed as second Member of Parliament for Beruwela. In 1977 he was elected Deputy Speaker of the Parliament.

He was a fluent speaker in Sinhalese, Tamil and English.He had a strong belief in the united mix of ethinicities but was a vehement opponent of racism. He loved Sri Lanka most but remained ardent Muslim to the last.

He was also popularly known as ‘Sinhala Bakeer’ in his constituency.He strongly advocated that “Ceylon belonged to anyone who claimed to be a Ceylonese”.

The very next year, he was unanimously elected to the exalted position of Speaker of the Parliament on September 21, 1978 proposed by then Minister of State Anandatissa de Alwis and seconded by M. Sivasithamparam, Member of Parliament for Nallur. Thereafter he became the first Speaker of Parliament to preside over the Parliamentary proceedings at the newly built Parliamentary Complex in Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte. He firmly believed in functioning democracy.

He was very particular that the three pivotal positions enshrined in the Sri Lankan Constitution, namely the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker are well defined.

A novel aspect of his Parliamentary career was that when he was Speaker he had the rare privilege of presiding at the Oaths-taking ceremony of Ministers and handing over ministerial appointments to some Ministers whilst President J.R.Jayewardene and Prime Minister R. Premadasa were simultaneously away from the country on official visits.

He maintained a very good rapport with the diplomatic community. He was honoured with special official visits to the United Kingdom, South Korea, Indonesia, Cuba, Iraq, Philippines, Bangladesh and Maldives. During these foreign official visits he played the vital dual role of being the Head of the Parliamentary delegations and at the same time being goodwill ambassador binding strong ties of international relations. He believed in strict protocol. He, therefore accepted these foreign invitations only from his counterparts or else from the Heads of States of these friendly nations.

Statesmanship qualities

After the civil disturbances of July 1983, there was a call for Speaker Bakeer Markar’s resignation. President J.R.Jayewardene summoned the Speaker to the Presidential Secretariat and told him that he was under pressure from the Maha Sangha to appoint a Buddhist to the Office of Speaker.

The President further added that he wished to appoint E.L. Senanayake as Speaker of Parliament because the Party was under deep debt to E.L. Senanayake for the part he played in bringing about major electoral victories for the Party in the Kandy district.

In this instance, the President probably overlooked the significant political contribution made to the Party by late Markar.

However he submitted his resignation abiding the command of the President.

This is all history now and that was how the illustrious career of Bakeer Markar was shelved permanently before he could bloom into the much wider national arena with statesmanship qualities of par excellence.

It has been rightly said that the life of late M.A. Bakeer Markar has been inscribed into public memory: “The public memory is overwhelming of a self-effacing political figure of great charm, high integrity, total incorruptibility and dignity”.

He, therefore comprise the handful who possessed the vision to look far beyond the horizon for peaceful united Sri Lanka. This was because “Unity in Diversity” was his strength.

In his own words, in his farewell Speech to the Members of Parliament on June 9, 1988, he declared that: “It is my regret that I will no longer be with you when you add chapter to shining chapter in Sri Lanka’s history”.

In keeping with late Markar’s illustrious national image, let me in conclusion quote the following lines from a poem written by Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, a former British Ambassador:

“I vow to thee my country The love that asks no questions”