MP at TB Jayah Commemoration meeting:

Malays, a community of vigour and vitality - Azwer

In 1937 Dr. TB Jayah stood up in the State Council and declared that, "We might stand up for our community, but it cannot be said that we have stood against the interest of the country as a whole. I have always said and I repeat it today, that I consider the interest of the country as a whole, to be paramount."

Such sentiments were echoed in a far better light in recent times by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, when he declared during the opening of Parliament as "First, my motherland; second my motherland; third my motherland."

The Muslims of this country have lived by such sublime idealogy and have fostered close camaraderie with the majority community for over a thousand years, Parliamentarian AHM Azwer, addressing the 122nd Birth anniversary commemoration meeting of Alhaj Dr. TB Jayah, organized by Konfrensi Melayu Sri Lanka (COSLAM) at the Cafoor Hall in Zahira College, Colombo on January 01, 2012.

Attorney-at-Law TK Azoor presided, while High Commissioner for Malaysia in Sri Lanka, Azmi Zainudeen participated as the Chief Guest. SHM Jameel, an erudite scholar, delivered the TB Jayah Memorial Oration. Zahira College Colombo, Principal Mohamed Jiffry was the Special Guest. Azwer said the Malay community had always been in the forefront of natioal freedom, ably led and guided by Dr. TB Jayah, who gave leadership in supporting the attainment of independence. Former Deputy Mayor of Colombo MD Kitchilan, and Ex-MP M.H. Amit were very good politicians of a rare breed.

The Dharma Kabeer Mosque in Hambantota, the Wekande Mosque, which is 225-years old and the Java Lane Mosque in Kompannaweediya, and Jawatte Road were some of the sites of Malay history. When the votes of the Ministry of Heritage was taken up recently, I mentioned on the matter of such Malay sites and requested the Minister of National Heritage to declare the Malay sites as part of the Nation's national heritage Azwer said.

Continuing Azwer said the Malays have contributed towards the security of this country during the time of foreign domination. Their confidence, loyalty and sense of patriotism were discerned mostly in the Police department in which their valor, vigor and vitality were amply demonstrated.

They were also pioneers in the art of firefighting. Malays excelled as sportsmen; they were the first to play cricket in Ceylon, as this isle was then called. They formed the first cricket club in Ceylon; they also excelled in football. Writers such as the Sourjahs, Samaths, Marjans, Ahlips and Saldins, Jaldins and Jaimons held sway in the Fourth Estate and literary field. They also contributed to culture, especially in the music field: Pioneers were Fareed Aniff, TF Latiff and Kalasooori Alhaj Stanley Oumar; Singers included Harooon Lantra and Tony Hassan, who were adored by even their Sinhala fans.

Kalabooshana MHN Emran contributed largely in the broadcasting field. In the field of Fine Arts were Fareed Uduman's paintings; Tuan Saldin an exponent of the salsa; Kartini Mohamed and Murad Jayah.

Azwer said that Malay - Bhasa Melayu - is a living language, and exhorted the community to continue to maintain their spoken language without allowing it to fade into a dead one like Latin, Pali or Sanskrit.

Prizes for the winners at the oratorical contest conduct in the Malay Bhasa were distributed by the Chief Guest, Malaysian High Commissioner Zainudeen, and Parliamentarian Azwer. Malay delegates from all parts of the country attended the commemoration meeting.