THE All-Malaysia Malayalee Association (Amma) is hosting the Global Malayalee Conference 2015 from Friday to Sunday at Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, during which it expects to showcase and highlight the contributions and achievements of the Malayalee diaspora, numbering about five million worldwide.
This effort and initiative needs to be lauded. It is hoped Malaysian Malayalees will give their support for the event so that it can be a resounding success.
The guest of honour will be the Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Oommen Chandy, who will be accompanied by a large entourage of dignitaries.
It is hoped that the contributions and achievements of Malaysian Malayalees before and after independence, especially in the plantations, public sector, trade unions, academic, education, politics, the Arts, the professions, police and armed forces, sports and the corporate sector will also be recognised.
Under the leadership of Datuk Suseela Menon, the Malayalee community is expecting more action, activities and achievements, despite the community being regarded as a minority of minorities. It is hoped that Amma will be more forceful and vocal in addressing the issues relevant to the community.
It is sad that many aspects of Malayalee community consciousness such as culture, tradition, festivities, language and religion are disappearing among the diaspora, and Malaysia is no exception.
It is especially regrettable to note that Malayalam became “the first casualty of Malayalee upward social-mobility”. Malayalees have a tendency to forego their mother tongue more quickly than other Indian ethnic groups.
It would not be out of place here to solicit talented Malayalees to come up with innovative ideas using information technology to popularise the usage of Malayalam among the younger generation.
A salient point about the Malayalees is their willing acceptance of religious and other differences on account of their cosmopolitan nature dating back to Roman times when Malabar was a centre of the spice trade, and they continue with this progressive spirit and goodwill in their adopted countries.
The community is also notable for its quick assimilation into the mainstream society and the importance it places on education for upward social mobility.
Kerala has an almost 100 per cent literacy rate and is foremost among the Indian states. The present
generation of Malayalees is bound
to create a greater impact on
the global stage with their better education, qualifications, exposure
and expertise.
Among the issues Amma has to act upon are:
COMPILE a book on the history of the Malayalees in Malaysia. The community is gifted with a large number of intellectuals, academics, journalists, professionals and authors who can assist in this effort and it will be a valuable reference for students, researchers and historians;
INITIATE an annual Indian inter-ethnic forum to address common issues;
HOLD a diaspora conference every three to five years to discuss various issues and forge links among the Malayalees;
HAVE an annual get-together of Malayalee associations and religious groups to forge unity and get input and feedback;
A NATIONAL-LEVEL Onam open house for politicians, corporate figures and community leaders as well as the public to enable them to know more about the celebration; and,
CAMPAIGN for an exclusive Malayalam channel on Astro and radio programmes on Minnal FM at favourable time slots.
Amma needs to be proactive in confronting the changes and challenges facing the Malaysian Malayalees for their betterment.
n V. THOMAS, Sungai Buloh, Selangor