Police Commemoration Day falls on March 21, 2012. Every year PC Sahaban’s name appears in the print media on Police Commemoration Day as the first policeman who was killed by Mamala Marikkar, the Lieutenant of Sardiel, on 21.03.1884 at Mawanella. Malays have been sincerely serving the governments of Sri Lanka, specially in the Police Department.

Police Commemoration Day falls on March 21, 2012. Every year PC Sahaban’s name appears in the print media on Police Commemoration Day as the first policeman who was killed by Mamala Marikkar, the Lieutenant of Sardiel, on 21.03.1884 at Mawanella. Malays have been sincerely serving the governments of Sri Lanka, specially in the Police Department.

It has been the dedication, loyalty and bravery of the Malays that have given the Malay a place in the Armed Forces and the Police Force then and now. The Fire Brigade too those days had a lot of fire officers, including a chief, who died when donating blood due to the negligence of the nurse in attendance. Even the Prisons Department had considerable Malays and there have been Malay judges, doctors, school principals, etc. particularly serving the state. Also they represented Sri Lanka in various fields of sports playing the lead roles.

Despite being a minority with a population of around 50 or 60 thousand Malays, we have been co-existing with all the other denominations in different parts of the island, peacefully and amicably. No other community has ever hurt their feelings or attacked our culture and tradition. No government has so far shown any discrimination to our community and one government offered the opportunity to a Malay to become a Senator to look after the interest of the Malay community. We are fortunate to be born in this country and would happy to make our final journey in a cemetery here.

As far as Colombo in concerned several Malay families lived in Slave Island and most amongst them were in the Armed and Police Forces. The road names like, Malay Street, Java Lane and Justice Akbar Mawatha are evident to this fact.  However, I am proud to write that my great grandfather Packeer Samsudeen Police Sergeant No.59 joined the Police Force in 1889 and retired after 34 years of service ending up as 1st Class, 1st Grade Sergeant. Imperial Service Medals were awarded to him by the King not only for ‘long, good and meritorious service, but also for exemplary conduct, zeal and ability in the detection and prevention of crime, and devoted attention to duty’. He was the grandson of Ousman Muthalip who was a private in the Ceylon Rifle Regiment (CRR) and son of packer Ousman, also in the CRR and retired in 1864 when stationed in Kandy. Further, his brother Packeer Ousman Police Constable No.1128 served the Police Force for 28 years and his son A. Amith PC No.1809 who served for ever 20 years was the nephew of Sergeant Samsudeen. This shows the family had served the government of Ceylon for three generations in the combined services.

The above was extracted from the Ceylon Police Gazette No.3,758 of July 22, 1925. We the Malays are still happy to serve any democratic government of Sri Lanka in any capacity.

 

Nazly Cassim