Sultan Nazrin lauds Malaysia’s Jaffna Tamil community

KUALA LUMPUR:The Jaffna Tamil community in Malaysia continue to play vital roles in every facet of society, said Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.Jaffna Tamils, he said, also continued to produce influential and impactul professionals in various fields including medicine, education, engineering, as well as politics, the civil service and law.

“They continue to engage with culture and heritage – in music, in dance, in movies, and in culinary arts such as with this book.

“These contributions are an integral component of the multi-cultural nature of Malaysia that we all cherish.”

The Sultan said this during his royal address at the book launch of ‘They Came From Jaffna: A Historical Culinary Journey and Enchanting Tale of Roots, Routes and Vivid Memoires, As Told By A Pioneer’s Granddaugher’ authored by Indra R. L. Iswaran at Universiti Malaya here.

Sultan Nazrin also said the Jaffna Tamils, originally from Sri Lanka, had made numerous significant contributions in the development of both Malaya and Singapore since their migration in the late 19th century.

“Travelling by rail back in the old days, one would have encountered many Ceylon Tamil stationmasters.

“Many of the chief clerks in government offices and business agencies also came from this community.

“They could be found in the postal service, in public works departments, and managing plantations,” he said, adding that many Ceylon Tamils also became teachers, which reflected their sound grasp of the English language.

Sultan Nazrin said the book, which also tells of the author’s ancestral family’s journey from Sri Lanka to Malaya in the 1890s, managed to engage all the senses, from its historical accounts to the illustrations and detailed recipes.

“For me as a historian, this interweaving of images, voices, and tastes from the past provides a very special window into those long-ago times.

“At the same time, I am very much looking forward to trying out the recipes for some of my own favourite dishes that are found in the book.”

Sultan Nazrin added that one reason he appreciated this book was because it encapsulated both the cultural and authenticity of one particular community, while fusing in its specific culinary heritage with other local and international influences.

“As Malaysians, we pride ourselves on our rich and varied culinary landscape.

“We equally enjoy sampling this choice array whenever possible. To say we love food is an understatement.

“This shared love of food is one of the things that brings us together as Malaysians. It is a special part of our national identity,” he added.

(The Straits Times)