HISTORY | Forgotten past of Malaysian Sinhalese

HISTORY | To date, very little has been written on the Malaysian Sinhalese who originated from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). This is rather unfortunate. Despite numbering only 3,660 in Peninsular Malaysia in 1957, the Sinhalese, to quote SN Arseculeratne in his book, ‘Sinhalese Immigrants in Malaysia and Singapore 1860-1990’, “had left a clear imprint in the story of Malaya.”

Not many Malaysians are aware of this community’s significant contributions towards nation-building and trailblazing efforts in numerous fields. Hence, this article aims to restore the Sinhalese community to its rightful place in the history of our multi-ethnic nation.

Historically, available records indicate that Sinhalese convicts from Ceylon were banished to the Straits Settlements beginning in the 1840s. For example, Tikiri Banda Dunuwille from Kandy, who was found guilty on a charge of forgery, was banished to Malacca on June 5, 1849, together with 17 others. As stated by Major JFA McNair in his book ‘Prisoners Their Own Warders’, there was a sprinkling of Sinhalese convicts in the Straits Settlements in the 1850s.

Subsequently, in 1871 there were 37 Sinhalese in the Straits Settlements: 24 in Malacca, seven in Singapore and six in Penang. By 1891, there were...