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| Sharm
de Alwis visits Malaysia only to find his loyalties divided between
home and abroad On the way was Batu Caves, supposedly over a million years old. Within are statues of all Hindu deities. The road to Batu Caves and Mimaland also takes in the many settlements made by the government to the natives of Malaysia, the Orange Asli. Neat woodwork houses and apparent affluence mingle with the traditional values of the natives. Driving is easy in Malaysia with the absence of potholes despite incessant, heavy rains. Fellow drivers do not display bad manners by unnecessary tooting of horns. The roads are excellent linking all towns and criss-crossing residential areas. But we got home to our scotch and pillow, ragged, to realize that pleasure could be tiring. Our next trip was to Melaka. We got to it past Port Dixon, unchanged since the Portuguese built it, although, on the outskirts a modern, self-sustaining city has come up to cater to the increasing population. Port Dixon is the holiday resort closest to KL and has made an attempt to catch up with the progress of the rest of the country. We drive along a super highway but now and then the countryside is reminiscent of certain areas in Sri Lanka, particularly the hinterlands of Ratnapura. On the way, dotting the countryside are wooden houses built on stilts to keep out the waters of flash floods but, by and large, the passing scene evoked memories of some patch back home. Sixty miles from KL to Melaka is a breeze on such open, well maintained roads and we are already there. Melaka is a quaint, old town that has not developed with the rest of the country. Perhaps they want to preserve it that way. The old port buildings have not been demolished in the name of progress. A Portuguese seaman reported some three hundred years ago that, "Melaka is the richest seaport with the greatest number of merchants and abundance of shipping in the whole world." Sadly, the glorious days of the Melaka port have all but vanished as other ports in the country increased in importance and size and the sea-going vessels developed in magnitude, precluding the entry into shallow waters. But efforts have been made to recapture some of the lost status and a step in this direction is the multi-million dollar jetty at Tanjung Bruas. The Dutch who ousted the Portuguese, settled as close to the harbour as possible and so built huge houses that still stretch from the main road to the sea. The doors of one house connect to the next. The British came after the Dutch and, as they have always changed the spelling if they couldn't change the name, proceeded forthwith to spell Melaka as Malacca. Melaka is a seaside resort and would do well if only it had our beaches. The sea rises over six feet between ebb and tide. Even the canals have muddy waters which, unlike Venice, make house builders turn the rear side to the waters. Only the gate and some inner chambers remain of the old Portuguese Fort, one of the tourist attractions. It was at this site that St. Francis Xavier was originally buried before his remains were taken to Goa. A statue of the Saint stands on the hillock and the story is told how the night it was erected there had been the flash of lightning, the clap of thunder and a raging wind which tore off an overhanging branch to fall and break the right hand just where it had been cut in real life by the Melakans. There was the chance meeting with the Portuguese sergeant who had fought the Japanese and had been decorated with seven war medals and one civil. He thinks Melaka will never progress because St. Francis Xavier is supposed to have cursed the Melakans before he died. Nevertheless, industries have come up, the largest of which is Siemens. A visit to the Portuguese colony is a rare treat for a Sri Lankan. Life here is easy paced and one is forgiven for thinking that one is at the Bambalapitiya Flats in the evening before the kaleidoscope was shattered when the Burghers emigrated. 75% of the Portuguese are fishermen. Others are clerks in the public or private sector. Portuguese is still spoken although most of them are conversant in more than two languages. The city comes alive after five in the evening when youth takes its march. The sidewalk restaurants spill over to the edge of the sea and many varieties of delicious and unique Melakan dishes get the tasting of their lives. Sri Lanka is renowned for marine fish but experts say that what is available in the Straits of Melaka is far more gorgeous in colour and variety. We had often gone to nearby Kelang whose two interesting features are the night bazaars and the sight of crows imported from Sri Lanka. The farthest a few of them have 'emigrated' from Kelang is to nearby Shah Alam, four miles flying distance. Finally we visited the Buddhist Temple situated one mile from the KL city centre. Both the Patron and the Vice-President of the Temple are Catholics. Religious festivities are held on Poya days and sermons are given frequently by visiting dignitaries. It is a haven but lacks the special effects of the river sands that are at the feet of the Sri Lankan temple-goer. And so we hit the road to Singapore, passing Johar Baru where despite the vast availability of land, the city offers views of imposing skyscrapers. New buildings have come up next to the old and the city is visibly a trade centre. Thus ended my one month of bliss in Malaysia. All too brief. Terema Kaseh, Malaysia. I shall be back again to observe the vast strides taken by you and wonder why my own country languishes. |
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