Malays` Capability Of Struggling And Competing Still Low - Morkes Effendi

Ketapang, East Kalimantan - The Malay cultural civilization has potentials for welcoming its glory in the present. Amongst those are economic, politics, and cultural potencies. Unfortunately, they are not managed well, thus not yield significant benefits for the Malays itself.

In some cases, there are efforts to achieve that goal by taking advantages from the above potentials; but, the scopes of coverage are the mere local and partial. Consequently, those Malay people possess no bargaining powers amidst the more globalized world. Now, the Malay people are underestimated because they are considered slow and undeveloped.

The statement came out of Kyai Mangku Negeri, H. Morkes Effendi, S.Pd. MH., Secretary General of Lembaga Adat Melayu Serantau-LAMS (Serantau Malay Adat Assembly), in the Declaration and Inauguration of Lembaga Adat Melayu Serantau, Friday (29/05/2009).

Amongst the attendances at the event were Prof. Dr. Dato Tan Sri Ismail Husein (Malacca), Dato Abang Imien Taha (West Kalimantan), Datuk Setia Amanah Putera Negeri Huzri Hood (Riau Islands), Tengku Mira Sinar (Deli Serdang Sultanate), Datuk Dr. Hj. Mohd Jamil Bin Mukmin of Dunia Melayu Dunia Islam (Malacca), the Sultan of Palembang Darussalam Sultanate, the King of Sintang Kingdom, Mahyudin Al Mudra, SH.MM., the Head of Center for Research and Development of Malay Culture, and some other prominent figure in the Malay studies.

H. Morkes further urged the entire Malay people around the globe to enhance cooperative networks in order to restore the glory of Malay civilization. Above this master plan, LAMS would be an umbrella and a bridge as well as a motor for the resurrection of Malay culture in the present and future times.

“LAMS is not a mere ‘meeting hall‘ for those who concern on the Malay world, LAMS would also try to bridge and support all efforts in term of resurrecting the Malay civilization in the present,” said H. Morkes Effendi who also served as the Regent of Ketapang.

Mahyuddin Al Mudra, who is likewise the director of MelayuOnline.com, viewed LAMS as an important progress towards the process of reviving the Malay cultural civilization. There should be real action and further progress to yield benefits for the Malay people in specific, and the whole world generally.

“LAMS will be useful if followed with real actions. Otherwise, it will be just like the other Malay institutions; elegance and glamour in the beginning then result in no action at all,” Mahyudin said.

LAMS is a worldwide Malay adat and custom assembly, which was established following the agreement reached in the Borneo Dialogue held in Miri, Serawak in 1986. LAMS is likewise the continuation of the Malay World Symposium held in Syah Alam, Malaysia, on September 23-26, 2006. The above two events are two historic and great events, in which many historians, cultural activists, authors, and researchers discussed the future of the Malay cultural civilization.

On the same occasion, the award “Tokoh Pemersatu Melayu Serantau” (Serantau Malay Unifying Figure) was bestowed upon Mahyudin Al Mudra, SH.MM. and Prof. Dr. Dato Tan Sri Ismail Hussein by LAMS. At the same time, LAMS appointed Drs. H Ismet Abdullah - Governor of the Riau Islands Province - and Ir. H. Eko Maulana Ali, M.Sc. - Governor of the Bangka Belitung Province – the Serantau Malay Adat Leader. As well, Datuk Setia Amanah Putera Negeri H. Huzrin Hood, SH., was appointed Serantau Malay Culture Figure by LAMS.

Ahmad Salehudin (brt/1/05-2009)
An. Ismanto (ter/2/06-09)
Photo: Aam Ito Tistomo

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