Ceylon Malay

Historically, the Malay community of Sri Lanka is composed of the descendents of the settlers from what is present day Indonesia and those from the landmass of present day Malaysia.

In 1764 it was reported that 2408 Malays serving in Dutch army in Sri Lanka. In 1796 British gain control of coastal Sri Lanka from the Dutch, and begin waves of migration from Malays and establish military schools beginning around 1802 in which Malay language is taught.

The Alamat Lankapuri or News of the Island of Lanka was the first newspaper printed in the Malay vernacular, a language written in Arabic characters with the addition of six letters from other alphabets and existed nine years from 1869 to 1878.

In 1875 the Wajah Selong or Light of Ceylon was published its fortnightly issues circulating largely amongst the Malay-speaking races in Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, Java, Batavia, Holland etc.

In 1901, as much as one-third of the entire population of the Malays in Ceylon lived in the precincts of the Colombo Municipal Council. There were in that area some 4351 Malays. It was the seat of the Ceylon Malay Rifles till is demobilization in 1872. Afterwards, the ex-soldiers were settled in civilian jobs in the locality.

Although Malays have taken pains to affirm their loyalty to their host nation, they have also strengthened relations with Malays in other countries and attempted to foster their own cultural and literary traditions.
Ceylon Malay