Qurban and Aqiqah

Al-Ameen Serve Holdings which is based in Malaysia has been organising the Qurban and Aqiqah for the Cham Malays in Cambodia for 14 years

In addition, the Waqaf Perigi project is also administered by Al-Ameen.

For details please visit Al-Ameen's website: http://www.korbanaqiqah.com.my/blog/

Modest But Safe Homes

This house was built with a budget of USD 1,000/-. Before, this family of a widow and three young children lived in a house that should be rightly called a shack which is submerged every September when the waters of the Tonle Sap rise 3m and above. The new house is built on concrete stilts, the walls are of timber and the roof of zinc sheets. It is modest but safe.

Cry In Anguish

Despite the tumultous past and the hardship and challenges faced by the Mufti today, he still has not lost his sense of humour.

He told me once that if the Japanese were to come to Cambodia, they would cry in anguish and disapproval. I asked why? The Mufti replied, "The motorcycle from Japan meant to carry 2, now has to carry 5 in the villages and pull 30 in the suburbs!"

I smiled. I know it is a clear indication of inadequacy. At the same time I marvel at the ingenuity and tenacity of a people driven by necessity.

A glimpse of the Cham Malays

My crew of four had the chance of filming slices of life of the Cham Malays in Cambodia. The trip brought us to Phnom Penh and several Cham Malay villages in Kampong Cham and Kampong Chnang regions. There are currently more than half a million Cham Malays living in Cambodia. According to Oknha Sos Kamry, the mufti of Cambodia, the figure was about 700,000 before the Pol Pot regime came into power but was significantly reduced to less than 400,000 after the dark years. The Cham Malays were originally from Vietnam but had settled down in Cambodia for about 300 years. Incidentally, some Cham Malays have also settled in Malaysia, Acheh and the Hainan islands since then. They speak the Cham language which is now written in the Jawi script. About 40% of the words in the Cham language can be identified as Malay.

The Cham Malays are scattered in Cambodia with a considerable number living as fishermen along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers. Our Cham Malay tour guide informed us that it is easy to spot a Cham Malay village along the two rivers which is marked by the village mosque and scores of perahus lining up the shore. Some of these villages are on the move as the fishermen frequently look for better fishing areas along the river.

Life is simple and hard for the Cham Malay fishermen, but once a year between November and January, the river brings joy to the fishermen. It is during these months that schools of fish from the Tonle Sap Lake in Vietnam come down south to the Mekong River. The fishermen would build rafts on the river along the flow of currents and haul up tons of fish in their 50m-70m long nets or pukat. One night’s catch could yield about to 10-15 tons of fish. Vietnamese and Khmer fishmongers would come to the rafts to buy fish wholesale before transporting them by boats to the markets along the river banks.

Many Cham Malays have moved and built villages inland. There are 24 regions in Cambodia of which 23 have a total of 420 Cham Malay villages. A concentration of about 200,000 Cham Malays in 140 villages can be found in the Kampong Cham region itself. Their habits and customs are typically Malay with focus on family and community values. Their source of living comes from agriculture namely padi and rubber. The mosque would be the centre of the activities among the villagers. A typical Cham Malay village would also have a school.

According to the mufti there are distinctly two groups of Cham Malays. The main group belongs to the Sunni sect of Islam. Another small group of about 5% of Cham Malays practices an esoteric version of Islam. They called themselves Kaum Zahid and claimed to be the original Cham Malays from Vietnam. They believe in Allah and the prophet but only pray once a week on Friday instead of five times a day. They fast for only three days in the month of Ramadan and perform the pilgrimage at a sacred hill in which it is believed that the remains of their founder were buried. The Kaum Zahid is concentrated in the villages at Kampong Chnang.

The Cham Malays are a respectable community in Cambodia. They enjoy religious freedom as the mainly Buddhist Khmer communities. They are fondly referred to as Khmer Muslims and are represented in the current government. The Council for Islamic Religious Affairs is located at the outskirts of Phnom Penh at Chrang Chomreh.

Homes for the Poor & Destitute

In addition to schools, I am also building modest homes for the poor & destitute. Each house will cost about USD 1K to build.

Just look at their living conditions. Again, please contact me at isakamari@singnet.com.sg if you want them to have better homes.

Schools for the Cham Malay children

Just look at their faces. Without education, their future is bleak The school is for children like them.

School In Potein, Cambodia

I am building a new school in Potein, Cambodia. It will be 2 storeys with eight classrooms of about 60 sq m. each. The old timber school was run-down and recently demolished. The new school will be built of concrete frames, brick walls and clay roof tiles. It will cost about USD 35K to build.

Potein is the home town of the Mufti of Cambodia. The school project has his blessings. Construction began on 1st of Ramadhan and is expected to complete within 6 months. About USD 20K has been raised.

The project needs about USD 15K more to complete.

Please contact me at isakamari@singnet.com.sg if you are interested to contribute.

Thank you.

The Quest Begins

Dear friends,

This blog is created to record the history, challenges and aspiration of the Cham Malays living in Cambodia, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Acheh and other Nusantara regions.

The aim is to instill awareness of a once powerful group of Malays lost in the folds of history and is now almost forgotten.