Serial No: IAH012
The Sikh Historian
Although I have received various invitations to visit the Sikh “homeland”, to me, I AM HOME here in Malaysia.
Malkiat Singh a/l Bachan Singh, born 1942
Taman Baru, Seberang Jaya
My grandfather came to Malaya from India before the Japanese Occupation, bringing together my father who was 9 years old at that time. I was born in Rawang and we moved to Prai in 1956. At one time, our extended family lived in a squatter house that we built at Kampung Telok, near to Prai Estate. In 1984, the State Government compensated us the house here at Taman Baru because they needed to clear the Prai Estate land for the Penang Bridge project.
I belong to the Merdeka Generation. During that period, teachers were talking greatly about independence, the spirit of nationalism was high. My mother used to take part in patriotic parades. At the same time, coming from a Punjabi background, the community was affected by the 1947 Partition in India. Because majority of the older generation had the sentiment of going back to India one day. The Partition had caused family relationship to break down.
When I went to the college in 1962, we were asked to do local history research. The Chinese students did research a Chinese temple in Penang, and the Malay students a mosque in Penang. Being the only Sikh in the class, I did research on the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib. That was when I developed an interest in our Sikh’s identity in Malaya. Later the research was published into books. They were the first published references on Sikh in Malaya. Today, 50 years after publication, people are still looking for them.
From the research, I became interested in culture. In the 80s, I became very active in organising Sikh cultural shows and exhibitions at the State and National level. The exhibitions very well received, especially the giant dolls made by my wife was popular. We were regularly featured on the newspaper of different languages. This had helped to introduce the Sikh culture to the Malaysian society. I also published a novel based on story of Sikh in Malaya, the first of its kind in the country. Today, I am pursuing my new interest in patchwork. These are abstract expressions about different aspects of the Sikh culture and tradition. I hope my children will preserve them as a family heritage.
Because of my work in promoting the Malayan Sikh culture, I have received scarf of honour from 22 Gurdwaras. I have met Sultans, Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, International VIPs. Coming from a poor family, I feel very grateful to our Guru’s blessing for such a wonderful life. In my life, I have never been to India. Although I have received various invitations to visit the Sikh “homeland”, to me, I AM HOME here in Malaysia.
I Am Home 