The national unity and multicultural identity of Malaysia were amplified on Wednesday evening when the Malaysian Business Chamber in Cambodia (MBCC) joyfully celebrated Deepavali, an important Hindu festival in Malaysia.
An early but joyous celebration of the Festival of Lights was held at NagaWorld 1 and was joined by not only Malaysian Indian Hindus, but also fellow countrymen of other races, Cambodians and expats from many countries.
Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is the Hindu’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolise the inner light that protects them from spiritual darkness.
Over the years, it has become a global festival that is also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities.
In Malaysia, Deepavali is a national festival and a public holiday celebrated by people all over the country. It is one of the four major religious festivals celebrated in the country, which has been long known as a multicultural and multi-racial nation.
MBCC President Oknha Tan Kee Meng speaks at the Deepavali celebration at NagaWorld I on Wednesday. KT/Pann Rachanna
MBCC’s Wednesday celebration was presided over by its president, Oknha Tan Khee Meng, while the guests of honour included ambassadors from Malaysia, Brunei, Lao PDR, and Timor-Leste, as well as representatives from the embassies of Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, and India Over 180 guests attended the event in high spirits.
In his opening remark, Oknha Tan said observing Deepavali is not only a part of Malaysian culture but an act of honouring multiculturalism in Malaysia, where the Malays, Indians, and Chinese are living with and respecting one another harmoniously despite their differences.
“What is important is we want to share the joy of how Malaysian people celebrate among different cultures and different religions; we also want to showcase the unity of the Malaysian people and share the joy with our friends from Cambodia and from countries in ASEAN as well as from India,” he said.
He added that this year’s Deepavali is the first MBCC event to see the presence of ambassadors and representatives from ASEAN countries as well as India.
“When I decided to send invitations to the embassies, I also felt that it was the time to use the festival of light to gather our friends and our partners and highlight our friendship and partnership,” he said. “May the light of Deepavali give us brightness, health, and prosperity.”
Malaysian Ambassador Shaharuddin Onn delivers his speech at the MBCC’s Deepavali celebration on Wednesday. KT/Pann Rachana
Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia Shaharuddin Onn, in his remark, said it was his pleasure to see so many friends of Malaysia joining MBCC in celebrating Deepavali.
“The many festivities that we celebrate are truly reflective of the cultural and religious background of Malaysia,” he said. “The Deepavali dinner tonight also reflects the unity and harmony of the people of Malaysia. At the same time, living in a different country, as I see in our Malaysian friends here, we try to find opportunities for Malaysians to get together and, of course, to enjoy the good Malaysian food.”
Ambassador Shaharuddin called the occasion an excellent opportunity to showcase a sampling of what Malaysia is and how Malaysia’s diverse heritage, cultural and religious backgrounds are respected and honoured, to his non-Malaysian friends.
“This resonates very well with our efforts to also promote Malaysian culture and food diplomacy, also known as soft diplomacy, which I deem very effective in further strengthening the people-to-people relation between the peoples of Malaysia and Cambodia,” he added.
“We are very pleased to have such a harmonious, supportive Malaysian community here in Phnom Penh. As the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of Cambodia, I am very touched to see members of the Malaysian community, some having been living here for a long time, having a big sense of belonging, patriotism, and loyalty to Malaysia and are very proud of their Malaysian identity.”
The essence of the event on Wednesday saw the guests of honour together lighting diya, the festive oil lamp, to symbolise prosperity and good overcoming evil. It was followed by a joint dinner of Malaysian-Indian cuisine with a free flow of beverages.
Approximately 2.75 million people of Indian origin (PIOs) account for about 9% of Malaysia’s population. Among them, around 2 million speak Tamil, while many others are multilingual, conversing in languages such as Telugu, Malayalam, and Punjabi. Less commonly, some PIOs speak Bengali, Urdu, and Gujarati.
In addition to this, an estimated 225,000 Indian expatriates currently reside in Malaysia. Most of these expatriates are professionals, including engineers, doctors, IT specialists, and other skilled workers who contribute to Malaysia’s workforce.
The Indian diaspora plays a significant role in Malaysia’s sociocultural landscape, actively participating in key events and activities organised by the community and various missions.
Meanwhile, according to the Malaysian Embassy, over 5,000 Malaysians are living and working in Cambodia, and approximately 500 companies are owned or operated by Malaysian businesspeople and investors in the country.