MUSLIMS IN CAMBODIA HAIL MALAYSIANS' CONTRIBUTION TO REBUILDING THEIR LIVES

From Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil

KAMPUNG CHAM (Cambodia), June 1 (Bernama) -- The Muslim community in
Cambodia recognises the contribution of Malaysians in terms of development and
education to help rebuild their lives after a period of suffering under the
brutal Pol Pot regime.

Kampung Cham deputy governor Sobri Kassim said since the government of Prime
Minister Hun Sen ruled the country, the Muslims in Cambodia, however, had been
given the flexibility to develop their economy and education, and to observe
their religious practices.

"From that early stage, Malaysians have been coming here to help us," Sobri
told participants of the Jejak Warisan Jawi II (JWJ2), an expedition to explore
Southeast Asia and China to trace the Malay heritage, while on a stop in Kampung
Jumnik, here, Wednesday.

The group also presented Malay cultural performances like the marhaban,
berkompang and silat for the Malay community here.

Sobri described the JWJ2 expedition as a significant contribution to
the Malays in Cambodia because much of the Malay culture and heritage had been
lost after the reign of Pol Pot.

"I heard about the silat from my grandmother but did not expect to see it
today," he said in fluent Malay. Silat is the Malay art of self-defence.

Sobri said that what had been brought by JWJ2 to the people here would
remind them of the Malay cultural heritage that never existed before.

Kampung Cham deputy mufti, Yusof Said, also thanked Malaysians who he said,
had given a lot of encouragement to developing the lot of the Muslims in
Cambodia.

"They (Malaysians) have been with us from the beginning until now," he said.

Apart from Malaysians' contributions in cash and kind, Yusof said the
religious schools in Cambodia were also using the Yayasan Islam Kelantan's
religious secondary school (SMU) syllabus.

He hoped for more offers of scholarships to the religious school students
here to continue their education to obtain the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia
(STAM) in Malaysia as the religious secondary school level here is only up to
Form Four.

"More than 200 students completed the SMU each year in Cambodia, but only 15
to 20 students were offered to further their studies in Malaysia," Yusof said.

The JWJ2 expedition, organised by Majma' Budaya and Warisan Jawi as well as
1Malaysia Putera Club, is supported by the Information Communication and
Culture Ministry.

It takes the participants through seven countries - Malaysia, Thailand,
Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam - on the 12,000km journey.