Why do we need another Malay society in the UK? There are already a number of Malay groups all over the UK.

There is a significant number of Malays currently residing in the United Kingdom. There is no organisation which represent the Malay community in UK as a whole. Yes, there are many Malay groups scattered all over the country but their membership is confined to those within their locality. Malays who live far away from other Malay communities are deprived of the privilege of belonging to a Malay society.

There are many Malay-based communities in the UK comprising of Malaysian students. Why dont everybody just join them rather than form a new society?

There is a lack of common interests between students and non-students who reside in the UK. Many students feel that there is a barrier when it comes to communicating with the resident Malays. As students are only in this country for a limited period of time, many of them ended up without having any contact with resident Malays. Resident Malays sometimes also get discouraged in making friends with the students. Friendship with students seldom last long as students have to leave the country after a few years. However, we encourage our members, resident Malays and students alike, to interact with each other.

The problem of "temporary" friends also exist amongst children of resident Malays. If parents join Melayu UK, then their children can build a network of friends that they can grow up together.

It seems that the society is not for students. Are you going to exclude students from your membership?

The main focus for membership in on the resident Malays. We now have second and third generation Malays who are students and we have launched our Melayu UK Youth section. Foreign students from the Malay lands e.g. Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei etc are encouraged to join Melayu UK and attend our activities.

The resident Malays are few in number. So why bother having a society?

Nobody has come out with a figure on the number of resident Malays in the UK. The trend we are seeing today is that the resident Malay community in the UK is increasing rather than decreasing. In contrast to the 1950s when resident Malays were mainly sailors who settled close to sea ports, the resident Malays now are mainly professionals and are scattered all over the country. Clearly, the needs of the resident Malays have changed over time. Interestingly, since our formation, many families of mixed marriages have joined the society.

Are children also the concern of the society?

Absolutely yes. The society will put an emphasis on the welfare of the children. Activities will have to be family-oriented so that children do not feel alienated. The children of today will be those who will run the society in the future. Currently, the society is run by Malaysian Malays but it is not an impossibility that in future it will be run by UK Malays who are born and bred in the UK and may not even be Malaysian citizens.

I am a resident here and my children are also Malaysian citizens. The Malays in the UK will still be Malaysian citizens. So what do you mean by UK Malays who are not Malaysian citizens?

When our children are young, we tend to answer a lot of questions for them. When they ask us whether they are British or Malaysian, we tell them that they are Malaysian. But when they grow up and have a mind of their own, they will tend to think of themselves as British rather than Malaysian. One way of testing our childrens perception of where home is, is when we make a trip to Malaysia. We will say balik Malaysia but will they say balik Malaysia or pergi Malaysia? When we consider children of mixed marriages, there is a substantial number of those who are British.

Can Malays from Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia join the society?

If we are going to live in the UK, we should start identifying ourselves as "Melayu UK" as a unifying factor rather than look at all the differences e.g. "Melayu Malaysia" or "Melayu Singapura" or "orang Jawa" or "orang Bugis" etc. This is especially true for children born and bred in the UK and also children of mixed marriages, as they can adopt a new identity i.e. Melayu UK. Melayu UK is also a new ethnic group.

Is this a welfare society?

Yes, this is also a welfare society. Welfare is a noble word. All societies, including professional bodies, have a goal of looking after the welfare of their members. The scope for welfare for the society is a very big one and also a very challenging one indeed. The members comprise of people of various professions. Most of them have families too, with children of varying age. We aim to assist our members in the areas of language, culture, business and religion.

Has the society got a constitution?

The pro tem committee has drafted a constitution. The draft is available to all registered members for comment. Members with Yahoo ID can obtain a copy of the draft constitution from the Files folder. The constitution is not yet in force, and we would like members to give feedback so that it can be the basis for running the society.

How can I become a member?

You can join the society by filling in the online registration form on the society website. The website address is http://www.melayu.org.uk . Upon receipt of the registration form, you will also be added to the societys e-group.

Can I join the e-group without being a member?

In the past, we have allowed anonymous people to join the e-group. Some anonymous members in the e-group has abused their privileges by posting irrelevant and even disgusting adverts. For that reason, only registered members are added to the e-group.

What is an e-group?

An e-group is a discussion group using Internet technology. Any member of the group will be able to send any mail to the group. Whenever an e-mail is sent to the group, everyone in the group will receive it. You can then reply to the messages if you wish. The society uses the Yahoo Group. Members who have Yahoo IDs can log on to Yahoo Group and will be able to see the e-group's members list.

I do not have Internet access. Can I still join the society?

Yes, you can. Contact any of the committee members for a membership application form. However, we hope that you get connected to the Internet. All news and announcement will be made through our website and e-group. Also, with Internet access you will be able to participate in the e-group discussion. In fact, Internet technology will play a major role in the delivery of information and services for our members.

How can we help in building the society?

We leave that to your wisdom. Each and every one of us has his or her own strength. Dedicate this strength for the betterment of the society. We can for example, organise regional programs which will undoubtedly increase the brotherhood amongst us.