MUAR AND THE INDIAN MUSLIMS by Dato’ Mohamed Shariff Bin Abdul Aziz

 

Its a Saturday. Here is a very long piece of reminiscence by Dato Mohamed Shariff Bin Abdul Aziz - whom I have met a couple of times. He also bought a few copies of my book Malaysia and the Club of Doom. This is a speech which Dato Shariff delivered recently in his hometown of Muar. It is interesting - a piece of history. I have some comments after this. 

(Speech by Dato’ Mohamed Shariff Bin Abdul Aziz at the Dinner at Muar Soup House Muar on Saturday 5 September 2026; 8.00 pm

In Conjunction with BANDAR MAHARANI HERITAGE WALK 2026

5 - 6 September 2026 organised by MALAYSIA INDIA HERITAGE SOCIETY & INDIAN HIGH COMMISSION)

Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Good Evening and a Warm Welcome to all. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim Assalam.

A brief introduction of myself. I am Mohamed Shariff Bin Abdul Aziz. My parents ran a business at 31 Jalan Abdullah Muar. I was enrolled in Fairies and Pixies Kindergarten in 1957 when I was five years old . The kindergarten was at the junction of Jalan Meriam and Jalan Abdul Rahman. It’s no more there. 

My first primary school was in 1958 at Sekolah Melayu Parit Kadhi Muar next to Ismail School. From 1959 to 1969 I as in St. Andrew’s School in Jalan Hashim Muar. A government aided missionary school run by the La Salle Brothers. I also attended Sekolah Ugama in the afternoons at Sekolah Bandar, Bandar Maharani Muar. My Form Six was in Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman and then to University Malaya graduating with B. Econs (Hons) in 1975. 

All my 7 brothers and sisters were born and brought up in Muar. Our diaspora today is throughout Malaysia but we keep a strong connection with Muar at all time. I worked in FAMA from 1975 until retirement in 2011. Settled in Kuala Lumpur with one wife two children and two grandchildrens.

From the historical perspective the history of Indian Muslims in Muar is interlinked closely with the history and development of Muar itself right from the founding of Muar as Bandar Maharani in about 1884 by Sultan Abu Bakar (earlier known as Maharajah Abu Bakar)the father of Modern Johore. 

Muar later surrounded by British rubber plantations became the pivotal meeting point where the British plantation managers, Department Heads and their staff with their family members met and socialised frequently and did their shopping.

When we talk of racial harmony in Malaysia we often hear the Sarawak Premier talking very highly of racial harmony in Sarawak . But it is in Muar that we can rightfully say that this is truly the showcase of racial harmony of Malaysia. It is here that we see the Malays queuing up at Chinese coffee outlets for the popular taste of the famed Muar coffee. Chinese patrons enjoying early morning satays and local dishes at the Malay outlets. We can observe multi racial crowds at the Indian eateries enjoying Indian traditional dishes such as appam, dosai, idli, vadai etc.etc. without scrutinising for halal logos all over the place. 

Everyone respects each other’s religious taboos without undue hassle. The street foods of Muar is a fusion of the heritage of all the races in Muar - Malays, Chinese , Indians, Arabs, Eurasians and others who have being living harmoniously for generations . In this respect some of the Indian Muslim food has become the palate of the other races. Examples include Putu Mayam (string hoppers), Ice Cendol, Nasi Kandar, Beriyani, Sup Kambing, different varieties of noodle preparations, Bengali Bread, and the list goes on.

The early Indian Muslims in Muar were mainly spice traders, textile merchants, eatery outlet operators, money changers, Cold Storage suppliers, ration suppliers for army camps and police canteens, shop keepers dealing in books , stationery, groceries, household items, meat packers, stevedores in the iron mines etc. Stevedores at the Kepong Iron Mines were mainly Indian Muslims from Ramnad District India. During the Maulidur Rasul Celebrations these people would organise Maulidur celebration on the Muar River where the train of big barges would be plying down the river and they would be reciting praises of the prophet on top the Barges.

Among the other Indian Muslim communities there is a common saying locally that there is no settlement in any nook or corner of Malaysia where you cannot find a Malabari Muslim eatery . Malabari Muslims are affectionatly known as kakas. Their eating outlets and restaurants will be seen everywhere and anywhere spread out in all the small village and towns throughout the country. That is precisely the Indian Muslim outreach in Muar.

Spice and herbal product trade including the whole spectrum of the downstream activities were the mainstay of the Indian Muslims. This goes back to a long historical tradition. The Indian Muslim traders were spice, herbal and jungle produce traders often being agents for the Royal households and exporters known as Saudagar Raja . In Muar after the founding of Modern Muar the Sultan had brought in Chinese farmers under the Kangchu system to cultivate spices especially black pepper and gambier in the district. We even have a place known as Bukit Gambier in Tangkak. The traders ,grinders and blenders of these spices were mainly Indian Muslims who distributed the products all over the peninsular and overseas in the early years. As a historical reminder black pepper was not really indigenous to Sarawak . It is native to India, Indonesia and possibly Peninsular Malaysia. We can still find wild pepper vines in the jungles of Langkawi. It is interesting to note that in the Royal emblem insignia of Johore there is a graphic agricultural motive of Pepper and gambier below the shield held by the two tigers . This symbolises how important pepper and gambier were to the agricultural development of Johore.

In India it is native to Keralam especially around Munnar in Iduki district. There is still in existence the original wild pepper jungle near the Periyar National Park - the home of pepper in the world. In Muar today this proud tradition of spice grinding, blending and distribution trade is being continued with vigour by Mr. Amiruddin bin Shaik Allauddin of Muar Soup House fame and his spice outlet M.R.S. Kasia Pillai in Jalan Maharani Muar.

It is interesting to note that from some historical sources it has been suggested that the the word MUAR means three rivers in the Tamil language Mu means three and Ar means river - i.e the Serting River, the Pahang River and the Muar River meeting at the estuary of the Straits of Malacca. The same goes for Munar in Keralam ( pronounced also as Mun Ar ) which also means the meeting of three rivers. The early Indian traders who had come to Muar could have found similarities with their place of origin and probably called the place by the same name.

The Muar river originates from Ulu Muar around the present day Kuala Pilah. It was from this place that the Indian Muslims having their businesses in Kuala Pilah came by this river to the new township of Bandar Maharani when it was established in around 1870s. This was the riverine route transversing Jempol river connected to Serting River, PAHANG River and Muar River to reach Bandar Maharani Muar. Somewhere in between is a place known as Penarikan where the boat had to be transferred by land on to the next river.

One of the people who travelled this route was my great grandfather Katuwa Sahib Rowther Maidin. I am the fifth generation in the lineage. He set up his business at 31 Jalan Abdullah Muar in about 1877 continued by his son, grandsons and great grand sons at the same spot ( in front of the Asiatic Theatre Muar) with the final business was by my parents carrying the name K. M. M. Taha & Co. a Cold Storage business entity mainly catering to the British expatriates at that time until the late 50s. In that lineage I and my 9 brothers and sisters were the first to be relocated from Muar after about 100 years of the family’s sojourn in Muar. Anyway we left Muar some fifty years ago with a very heavy heart, but Muar never left our hearts a deep rooted love for Muar lingers on with us forever. My job in FAMA took me since then to Kelantan, Trengganu, Perak, Sarawak and finally to KL as the Ketua Pengarah of FAMA and after retirement I am settled down in KL.

My brother Dr. Selahuddeen Abdul Aziz once served as the Director of Hospital Muar the same hospital he was born and later was appointed Johore State Medical Director. History continues and moves on…... nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line , nor all thy tears wash out a word of it…. to quote part of a famous verse from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam .

Other Indian Muslims came from Singapore, Malacca and the neighbouring areas of the country. Another historical conjecture could be when Malacca was temporarily handed over to the British during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe Stamford Raffles who had set up a British Trading Post in Singapore in 1819 wanted to populate, develop and popularise the new Port. He embarked on some sort of scorched earth policy in Malacca because he thought he had to hand over Malacca back to the Dutch as per the agreement then. Kill the prosperity of Malacca before handing over Malacca to the Dutch. He forced the businesses in Malacca to relocate to Singapore. Munshi Abdullah the Father of Modern Malay Literature and a close acquaintance of Stamford Raffles too had to leave Malacca for Singapore at that period. Probably some of the Indian Muslim businessmen came to Muar instead of going to the unknown Singapore. In that period of time Muar was ruled by the local Temenggongs of Royal lineage. Malacca was then a thriving metropolitan city but remove talent and entrepreneurship the city crumbles by itself. Singaporeans even today flock to Malacca for their holidays maybe to reacquaint with their long lost relatives and in search of their roots. The rest is history when Malacca remained with the British exchanging Bencoolen in Sumatra with the Dutch under the Anglo Dutch Treaty of 1824. Most of these Indian Muslim traders were originally from South India - Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Thanjavur, Nagore, Ramnad, Porto Nova etc. and mainly from the Coromandel Coast of India. Their original businesses were in Penang, Alor Setar , Ipoh, Kota Bharu , Malacca and Singapore . The more adventurous ones came to Muar.

The Indian Muslims being traders blended very well with the local people and many had assimilated with the local Malay community. They were called by different names at different periods of time by the locals . Some of the names include Chulias ( from Chola Kingdom), orang Pulikat (KAIN Palaikat sellers and wearers), mamaks (uncles) in the Royal Court Ceremonies earlier still referred as Mamak Bendahara , Peranakans, Jawi Pekans and in the earlier periods were called kelings (not derogatory at that time) we have a famous Malay Professor whose name was Professor Emeritus Dato Dr Zainal bin Keling (Allahyarham),Masjid

Kapitän Keling Penang, Tanjung Keling Malacca,and also Orang Melaka. Why orang Melaka because most of the Indian Muslim traders had settled in Melaka. The original name of Masjid India in KL was Masjid Orang Melaka.There is also a fruit known as buah Melaka because it is a nutritious fruit mainly consumed by the Indians who had settled in Malacca then. It is actually known as AMLA a family of belimbing / chermai fruitir in Tamil it is called Neely. Call the Indian Muslims by any name it doesn’t matter because to quote Shakespeare a famous line spoken by Juliet in Romeo and Juliet ‘ A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL AS SWEET’ is relevant in this case .

Indian Muslims being urban dwellers , commercialised the local indigenous businesses and expanded it to a wider consumer base . As an example the man who commercialised the famous Mee Bandung Muar was Hanipah the father of Abu Bakar Mee Bandung and his siblings in present day Muar. Muar Soup House of En. Amir and his sister Faridah have commercialised local dishes of Soto, rojak Mee and other noodle dishes with the signature dish being Sup Kambing Special .Others were involved in the native Malay medicinal ingredients, precious stones trade and a lot more downstream activities. Markets expanded and wealth created.

In the history of Johore Muar holds a special place as a place of important people who hail from Muar. Puan Kalsom Taib the author of A Life Reimagined A Memoir with us today is the daughter of the distinguished man Tan Sri Taib Andak the father of Land Reform in Malaysia is from Muar. He was the Chairman of Federal Land Development Authority -FELDA in 1958, one of biggest land schemes in the world. Tan Sri was the champion of cultural diversity and a true Malaysian .

(There was an interesting story about him which I read recently about his inclusiveness in a multi racial Malaysia. In 1956 just before independence Tun Razak ( later Prime Minister of Malaysia) was chairing the Selangor Lake Club AGM when a person asked Tun Razak whether liquor will be banned in this club when the country achieves independence. There was pin drop silence and Tun Razak remained silent and this was when Tan Sri Taib Andak broke the silence and diffused a very sensitive matter. He said rather jovially that in this club he frequents two places one is the bar where he meets his friends and the other the toilet where he has to frequent , both cannot exist without each other and there will be no closure for either one. There was applause and laughter and the issue ended).

The father in law of two Prime Ministers of Malaysia Tan Sri Noah is from Muar the list goes on to include Menteri Besars ,local Independence fighters and warriors, writers, entrepreneurs, local political leaders, educationists , Diplomats, Governors , Director Generals of Government Statutory Bodies and so on . Singapore’s former President Nathan hails from Muar. In the sixties the Ruling Alliance Party then comprising of UMNO, Malaysian Chinese Party MCA and Malaysian Indian Congress MIC at the Johore State level were all helmed by Muar leaders. Tan Sri Hj. Hassan Yunus, Tan Sri Osman Saad, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Chief Ministers UMNO), Dato Chua Song Lim , Dato Seah Teng Ngiap (MCA); Tan Sri G. Pasamanickam, K.M.M. Taha Shariff (MIC); Lillian Low an author from Muar wrote 2 books about 13 leaders who migrated from Muar and rose to fame in Singapore in her first book and in her second book brought into focus 23 prominent Muarians. The M Quotient and Where River Meets the Sea were the two wonderful books.

Other prominent politicians include Tun Suleiman Ninam Shah who was the Permanent Chairman of UMNO, Tun Syed Nasir who was the the first Chairman of Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka and Lembaga Padi dan Beras Negara. There are many more I have not mentioned my sincere apologies. Not forgetting those with us today Tan Sri Johan Jaafar author and a prominent media personality a proud Muarian so too was Tun Arshad Ayub a educationist of Institut Teknologi Of MARA fame; Malik Munip renowned historian and writer of a few books on Muar was a Muarian; Mat Sentul Cathy Keris Malay Film Production artiste who gave enduring comedies such as Mat Bond, Mat Tiga Suku, Mat Raja Kapoor and so on has roots in Muar and so was singer Ramlah Ram, and film directors Yasmin Ahmad and Namewee.

Muar had strong historical and people to people contacts with Singapore. Among others in 1950 during the Maria Hertogh custodian trial in Singapore which drew international attention, known popularly as the Natrah trial there were Indian Muslims and Malay organisations from Muar who took an active part in the protest demonstrations against the unfair treatment of Natrah in the hands of the colonialists in Singapore. This had led to the Natrah riots in Singapore later in 1950. This goes on to show the involvement of Indian Muslim organisations in Muar who were also fighters for just causes in the region.

In the local context of Muar there are Indian Muslims from Muar who had contributed greatly to the upliftment of the local community . One such person was En. Taha Shariff who has a road named after him in Muar - Lorong Taha Shariff off Jalan Arab Muar. ( this road stretches from Jalan Arab near the Petron Station until the Convent School joining the Jalan Daud Padang). He was a Town Councillor from 1959 - 1976 ; From 1959 to 1963 a nominated councillor and from 1963 to 1976 an elected Town Councillor from the Jalan Daud Barat Ward on the Alliance Ticket. He was the President of the Muar Indian Association, the Vice Chairman of Muar MIC , Secretary General of Johore State MIC, Secretary of the Muar Indian Chulia Association ,Suraus and various NGOs.

(Lorong Taha Shariff is where the famous Cathy Keris artiste Mat Sentul’s father Nana Yahaya and his family lived).

The other notable Indian leader from Muar who has a road named after him was the Johore State MIC President Tan Sri G. Pasamanickam.

Another Indian Muslim businessman philanthropist was K. P. Haji Packir Mohamed J. P. He and his siblings established their textile businesses along Jalan Sisi Muar and today these businesses still carry their names and successfully maintained by their third fourth generations. We have to mention too a prominent Indian Muslim doctor who virtually through his own efforts changed the skyline of Muar by building the tallest residential building in Muar - Dr. Tajudin Abdul Majid who owns the Taj Klinik in Jalan Suleiman Muar. There were definitely other prominent personalities who have contributed greatly to the development of the town through their business establishments.

In the earlier period of the century and over the years that followed there had been various associations for the Indian Muslims in Muar such as The Muslim League, The Indian Chulia Association, The Indian Muslim Surau, The Indian Association (housed at the Gandhi Memorial Hall Muar ), The Malaysian Indian Congress and also The Indian National Army . The Indian Muslims were involved in all these organisations and played an active role in achieving their objectives. There were two masjids built specifically for the Indian Muslims in early 1920s which still stands today . One is the Malabari Mosque in Jalan Suleiman and the other is the Indian Muslim Masjid(Surau) nearby which was rebuilt.

During Jawaharlal Nehru’s ( President of the Indian National Congress and future Prime Minister of Independent India)visit to Malaya in 1937 he had made a stop over in Muar on 30 May 1937 to meet the people. The visit was well documented where he addressed a massive crowd at the Muar Club Padang inspiring the Malayan leaders to fight for independence and urging the Indians to support the Malayan leaders wholeheartedly for a Independent Malaya . In 1965 C.N . Annadurai Indian Member of Parliament then who later became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu had also visited Muar. A reception was held at the Cathy Cinema Muar . He had urged the Tamils in Malaysia to be totally loyal to the country and live peacefully with the other races and contributing actively to the development of the nation. Muar was and is a important place for such eminent personalities from foreign countries to come - the magic pull I suppose.

Muar with its vivid historical background is today a vibrant town even though often referred to as a retirees haven but is no doubt a pulsating town of multiracial harmony. The morning crisp cool breeze from across the Straits of Malacca sweeps through the town invigorating the people to a new dawn each day. A well planned town with flowering trees all along the way to Tanjung Emas and to Tanjung Ketapang at the estuary of Muar River flowing into the Malacca Straits attracts the masses to the mesmerising sunset each day at that spot. Very few places in Malaysia have kept intact the mangrove swarms and the sea birds aplenty with mud skippers (ikan belachak) and horse shoe crabs (belangkas) at low tide. The town itself is filled with low flying swallows and other birds at certain times of the year heralding the seasonal changes. The fruit season in Muar starts with the fragrance in the air of the blooming jambu trees unique to Muar popularly known as the Malay Apple. Rambutans, durians , buah Rambai and the fresh Dukus of Muar attracts the people from all over Malaysia and Singapore during the fruiting season. No wonder a town built with love ensuring a environment friendly sustainability in mind has been voted the cleanest town in Malaysia over the years.

Smile, Be Happy You Are In the Royal Town of Muar.

Thank you .

Wa billahi Taufik Wal hidayah wasallamu alaikum warahmatullahi taalah w.b.t.

My Comments:

Here is an interesting point about the Indian Muslims in Muar:   Stevedores at the Kepong Iron Mines were mainly Indian Muslims from Ramnad District India. During the Maulidur Rasul Celebrations these people would organise Maulidur celebration on the Muar River where the train of big barges would be plying down the river and they would be reciting praises of the prophet on top the Barges.

I hope Dato Shariff has photographs of those barges floating down the river.  

In my hometown in Ipoh (1960s), later in Melaka and also in Penang where I finished schooling (late 1970s) the Indian Muslims were always celebrating the Maulidur celebrations in a big way.  Today we call it Maulud Nabi or the Prophet's birthday. It is a public holiday.

In Ipoh on the night of the Maulud Nabi (we called it miladur shariff) the Indian Muslim mosque would organise prayers and the salawat. Then they would cook and distribute fragrant rice wrapped neatly using newspapers in a square shape - 1960s style.  At that time I was not a great fan of eating anything (sadly I have grown out of it). But the fragrant rice cooked with ghee, kismis (raisins), cashew nuts, cloves, cardamom was really sedap. I always associated it with the maulud nabi. 

In Melaka some of the Indian Muslims there celebrated the Maulid Nabi with the qasidah poems. I think this has disappeared by now in Melaka. Recitation of the Burdah at Mawlid celebrations by the Ottomans and throughout Muslim India is historically well established. Scholarship describes the recitation of prophetic praise poetry as an integral component of Maulid celebrations.

The history tells us (ChatGpt lah) the Ottoman Empire made Mawlid Nabi (Mevlid-i Nebî) a major public and court-sponsored religious occasion, particularly from the late 16th century onward.

The Ottoman court held large, formal Mawlid ceremonies, especially in Istanbul.

They were associated with the sultan, palace, senior officials and religious establishment.

Mevlid-i Şerif (miladur shariff) — became central to Ottoman Mawlid culture.  Recitation involved poetry, Qur'an, sermons, prayers and devotional chanting, with particular sections of the Mevlid recited by professional reciters.  The Ottoman state eventually institutionalised the occasion, with official ceremonies and public distributions of food and charity.

So this is where the Maulud Nabi became institutionalised - by the Turkish Ottomans. There was a huge political reasoning behind the Maulud celebrations. Did you know that NONE of the Ottoman Caliphs - over 600 years - performed the pilgrimage to Mecca? Yet they called themselves Khalifah Muslimin. So they were 'alienated' from the pilgrimage rituals. To make up for the slack, the Ottoman Maulid celebrations became what we would call today as politics, PR, sound bytes and photo ops. (But there were no cameras then). 

Anyway this Ottoman institutionalisation of the Maulud Nabi spread throughout the Ottoman spheres of influence especially the Sunni Hanafi world (the Ottomans were Sunni Hanafi Muslims). Hence also Muslim India (at that time included Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh)  which remains largely Hanafi. Plus all the FIVE  'stans in Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan etc) are Hanai Sunnis. 

I hope Dato’ Mohamed Shariff will speak to his friends in Muar and revive the celebration of the Maulid Nabi on barges floating down the Muar River. It will indeed be a sight to behold.  

I am looking at the tourism potential as well.  

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.