RESEARCH CENTER: Human
Genome Center , School of Health Sciences and Dental School , USM CURRENT
STATUS OF PROJECT: Ongoing ( started : Jan 2005 )
RESEARCHERS: Principle
Investigator: Dr. Zafarina Zainuddin
Co-researchers: Dr.
Zilfalil Alwi, Prof. Abd. Rani Samsudin, Miss Azlina Ahmad, Dr. Bakiah
Shaharuddin, Dr. Liza Sharmini Ahmad Tajudin, Mr. Hoh Boon Peng, Mr. Mohamad
Ros Sidek, Dr. Nizam Abdullah, Prof. Norazmi Mohd. Nor, Assoc. Prof. Ooi Keat
Gin, Panneerchelvam, Dr. Zainul Ahmad Rajion, Prof. Zainul F.Zainuddin.
INTRODUCTION:
The Malay race inhabits particularly Peninsular Malaysia and portions of
adjacent islands of Southeast Asia (SEA), east coast of Sumatra , coast of
Borneo and smaller islands between these areas. They were traced by
anthropological evidence from the north-western part of Yunnan , in China. The
proto-Malays were seafaring people, probably from coastal Borneo who expanded
into Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia as a result of trading and seafaring
activities. The present day Malays, called Modern Malays of Peninsular Malaysia
and coast of the Malay Archipelago are a mixture of different races. They were
described as deutero-Malays, descendants of the proto-Malays mixed with modern
Indians, Thai, Arab and Chinese. The history and the origin of the Malay race
have been the subject of much speculation among scholars.
Since the Malays
primarily reside within SEA, particularly Peninsular Malaysia, the prehistoric
migrations into these regions must be taken into consideration. Several
hypotheses of the SEA migration pattern have been put forward. Preliminary
studies using mitochondrial DNA analyses suggested affinity of the Southern
Mongoloid in the Modern Malay population of Peninsular Malaysia (Zafarina,
2004). The term Melayu or Malay‚ was also associated with the Hindu-Buddhist
Srivijaya Empire (7th-13 centuries CE) believed to be located in the South-eastern
part of Sumatra . An Arab text dating around 1000 CE observed that travellers
bound for China sailed through the sea of Melayu‚ that can be inferred to mean
the Straits of Melaka. On opposite shores of the Straits of Melaka by the 7th
century CE or earlier, there were the domicile areas of the Malays, namely Sumatra
and the Malay Peninsular.
OBJECTIVE
1. To compile the genetic profile of the Malay race.
2. To study the history, social and anthropology of the Malay
race.
3. To characterise the craniofacial, dental and ocular
features of Malay race.
4. To correlate the genetic profile of the Malay race with
their craniofacial, dental and ocular characteristics.
5. To correlate the genetic profile of the Malay race with its
history, social and
anthropology.
6. To trace the origin of the Malay race by using the genetic
profile, anthropology,
craniofacial, dental and ocular characteristics.
METHODOLOGY:
The research encompasses four parts of studies: The Historical
and Socio-cultural Analysis, the Ocular Morphology Analysis, the Craniofacial
Morphology Analysis, and the last major part, the Genetic Analysis. Various
types of genetic markers are used in the study of the genetic components of the
population.
These markers are autosomal and Y chromosome STR markers,
mtDNA, Human Leucocytes Antigen (HLA) and lastly, the SNP genotyping which will
be done using the Microarray 50K genechip system.
EXPECTED OUTCOME:
1. The tracing of the origin and the migration pattern of the
Malay race.
2. Establishing USM as a part of the member of Pacific Pan-Asian SNP Initiative
(PASNPI) organized by Human Genome Organization (HUGO)”
Dr Zafarina studies is one of the most cnclusive evidence of
Borneo origins of the Malay race. They are not called Malay in Borneo, but
Dusuns or Dayaks.
Dr Zafarina traced the genetic migration of the Dusunic
speaking people of Borneo southwards in Borneo and along the way producing
other tribes such as the Lun Bawangs, Bidayuhs, Ibans, etc. The Bidayuhs in
turn migrated to Sulawesi and found the Bugis people. When the Dayaks or Dusun
reached the southern tip of Borneo, they simply crossed over to Jawa and
Sumatera. Scientist has concluded that the Expres Train theory that the Malay
race come from Taiwan were now discredited. Scientist found genes found among
Polynesians (Hawaii) were not found among the indigenous Taiwanese. This shows
the connection is missing.
Instead the theory goes that the Malay people who migrated
from Indo China reached the coast of Borneo where the race and language of the
Malayo Polynesian incubated. It was from Borneo that people migrated out to
Taiwan, the Philippines and the rest of Insular Southeast Asia and the pacifics
and the Indian ocean.
The proto Malays of Borneo were once great seafarers, reaching
as far away land as Madagascar. Their migration led them to other Islands
brought them to Sumatera, Jawa, Sulawesi, and then to the Pacifics Islands.
Incidently, the Malagasy language in Madagascar is closest to
Maanyan language of Barito Kalimantan. But Manyan is closest to Dusun Witu of
Barito which is alsmot 80% similar to the Dusun language of the Penampang and
Papar Sabah dialect.
Dusun is about 30% similar to modern Malay. We know that
modern Malay is only 30% indigenous, the rest were derived from or enriched by
Sanskrit (Indian language), Arabs (during Islamic influence) and Chinese. But
the 30% indigenous are almost all similar to Dusun language in terms of sound
and meanings. The followings are some Dusun/Malay similarity.
Eg mato for mata, tolingo for telinga, todung for hidung,
dilah for lidah, siku for siku, longon for lengan, kulit for kulit, tonsi for
isi, raha for darah, tulang for tulang, wulu for bulu, pusod for pusat, tuhat for
urat, wotis for betis, etc.
Other words, kayu for kayu, watang for batang, roun for daun,
bunga for bunga, tuah for buah, etc others, wulan for bulan, watu for batu,
tana for tanah, sawat for sawat (as in pesawat), osin for masin, onsom for
masam, po’it for pahit, omis for manis, apui for api, matai for mati, pais for
pisau, etc.
Others, iso for sa, duo for dua, apat for empat, limo for lima
, onom for enam, etc.
Others, palanuk for pelanduk, buayo for buaya, lipos for lipas,
tikus for tikus, tontolu for telur, ulanut for ular, etc. There are hundreds of
words that form the indigenous part of the Malay language.
The dusun origins of modern Malay is something to be researched further. The
dusunic speaking people are quite widespread. The Bisaya of Sarawak are dusunic
people, also the dusuns of Tutung and Belait Brunei. In Barito, Kalimantan, the
several dusunic speakers are related to the dusunic language.
Even the Bajau language and most visayan dialects in the
Philippines can be traced to the dusunic langauge. According to Dr Zafarina,
the dusuns produce the Bajau people (interesting). This correspond with the
legend among Visayans that they came from Borneo.
It is ironic that the dusuns today are not constitutional Malay
though scientific evidence now showed the Borneo origins of the Malay language.
The dusuns who populated Borneo did not find great
civilization in Borneo. The credit must be given to their descendents who
migrated to Sumatera and eventually became Malays through intermarriage with
the more culturally advance Indians to form the seeds of the melayur kingdom.
Today it is true being Malay is a pride to many Malaysians.
But the Malaysian Constitutional definition does not make them racially Malays.
Officially, the word Malay is a religious identity, not a racial identity.
Ironically, the only other people who defined their ethnic
identity in terms of religion are the Jewish people. Even Arabs recognize Arab
Christians as Arabs. But in Malaysia, one has to be a Muslim to be a Malay.
The Malaysian constitutional definition excludes Javanese,
Filipinos, and other indigenous in Southeast Asia who are malayo polynesian
speakers as Malays because they do not fulfil the constitutinal definition.
The Malaysian definition of a Malay reduced the number of
ethnic Malay to just 25 million people wolrd wide.
Thus, the Malay history also started only with the advent of
islam in the 14th century. Malay did not exist before the advent of Islam.
The term Malay was popularized by western anthropologists
based on their readings of Sejarah Melayu, however, distorted.
The term Malay is now very popular, used even by President
Gloria Aroyo to identify her Filipino racial heritage. Unfortunately, may be
she did not know, but the Malaysian Malays would have disputed her. She does
not fulfill the Malaysian Constitutional definition to be a Malay.
Unless Malaysia change its constitution to make Malay a racial
identity for Malayo Polynesian people, then the narrow definition would make
the term Malay relevant to a small group of people in a sea of 300
million Austronesian Malayo Polynesian speakers.
As of now, to be a Malay is just like to be a Jew, where
ethnicity is defined by religious identity.
(Note from blogger)
Kajian bukanlah sekadar melakukan tinjauan literatur sahaja atau penyiasatan terhadap sesuatu perkara. Walau bagaimanapun, kajian boleh dikatakan sebagai suatu percubaan untuk menjawab soalansoalan ke arah menghasilkan ilmu dengan menggunakan pendekatan yang saintifik. Pendekatan saintifik merujuk kepada pendekatan yang berasaskan data empirikal dengan kaedah pemerhatian yang terkawal dan sistematik ke atas realiti. Pendekatan saintifik berbeza dengan pendekatan yang bukan saintifik.
kajian boleh dirumuskan sebagai suatu pendekatan saintifik yang menggunakan kaedah munasabah untuk menyelesaikan masalahmasalah tertentu demi mewujudkan pengetahuan baru atau memurnikan pengetahuan yang sedia ada. Dalam hal ini, kajian menggunakan data empirikal sebagai bukti untuk menyokong sesuatu tuntutan ilmu baru
Dalam konteks pendidikan pula, kajian boleh ditakrifkan sebagai cara saintifik untuk memperoleh pengetahuan baru. Kajian pendidikan merupakan satu aktiviti berhubung dengan usaha untuk memperoleh dan menganalisis maklumat empirikal untuk mengenal pasti dan menyelesaikan masalah pendidikan. Hasil daripada itu, mewujudlah pengetahuan baru.
(Pendapat Peribadi/Summary oleh blogger)
Saya percaya bahawa ada dalam kalangan kita yang tidak percaya dan agak mustahil untuk mempercayai kajian ini. Pada pandangan blogger sendiri, mungkin kebenaran ada juga (mungkin). Dari sudut lain, rumusan terhadap kajian dilakukan berdasarkan kepada wujudnya persamaan antara masyarakat yang dinyatakan di atas. Misalnya dari aspek yang melibatkan kehidupan harian masyarakat terutamanya bahasa adan cara hidup.
Selain itu, kita juga perlu sedar bahawa pendapat setiap individu adalah berbeza. Kita tidak boleh menyalahkan sesiapa kerana ianya merupakan keistimewaan dan potensi yang ada dalam setiap individu. Hungry of knowledge juga antara faktor yang mendorong manusia atau para sarjana untuk mencari jawaban kepada setiap persoalan yang wujud.
Hal yang kita perlu sedar ialah kebenaran yang total bagi setiap persoalan yang wujud dalam kehidupan tidak mampu dijawab oleh manusia secara 100 peratus. Kebenaran yang total adalah dalam tangan Pencipta (God).
" ...be thirsty for knowledge, be hungry for discovery, be passionate about success.
~Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Ongkili, Malaysian Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water~
