A gem of an island

AFTER my return to Bangladesh last month, I’ve just visited Sri Lanka, where the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) has partner think tanks working on economic issues and advocating policy change.

They were very keen to learn about the growth of civil society in Malaysia, and I shared how Ideas grew from a tiny outfit, with people being hostile, and then skeptical, and then eventually understanding (if begrudgingly) our objectives, to now a healthy team being engaged by policymakers, bureaucrats and academics.

This seemed to encourage my new Sri Lankan friends, who emphasised that after a period of political and economic turbulence, it is vital to ensure the sustainability of civil society so that politicians do not have a monopoly over policymaking.

The “turbulence” refers to the economic crisis that saw the government defaulting in April 2022, and the president fleeing the country months later. Not that, as a tourist, one would notice any of that, nor the civil war that ended in 2009.

Of course, the hotels and attractions do their best to portray normalcy. But observing fishermen, vendors and of course, talking to Uber drivers, there is a universal sense that the worst is behind them, and they are looking forward to achieving political stability and economic growth.

Certainly, the island pioneered such things over a thousand years ago. At Sirigiya, a rock fortress in the middle of the island, there remain parts of palaces, gardens, pools and a massive sculpted lion thought to date back to the fifth century.

In the cave atop this Unesco World Heritage Site, there are frescoes unrivalled in sophistication for the next millennium, while the engineering and logistics required to construct all this far exceeds what was being done in other parts of the world at the time.

Centuries later saw other great rulers competing with one another, including Parakramabahu the Great of Polonnaruwa, who left strong physical and spiritual legacies that are still admired and cited to this day; his famous quote “Not even a drop of water that comes from the rain must flow into the ocean without being made useful to man” references the island’s historical reliance on water management and foretells today’s climate consciousness.

As with many civilisations throughout history, periods of greatness ebbed and flowed with numerous kingdoms fighting for supremacy. The arrival of European powers from the 16th century saw coastal areas being controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British (sounds familiar?) until the island was united by the latter in 1815, with independence being granted in 1948.

European architecture immediately became evident at the coast, with Fort Frederick in Trincomalee resembling A Famosa in Melaka. But it was at the naval museum that the institutional legacy of the British was most evident, from the uniforms and traditions to place names.

The enormous natural secure harbour was perfect for ancient and modern navies alike in defending geopolitical and economic interests, with models of ancient ships and parts of modern craft of the government exhibited alongside the more improvised vessels of the Tamil Tigers.

The promotional video shown at the museum highlighted the navy’s commitment to environmental protection, including marine wildlife, which provides a key tourist attraction in the area. Sailing out to sea was rewarded by the sight of a fin whale and several pods of dolphins, perfectly complementing the animals I saw on land and in the air: dozens of elephants, deer (accompanied by a cheeky cat!) and a huge array of birds – though less welcome was a close encounter with a very long snake.

Arriving in Colombo, I was immediately struck by similarities to our capital, which, of course, is often abbreviated to the phonetically similar “Kolompo”: the closeness of different places of worship, the bustle of markets, the presence of colonial buildings alongside shop lots and neighbourhoods of older bungalows loomed over by new condominiums.

A smattering of Malay words caught my eye, and I was told about the huge influence – historically and now – of that community, potentially starting in 1214 when a Malay king ruled over Polonnaruwa.

In the book Malays of Sri Lanka, there are featured successful people in all professions throughout the country’s history, and I am sure many more historical links can be shared despite the presence of our constitutional definition of “Malay”.

Looking to the future, apart from cooperation between think tanks, educational links are being strengthened with new partnerships between universities – UCSI University’s partner is certainly enthusiastic – and an increasing Sri Lankan presence in the Malaysian tech space to the benefit of companies throughout Asean.

Certainly, from now on, I shall be drinking Ceylon tea and eating hoppers with far greater appreciation for their origins!

Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin is founding president of Ideas. The views expressed are the writer’s own.