Seni Silat and Seni Beladiri have existed in Malaysia since the very beginning of the first settlers. It starts due to the harsh condition of life, with regular confrontation of the wild animals, pirates, villains, and many factors. Eventhough the Malay people had the great empires and civilization , such as Chermin, Grahi, Patanni Besar, Kelantan Besar, Langkasuka, Gangga Nagara, Malacca, Srivijaya, Majapahit or many others, but it doesn't protect the people from fighting each others in the wars. With one of the region in the world that has the most ethnicity of different language, dialect, culture, tradition, and belief, the confrontation among the people is unavoidable.
I am not sure whether nowadays in Malaysia, there is MORE Malay who practice Silat or MORE who is not. But the peaceful and stable social-economical makes more Malaysian have times and capabilities to learn and practice the martial art, especially the Seni Silat. Due to the continuing effort of the Warriors, the Pendekars, the Panglimas and Srikandis, the Mahagurus and Guru Utamas, that fully sacrifice to serve the nation in keeping the tradition, with a little help from the nation medias, the trends is going up. In Malaysia, more and more association and federation, born to keep this tradition. PESAKA, DSSM, HIKMAH, SRIKANDI, MPM, PEWARIS, etc. are among the movers that creates new energy for the survival of Melayu nation.
YB Dato' Seri Haji Ismail bin Abd Mutallib
One of important players is MAGMA, stands for Malaysian Martial Art Grandmasters Association.It regroups all of the Grandmasters and masters of different background in one platform. One of the effort that MAGMA do since the beginning is to push the Malaysian Government to recognize the martial art grandmasters, especially those old master who is almost forgotten eventhough he was once a warrior for the country independence.
Many proposals had been sent, many paperwork had been rejected. If it is not due to the heart of steel of those grandmasters, I am sure we had give up long time ago. However, with the co-operation between MAGMA that represents the big martial art associations with the Ministry of Human Resource under the Malaysia Skill Department, has finally worth of waiting and fighting. ( It is not an easy way to arrive. They had all the misery and bad experience. )
For the first time ever, the Malaysian Government had recognize the martial art practitioner in Malaysia by delivering the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (Malaysia Skill Certificate) of level 1 to 3 under the title of "Martial Art Co-ordination". Adding to the values, those who are eligible , could take the examination for the DKM (Malaysia Skill Diploma) of level 4 and 5. This is not a certificate which is delivered by the association or individual, but an official certificate delivered by the Government body that is useful for the martial art practitioner to apply for job in the domain.
The best thing is that the UniSHAHPUTRA, one of the popular private university in Malaysia has grabbed this chance to offer the course in their university. 3 years course for a Diploma in Martial Art. The truth is that we need to have the demand of the course from the market to make this successful. That's why every sectors, public or private must help to boost the demand of this course. The MOU had been signed between SHAHPUTRA under it's founder
Dato' Dr. Haji Azman Abd Ghanie, and co-founder Datin Hajjah Suzieyati Haji Adham, with the founder of MAGMA, Grandmaster Azlan Abd Ghanie whois also the owner of SENIBELADIRI magazine and Guru Utama of Silat Melayu Lok 9. This meaningful event was witnessed by the Malaysia Deputy Minister of Human Resource himself YB Dato' Seri Haji Ismail Abd Mutallib, and all of the Martial Arts Grandmasters and practitioners especially from Pahang. Our ceremony was cherished by the demonstration by many Silat groups, and also my small group of PSSGM Universiti Malaysia Pahang. It was an event that I want to part of as it marks a new era for the Martial Art world in our country.
I am very happy and see this chance as a great opportunity in the future. The martial art practitioner is not more considered as a part-timer and hobby activities, but instead it can be your professional job to make life and getting paid in a standard rate depending on your academic level. I see the future, when the Martial Art is not only available in the Diploma level. For those academician, who are born with the skills in martial arts will push the limit by making it in the Bachelor's Degree level. Of course it will be a very long way before we can achieve that. Such the Master and PhD, of course much much much more works, money and time needed. Martial Art is a very large and versatile subject. For the research, conference and journals, much could be covered in the Martial Arts. The History , the Language, the Culture, the Philosophy, the Sufism, the Theology, the Techniques, the Weapons, the Healing Technique, the Safety Aspect, the War Strategy, the Communication, the Martial Art Engineering, the Training Tools and much more, are those subject which is still open for the research. All of us can contribute our research in the "IJMAAD" (Oh yes, I suggest you this name: "International Journal of Martial Arts and Associated Diciplines", cool isn't it?). Imagine one day we will be able to present our paper in a "International Martial Art Conference". ;). That's is one step further in the future where the Government and private sector appreciate and recognize the importance of this field. And what we need is a grant for research! ;)
Perhaps there are certain people who are quite cynical with the martial art studies. But as long as I am concerned, martial art is a study about the human it self. To know your self. To know your potential. To know your strength and weakness. I do hope my entry here would give you some ideas and motivation. Grab the chance. For those who already have their experience and a practitioner of Silat Seni Gayong, you can have the details here:
Gayong Martial Art Academy (GMA)
Zulpaka - Julien - Khairul - Rambo from PSSGM
Deux Francais de deux Silat : Cantin de Lok 9 et Julien de Gayong Malaysia
Julien with Cikgu Srikandi Hijrah
The BEST COCONUT SHAKE & NASI ARAB IN KUANTAN: Jungle Foodcourt
Light Dinner @Chicken Rice
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