Over 150 family members spanning four generations gathered at Liang Lumut Recreation Club (LLRC) last Sunday as part of their ‘Sabo Family Fun Day’.
Many of the family members are descendants of Haji Malai Othman bin Haji Malai Damit.
Distant family members came together to spend the weekend in each other’s company while also learn about the legacy and history of their family which stretches back to Tuanku Syed Ahmad.
Attendee Sharifah Marianah binti Haji Malai Othman said the event was the fourth of its kind in the past 10 years.
She expressed joy at seeing the extended family come together adding that she looked forward to the games, activities as well as food and drinks the most.
One of the highlights of the gathering was the distribution of a book detailing the history of Haji Malai Othman and forefather Tuanku Syed Ahmad, authored by Malai Hassan bin Haji Malai Othman.
Malai Hassan said writing the book was one of his dreams as it is a chronicle of the family roots, filled with stories and facts of their remarkable heritage.
Many of the stories in the book, Legends of the Malai Dynasty: The Brave Tales of Tuanku Syed Ahmad, are based around the journey of Tuanku Syed Ahmad from Ta’if, Saudi Arabia to Brunei.
“We gathered information from various sources, including Tarsilah Keturunan Tuanku Syed Ahmad by the late Dato Paduka Malai Haji Ahmad Murad bin Syed Haji Mashor, Kimanis: Negeri Tua, Tanah Keramat by Baszley Bee Awg Basrah, Eko Prayitno Joko and Zainuddin Baco published by Universiti Malaysia Sabah as well as Sabah Times news cuttings from 1960,” said Malai Hassan.
The new book was written with the younger generations in mind, helping them to explore and understand their lineage.
“It was a lot of hard work and dedication to bring this information together, and we are still learning and discovering more about the Malai Dynasty every day. I hope this book will inspire them (the younger generations) to take pride in their heritage and continue to learn about the family’s past,” said the author. – Daniel Lim
