The Colombo Malay Cricket Club (CMCC) was founded in 1872 and is the oldest Ceylonese Cricket Club in the country with over 150 years in existence.
They were originally provided with the premises known as the `Rifle Green’, on Sir Chittampalam. A. Gardiner Mawatha in Slave Island (Colombo 2) for the use of the Malay community, after disbanding the Ceylon Malay Rifle Regiment in 1873, by the then Colonial Government. In 1957, this property was taken over by the Government to construct the Slave Island Police Station and Officers’ married quarters.
The CMCC had played a pivotal role in laying the foundation of the gentleman’s game in Sri Lanka, at a time when it was exclusively for the Britishers in the Island. The CMCC was instrumental in the formation of the first cricket assembly in the country and led to the founding of the Ceylon Cricket Association in 1922. The historical inaugural meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in Ceylon was held at the CMCC Pavilion at the Rifle Green on June 25, 1948.
Sub-culture
Sri Lankan Malays now stand out as a uniquely woven sub-culture in the Sri Lankan social fabric. The CMCC presently acts as a beacon that preserves and promotes Sri Lankan Malay identity and culture in Sri Lanka. It has over the years invited members of the other communities, especially in the field of sports to represent the club. Overall, the Malay integration spread to several areas and fields of the country. The Malays excelled in sports such as cricket, rugger, soccer, boxing, netball, hockey, and lately into sepak takraw – a Malay peninsula originated sport.
In addition to sports, the contribution of the Malays spreads to Sri Lanka’s Security Forces, police, estate sector, the fire brigade of yore and more recently to the judicature, administrative services, academia, journalism and the corporate sector. The services of the Malays to the Security Forces and the police of the country are noteworthy, given the size of their population in the country, which is a mere 0.2 percent of the total population. Many of them laid down their lives in the service of the nation during the 30-year separatist war and the Southern insurgencies.
At present, the ground is being used free by the Army, Police, Government institutions and the students of the Defence Services College and schools nearby for physical training activities. The precincts are also the home for the Sri Lanka Malay Association (SLMA) which was formed in 1922 and the Sri Lanka Malay Federation (a.k.a. SLAMAC), which is the umbrella organisation for 27 Malay Associations functioning countrywide. In other words, the CMCC and the SLMA in “Padang Road” (Road named in honour of these two institutions), are the flagship institutions for the Sri Lankan Malay community and the sporting fraternity comprising multiracial sportsmen and women who are afforded the use of this facility.
The present premises had been granted to the CMCC off Kew (Padang Road), Road in Slave Island by the Government on a 30-year lease on a rental of Rs. 539.06. This was in lieu of the ‘Rifle green’ premises owned by the CMCC, to facilitate the construction of the present Slave Island police complex. The lease was tenable from 1958 for 30 years. The lease agreement of the CMCC premises had been renewed in 1985 and 2014 by the Government.
The CMCC ground has been categorised as a Tier B category Playground by the Cricket Board. Hence, only appropriate matches are permitted to be played. The premises has no provision for further expansion and upgrade due to the limited size of the land extent.
The initial annual rent which was Rs. 539.06 in 1958 had been increased during the subsequent extension of the lease period which read as Rs. 24,000 in 1989. According to CMCC sources, the Divisional Secretariat of Colombo, by its letter dated May 11, 2023 has increased the annual rental to Rs. 23.269 million from 2015-2019 and Rs. 34.90 million from 2020-2023. The CMCC responded by addressing a letter of appeal to the Divisional Secretariat for possible relief. It also cited its meagre revenue earning capacity, about Rs. 500,000 annually and this is mainly used to pay the salaries of the club staff, meet utility bills and maintenance.
Glimmer of hope
The CMCC having written to the Divisional Secretary in August 2023, followed up with a letter of appeal to the President, Ranil Wickremesinghe in January 2024. The appeal resulted in the main office-bearers of the CMCC being granted an audience with Presidential and National Security adviser Sagala Rathnayake on July 11, 2024 at the Presidential Secretariat.
The Daily News of July 2, 2024, carried an article on the possibility of the Government granting freehold rights or 99-year leases to sports club play grounds over 100 years.
The news item quoting Minister Harin Fernando stated, “The President has decided to offer the freehold rights or at least to offer 99 years lease for the grounds owned by the CMC for the clubs which are more than 100 years in existence said Minister of Tourism, Lands, Sports and Youth Affairs, Harin Fernando at the groundbreaking ceremony for new floodlights system at CR and FC Grounds Colombo yesterday. The Minister also said that a cabinet paper has been drafted and CR & FC will also be included in the list of clubs to have the freehold right”.
The CMCC delegation that met Sagala Ratnayaka at the Presidential Secretariat is enthusiastic at the response received and optimistic of a solution to their predicament. It is hoped that the CMCC too would be included in the list of clubs, proposing the grant of freehold rights or long Leases, and submitted for Cabinet approval. The vision of the CMCC, with its 152-year history along with that of the SLMA, which is also 102 years old, is to continue to lead the Malay community and be the vibrant symbol and legacy to further forge ahead with meaningful national integration and contribute to nation building.
The writer is a life member, CMCC, Colombo.
