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Far
Eastern Tour in 1988
These pages are
a tribute to my wife Noi , who
was never afraid of a challenge , we faced many!.
We had 27 years of happy marriage together
She died suddenly whilst on holiday
with me in Europe in 1990
Malacca History
Malacca history
Malacca is located on the Western Coast of
Peninsular Malaysia facing the Straits of
Malacca, about 147 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur
and 245 kilometers from Singapore. Malacca is
actually found sandwiched between the states of
Negeri Sembilan and Johor. It can be reached by
excellent roads from Kuala Lumpur and
Singapore. Internally it is serviced by a very
good network of roads leading to all the
historial places of interest. It covers an area
of 658 square kilometers and is divided into
three districts namely Alor Gajah, Malacca
Tengah and Jasin.
581 years ago, a refugee prince called
Parameswara sought sanctuary in a humble
fishing village and decreed that a city be
built where he stood. He named it Malacca from
the Malacca tree.
While hunting one day, he and his party
supposedly saw a deer kick a hound into the
river. Taking this as a good omen, Parameswara
started a settlement there, and named it after
the tree he was sitting under when the incident
happened. A natural harbour, the small fishing
village of Malacca soon grew into a thriving
port.
When the Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho arrived in
Malacca in 1407, Parameswara sought to
strengthen Malacca's position by establishing
ties with China. With support from China,
Malacca was able to fend off several attacks
from Siam. Another important point in Malacca's
history was when Parameswara decided to embrace
Islam in order to gain special concessions from
other Muslim ports and traders, who were drawn
by the ideal of a religious brotherhood and
preferred to take their business to their
Muslim brothers.
By the middle of the 15th century, Malacca had
become one of the most successful and
wealthiest ports in the region, dealing in
spices. Having carried out its own expansion
policies to become an empire in its own right,
Malacca had territories throughout the
peninsular as well as in Indonesia and the
Malay Archipelago. One of its greatest
achievements was to establish a court structure
that has been used by rulers of the Malay
states right up to the 21st century. Its
prominent figures are used to name streets in
most towns in the country.
By 1511, the winds of exploration were blowing
in the west, and it was to spell the end of
Malacca as a sovereign state.
Right at the top sits the Sultan, the ruler to
whom his subjects swear undivided loyalty in
return for just and prosperous rule. The
Bendahara can be likened to the role of a Prime
Minister in a modern-day government. The most
powerful person after the Sultan, the Bendahara
was the advisor to the state and was also
indispensable in settling disputes among
traders. In fact, he was the force behind the
throne and was so powerful that it was said the
Bendaharas were the greatest threats the Sultan
could face.
Next in the hierarchy is the Penghulu Bendahari,
the official in charge of treasury. He
supervised the four syahbandar, or harbour
officials, and the Sultan's domestic staff. The Temenggung, or the equivalent of the police
chief, is responsible for upholding law and
order. Candidates with the potential of
becoming Bendahara usually had to undergo
training as a Temenggung.
Malacca had a formidable navy and it was mainly
through the efforts of the Laksamana, or navy
commander, that Malacca succeeded in its
expansion exercises across the seas. Finally,
after the four ministers, come the council of
nobles who were consulted about new policies.
At the very lowest strata are the common people
and they had no say in the decision-making
process. But then again, they were the reason
for the stability of the sultan's throne. They
were ingrained from an early age that a subject
should not question his ruler and that the
ruler should be given undivided loyalty. No
commoner was permitted to use or wear yellow or
gold unless it was a gift from the royals.
The Portuguese had heard about the Venice of
the East and its importance; they wanted to
gain control of the port as whoever controlled
Malacca would also control the Straits of
Malacca, the most important sea route between
East and West, and controlling it would be
tantamount to untold riches and power.
So it was that Lopez de Sequeira sailed to
Malacca where he and his crew were given a warm
welcome. However, they were soon thrown into
prison on charges of spying, giving Admiral
Alfonso d'Albuquerque the perfect excuse to
sail from India to attack Malacca in 1511. The
Malaccan army fought valiantly but was no match
for the mighty cannons on d'Albuquerque's ship.
Moreover, the unity of the people had been
sadly undermined by weak leadership and charges
of nepotism.
Malacca was virtually reduced to the ground as
the conquerors destroyed everything that would
serve to remind and rally the people of
Malacca. The sultan retreated to Johor and from
there, the new kingdom launched many, many
attacks on the Portuguese. The only reason the
Portuguese were able to hold out for the next
130 years was the A' Famosa. Built by Alfonso
d'Albuquerque, who correctly anticipated the
revenge of the Malays, the fort was reinforced
by three-metre thick walls and a towering keep.
Under the Portuguese, the locals were
introduced to Catholicism. The churches
constructed by the Portuguese still exist but
in ruins. With the spread of Christianity in
Malacca, more and more Muslim traders now took
their vessels to the Muslim port of Aceh, at
the northern tip of Sumatra. Malacca had
started on the road to its decline as a port
and as a centre of knowledge in the Asian
region.
Malacca rose to become a prosperous and
powerful nerve centre of trade between the East
and the West, and eventually became an empire.
Here, gold, silk, tea, opium, tobacco, perfumes
and countless other items from nearby countries
and from as far away as Europe and South
America changed ships.
The fame of this celebrated city spread far and
wide and attracted conquerors who coveted
monopoly of the spice trade.
And so, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the
English respectively took control of the empire
until Malaysia obtained her independence in
1957 and Malacca was handed over to its first
local Governor. Each rule left its mark behind
and today this charming town, shed of its
former pomp and sovereignty is filled with
relics too big to be housed by any museum.
Every street, every monument tells its own
story of conquest and valour, avarice and
victory.
Stop awhile in Malacca and listen hard. You
might just be able to hear the pounding of
cannons and war cries at the Famosa or the
babble of foreign tongues raised high in the
market place in Malacca -- Where it all began
.............
Malacca is an old place and has a long and
colourful history. One cannot truly appreciate
all that it is and all that it stands for until
one gets a glimpse into its annals.
Malacca is the birthplace of the Malaysian
heritage, which dates back to the 15th century.
The Malacca Sultanate marks the beginning of
the modern monarchy. When the once-proud port
fell into European hands, beginning with the
Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally the
British, each of these foreign cultures left an
indelible mark on Malacca and its inhabitants.
The immigrant Chinese also had a hand in
determining the fortunes of Malacca.
Every Malaysian grows up with Malacca and its
history. Fuelled by what they have read and by
their imaginations, most will make it a point
to visit Malacca. They will only get a sense of
fulfilment after they have finally seen the A'
Famosa fort with their very own eyes, right in
front of them, never mind that there is nothing
left except its gateway. They might be a little
disappointed with what they see, but certainly
not with what they have found - the
awe-inspiring experience of being a part of
history.
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