Malacca / The State
Photo: Map of Malacca
Located on
the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, about 14 kilometers south
of Kuala Lumpur, is a state hailed by historians as the place
where Malaysia's rich history can be traced. Malacca spans 1,
658 sg. km., and is divided into three main districts, Central
Malacca, Alor Gajah and Jasin.
It was founded
by exiled prince from Sumatra, Parameswara, in 1400. It
thrived as a port-of-call to many a ship and merchant from
China, India, Arab and South America. In 1511 it fell to
the hands of the Portuguese followed by the Dutch
in 1641 after fierce battle. In 1795 Malacca was given
to the British to prevent it falling to the French when
the Netherlands was captured during the French Revolution. It
was returned to the Dutch in 1818 under the Treaty
of Vienna but was later exchanged by the British for Bencoleen,
Sumatra. From 1826 onwards it was ruled by English East
India Company in Calcutta together with Singapore and Penang
under Straits Settlement administration. After World
War II, anti-colonial sentiment bred in the country among
the nationalists, the result of which the proclamation of Independence
by his Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Malaysia's
first Prime Minister, at the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior's Field)
at Bandar Hilir, Malacca on 20th February 1956.
Malacca boasts
a legacy of history and charm only a rare few places on Earth
are bestowed with. It resembles a compact living museum
- filled with an intriguing mix of its inhabitants - Malays, Chinese,
Indians, Straits-born Chinese and Portuguese descendants.
Here, remnants
of the past sit unperturbed by a city that races towards the future.
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