A Study Tour to Melaka

“I learnt a lot of things during my study tour to Melaka. I visited several museums in Melaka where I got to know the history and glory of Melaka”, said Theepan Raj, one of the students who participated in the tour. “Many places in Melaka attracted me. I read about those historical places in the Form One History book. During the tour, I actually got an opportunity to see them in front of my eyes. I really thank EWRF for having organized this study tour for us”, Tharika Ravendran said proudly.  

EWRF Junior Club, Klang organized a study tour to Melaka for its members on 5.5.2007. The Junior Club was set up for students of Tamil school background, who participated in our projects. The first club was launched in Klang on 11.3.2007. Around 50 students,  aged 13 have become members of this club.

33 members of the club participated in this tour. The tour was organized to provide a wider exposure to Indian students to several historical places in Melaka since Melaka is one of  Malaysia’s most historical places and it is also a subject that they learn in history.  We also wanted to educate them on the struggle and sacrifices made by our ancestors and leaders for the independence and development of our country.

Melaka’s history began in 1403 with the arrival of Parameswara, an exiled Hindu Prince from the Kingdom of Sri Vijaya in Sumatera. He assumed the title of Raja Iskandar when he embraced Islam and became the first ruler of this new kingdom which marked the early beginning of the Sultanate of Melaka.

In time, Melaka gained prominence as a vibrant maritime trading centre and was coveted by several foreign powers. The Portuguese led by Alfonso d’ Albuquerque conquered Melaka in 1511 and colonized it for 130 years. The Dutch then came in 1641 and ruled for 154 years. They were followed by the British in 1824 who ruled until the country gained its independence. Melaka also experienced Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945. After World War Two, nationalistic sentiments began to spread culminating in the proclamation of independence on the 31^st August 1957.

During the tour the students were accompanied by two EWRF officials and three volunteers. The students visited the following places;

The Stadthuys

The Stadthuys was built in 1650 as the officials residence of Dutch governors and their officers. It houses the Museum of History and Ethnography.

Melaka Sultanate Palace (Cultural Museum)

At the foot of St Paul’s Hill lies the wooden replica of a 15^th century Malay Palace. The building has been turned into a cultural museum. A huge diorama depicts a sultan’s court while the main exhibits relate to Melaka culture. There are also exhibits from other parts of Malaysia including clothing, weaponry, stone inscriptions, musical instruments and photographs.

Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum is housed in a replica of the Flor de la Mar, a Portuguese vessel that sank off the Melaka coast. The museum traces the history of Melaka from the Sultanate of Melaka in the 14^th century to the pre-independence era. Inside the museum are models of ships, authentic maps, old iron chests and charts.

Porta de Santiagao (A’Famosa)

This prominent landmark in Melaka was a fortress built by the Portuguese admiral, Alfonso d’Albuquerque in 1511. It was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion in 1641.

St Paul’s Church

The church was built on a hill in 1521 by Duarte Coelho, a Catholic Portuguese captain. It was later renamed St Paul’s Church by the Dutch. St Francis Xavier was buried in the open grave here in 1553 before his body was transferred to Goa in India. The church has a commanding view of Melaka.

Proclamation of Independence Memorial

The museum is housed in a 1912 Briish villa with Mogul styled domes. The building was once the Melaka Club, a bastion of colonialism. Inside the museum are manuscripts, video tapes, films and slides depicting events leading to Malaysia’s Independence in 1957.

The People’s Museum

The museum documents the nation’s economic and social development from independence till the present time. Melaka’s role in Independence and the state’s development over the decades are given special focus.

After visiting the famous sites the students were allowed to do some shopping. They bought some souvenirs and food stuff. We left Melaka at about 5pm and reached Kuala Lumpur at 7.30pm.