Melaka Sultnate`s New Date Need International Ratification

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia - Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said 1262 as the new establishment date for the Melaka Sultanate, as opposed to 1400 previously recorded, must be internationally ratified.

In these matter, it is the ministry's opinion that such dates must be ratified internationally and if there was any artifacts found, it must also be ratified by international experts in the presence of local ones, said Rais.

"We cannot be lauding such findings by ourselves...it needs the ratification of the international bodies and if any artifact was found, it must be determined by the radio carbon dating method and witnessed by all.

"For example, any new finding must be ratified by the World Archeology and until such time, there will be no ratification," he told reporters when asked of the new findings which claimed that the Melaka Sultanate was established in 1262 and not 1400, after new evidence of Malay settlement was found in Sungai Batu of Lembah Bujang, through archeological research carried out by a group of experts organised by the Malaysian Institute of Historical and Patriotism Studies.

Rais who had earlier presented Diplomas and certificates to 165 recipients at the Subang Jaya campus of the Institutes of Teachers Education Convocation said he had asked National Heritage Commissioner Prof Emeritus Datin Paduka Zuraina Majid to carry out further studies on the matter.

On May 31, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam announced a nine-member team, comprising historians from local universities, was chaired by Melaka Islamic University College vice-chancellor Prof. Emeritus Datuk Wira Dr Mohd Yusoff Hashim, while the research team was headed by Prof Dr Abdullah Zakaria Ghazali from Universiti Malaya's History Department had carried out research and found new evidence which claimed that the Melaka Sultanate was established in 1262 and not 1278 as announced earlier or 1400 as recorded in the history of Melaka.

Mohd Ali said the team had chosen 1262, based on the Raja Bongsu version of the Malay Annals, or Sulalatus al-Salatin.

He had said that the team had conducted research and field work in various locations in Malaysia and Indonesia such as Pulau Bentan, Pulau Penyengat, Pulau Singkep, Pulau Lingga, Palembang, Jambi, Padang and Batu Sangkar.

After 1278 was announced on April 17, the team continued to carry out research until they discovered the new date of 1262 but did not plan to carry out further studies, he had said.

Rais added that his ministry had also asked the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to come and study the findings and provide the proper ratification.

Source: http://www.bernama.com
Picture: http://travel.110mb.com

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