Melaka To Balance Coastal Development With Maritime Heritage Preservation

MELAKA, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- The Melaka state government will balance coastal development with efforts to safeguard its maritime heritage following the recent discovery of an ancient shipwreck on Pulau Melaka.

State Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman said the vessel remnants and artefacts were found within the commercial development area of the Straits of Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone (SM-WEZ) and a privately owned land.

“Discussions will be held with the landowner to present and deliberate the next course of action, including securing protection of the discovery site for archaeological research, carrying out preliminary documentation such as site mapping and artefact data collection.

“In addition, development activities will be temporarily suspended until a comprehensive assessment and expert input are obtained,” he said at the State Legislative Assembly sitting at Kompleks Seri Negeri here today.

He was responding to a question from Leng Chau Yen (PH-Bandar Hilir), who asked whether the ancient vessel and artefacts were located within the SM-WEZ area and what measures the state government was taking to protect the site.

Abdul Razak said the state also intends to recognise the site as a new tourism product focusing on maritime heritage and archaeology, and support its development as a maritime archaeological research and education centre related to Melaka’s historical legacy.

He said the state government also proposes the establishment of a Melaka Maritime History Museum and plans to designate the site as an in-situ maritime excavation field to complement the museum’s functions.

In October, a wooden plank believed to be part of a vessel was found on Pulau Melaka, identified as likely belonging to a noble-class ship estimated to be between 1,200 and 1,300 years old -- predating Melaka’s officially recorded history, which began around 1262 or the 13th century.

-- BERNAMA