Bujang Valley's Immense Historical Value Continues To Be Unlocked Amid Development Challenges

By Norhidayyu Zainal

SUNGAI PETANI, June 1 (Bernama) -- Despite its immense historical value, the Bujang Valley continues to face various challenges in preserving its archaeological heritage, including development pressures on historical sites and misunderstandings surrounding the conservation of ancient temples.

Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum senior museum assistant Mohd Faudzi Sulaiman points to shifting landscape dynamics as a core threat, with development and land-use changes effectively overwriting the function of some former historical discovery sites.

He noted that certain areas previously identified as historical sites are now being used as padi fields and plantations, while others are located on private land, making it difficult to expand excavation efforts.

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"For example, in areas like Sungai Mas, when we want to widen our excavation, some parts have already been encroached upon by residential land.

“This makes it challenging to carry out more comprehensive exploration," he told Bernama during the Surreal Experience In The North Kedah & Perlis programme organised by the Northern Region Tourism Malaysia recently.

Mohd Faudzi, who has over two decades of experience in museology, said research related to the Bujang Valley is still actively ongoing, including at Bukit Choras in Yan, Kedah, which has once again become a focus for researchers following the discovery of a new site near a previously explored area.

He highlighted that Bukit Choras stands as one of the most significant archaeological sites within the Bujang Valley, consistently drawing researchers' attention due to the discovery of structures and artefacts tied to Kedah Tua's ancient history.

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Bukit Choras Site 1 first captured the spotlight after Colonel Sir James Low discovered it in 1845, he said.

Since then, a wave of studies has followed, by H.G. Quaritch Wales, Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum officer Kamaruddin Zakaria in 1984, and Assoc Prof Dr. Nasha Rodziadi Khaw from Universiti Sains Malaysia's Centre for Global Archaeological Research in 2023.

"Excavations at the site's previously explored section have since revealed another temple structure and a large Buddha statue. Research there continues, phase by phase, to this day," he said.

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Beyond Bukit Choras, Mohd Faudzi added that new discoveries have also emerged from Kota Kuala Muda, where Assoc Prof Dr. Zuliskandar Ramli from the Institute of the Malay World and Civilisation at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia uncovered another site now named Candi Kampung Baru.

"Studies there are still very much active, only deepening the potential for future discoveries linked to Kedah Tua's ancient history," he said. 

He added that the museum has also faced pushback from a small segment of the public, who mistakenly see temple conservation efforts as an attempt to rebuild old structures.

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"There's been some confusion. We're not rebuilding on a whim; every step we take is in the service of historical research and understanding the Kedah Tua civilisation," he said.

Officially opened on Jan 23, 1980, the Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum is Malaysia's first archaeological museum, built specifically to house artefacts from the valley and the ancient Kedah Tua civilisation.

Mohd Faudzi explained that the museum's origins trace back to artefact discoveries across the Bujang Valley, a sprawling area of roughly 1,000 square kilometres, stretching from Cherok To' Kun in Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai, Penang, all the way to Bukit Choras in Yan, Kedah.

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The museum features two main galleries, he said, one focusing on archaeological finds and the other on the region's trading history, together painting a vivid picture of life and development in Kedah Tua at its peak.

To draw the public, especially younger crowds, the museum also runs a steady lineup of activities, including talk sessions, workshops and hands-on exploration programmes tied to history and archaeology.

"Last year, we welcomed around 130,000 visitors, and numbers keep climbing every year," said Mohd Faudzi, who hopes that people will walk away appreciating and preserving Kedah Tua's heritage, so these historical remains can survive for generations to come.

-- BERNAMA