| Introduction
Malacca
is located on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia facing the
Straits of Malacca, about 147 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur
between the states of Negeri Sembilan and Johor. It covers an
area of 658 square kilometres and is divided into three namely
Alor Gajah, Central Malacca and Jasin.
History
Where
it all began. Malacca is rich with its history. It was founded
by an 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 Portueguese followed by the Dutch in 1641 after a
fierce battle. In 1975 Malacca was given to the British to
prevent it failing 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 Culcutta 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 Prime Minister, at the Padang Pahlawan at Bandar
Hilir, Malacca on 20th February 1956.
The
history of Malaysia begins from Malacca. The many remnants of
the past will take a visitor on a nostalgic journey that goes
back to 600 years of glorious and colourful past ...
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