Call to include elephant skull as national heritage

The Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM) has applied to the National Heritage Department to assess a 130-year-old bull elephant skull specimen and a Perak State Railway carriage.

Its deputy director-general (Curation) Mohd Razaimi Hamat said this was because the two were highly significant and had considerable historical value, especially to the state of Perak.

JMM aimed to elevate the artefacts as national heritage objects.

“We are fortunate and should be proud because these artefacts are preserved and well-maintained in perfect condition at Perak Museum.

“We hope this effort will succeed based on the justifications we have provided, especially concerning their historical value.

“The decision on this matter may also be known this year.”

Skull of the elephant that charged at a train in Teluk Intan in 1894. — Filepic

Mohd Razaimi said this after attending the opening ceremony of the Zoology Exhibition: The Art of Taxidermy at the Perak Museum in Taiping, reports Bernama.

The specimen of the bull elephant skull was on display at the museum.

The animal was killed after colliding with a steam locomotive that pulled three passenger coaches on Sept 17, 1894, in Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan).

The Perak State Railway carriage was built in 1897 by the Metropolitan Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from England.

It was among the earliest transportation used by British officials for tin ore exportation in Perak.

Mohd Razaimi said if the two specimens were designated as national heritage objects, the National Heritage Department would bear all preservation related work (using allocation from the government).

“Indirectly, this adds value to the Perak Museum because with such status, promotional efforts become easier and it is expected to attract more visitors,” he said.

Also present at the exhibition launch was state tourism, industry, investment and corridor development committee chairman Loh Sze Yee.

Loh said the state government encouraged historical-oriented tourist centres to implement digital translations in various languages to attract tourists for the Visit Perak Year campaign this year.

Loh said this would also ease their understanding of information about the display items, particularly for tourists from abroad.

“All information regarding the exhibited items are in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

“Perhaps, in the future, translations of such information in Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic among others can be obtained by scanning through QR codes,” he added.