MALACCA: Work to remove the walls and door guarding the alleged treasures of the Malacca Sultanate on Nangka Island is almost complete.
"We believe the door can be opened in two days' time, thus providing the answer to whether the treasure truly exists or not," Works, Public Utilities, Transport and Project Rehabilitation Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Ghafaar Atan told reporters after visiting the site.
He said work to excavate the walls, believed to be the main entry to the treasure, was 90% completed and the existence of any treasures will be known on Wednesday.
He said the search for the treasure was conducted by Smart Partnership International (M) Sdn Bhd through a four-month contract beginning last January till this April 30.
He said if the company failed to complete excavation works during the term of the contract, the state government would hand it over to another company.
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"If Smart Partnership International succeeds in opening the door and does not find any artifacts, we will give them an extension to look for the treasure," he said.
The company's managing director, Mohammad Foad Khushairy Mohd Said, said the work to break down the wall was being done intensively by 36 workers round-the-clock.
"So far, we have not yet seen any indications and if we find any artifact or treasure, we will immediately inform of it in a special press conference," he said.
Deputy police chief Datuk Shah Gzali Khan Shahadat said the Marine Operations Force and the General Operations Force will be stationed to guard the place if any artifact or treasure was found.
Nangka Island is an uninhabited island of about 20 hectares in size and located four kilometres from Pulau Besar, Jasin. - Bernama
