MELAKA: Locals are pooling their resources in their bid to search and record historical events from the time of the Melaka Sultanate to the arrival of colonial powers, says an activist.
Chairman of the Save The Portuguese Action Committee Martin Theseira said a few concerned individuals will band together to set up the Melaka Heritage Watch Ad-Hoc Action Group to gather authentic history of the state and would submit their fact-finding report to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (Unesco) office in Bangkok, Thailand.
"The individuals have volunteered as part of the group and are from various ethnicities including academicians where they will help accumulate the facts and evidence on our history.
"Our aim is to protect and preserve the unique cultural heritage of Melaka," he said in an interview here on Thursday (Aug 4).
"Our objective is to review all historical documents that are still available and if there was a palace on the hilltop of St Paul in Bandar Hilir here as well as the records on other heritage icons in the state.
"The aim is to stop any attempts to change the names of historical places in the future without proper evidence from the right sources.”
Theseira added the state government should also get the input from various stakeholders in the state and not based solely on groups with their own interests.
The move to change the name of St Paul Hill to Bukit Melaka was confirmed in a written answer to Bandar Hilir assemblyman Lau Chau Yen during the state legislative assembly that ended on July 27.
However, no signage has been erected at the site.
