MELAKA: Panglima Awang - also known as Enrique de Malacca - and believed to be the first from this region to circumnavigate the globe in the 1500s, was a "Melaka Boy," says Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
The Melaka Chief Minister confirmed this following his visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday (June 24), where he examined historical records, letters, and documents important to both the state and the nation.
“This discovery confirms that Panglima Awang was a native of Melaka and his name is recorded as a key crew member and interpreter in Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, estimated to have taken place around the 1500s,” he said in a statement to The Star on Tuesday (June 24).
Ab Rauf said the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim), in collaboration with the state government, will formalise cooperation with federal stakeholders to commemorate and promote the historical legacy of Panglima Awang.
“The move aims to secure access to related documents from various countries, especially those depicting the story of Panglima Awang and the Melaka Sultanate’s era of maritime supremacy before the 15th century,” he said.
He added that the state government, through Perzim, also plans to develop a digital platform in collaboration with other federal agencies following the visit.
“This digital archive will compile and preserve invaluable historical materials related to Melaka, making them accessible for public reference, especially for future generations,” he said.
Ab Rauf then said that the discovery goes beyond honouring a single historical figure.
“This is not merely about elevating one individual’s name, but about breathing new life into Melaka’s rich past by reviving a historical narrative that has perhaps been overlooked or inaccurately represented.
"Now is the time to correct the record, restore our heritage and reintroduce Panglima Awang as a true maritime icon,” he added.
