MALAYSIAN STUDIESFN101

Chapter 1 : The Nation’s Early History(Part 1)

By: Nurhani Hazirah

Ancient History

• History has proven that Malaysian is not a new country. Humans have been living in several areas of the country since the Stone Age. For years after that, trade zones existed followed by famous kingdoms.

• Early Inhabitants• Early civilization was found near Niah Caves a skull

belonged to a 15 year old boy buried – estimated to be 40,000 years ago.

• The civilization at Kuala Tampan – estimated to be 74,000 years old.

PERIOD YEAR MAIN CHARATERISTICS OF INHABITANTS AREA

Paleolithic (Early Stone Age)

35,000 years ago

1. Live in caves2. Forest production & hunting

1. Tampan Estuary, Perak2. Niah Caves, Sarawak3. Tingkayu, Sabah

Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)

11,000 years ago

1. In caves & along rivers & lakes2. Farming,refined stone tools, earthenware

1. Cha Cave,Kelantan2. Kecil Cave,Pahang3. Kepah Cave,Kedah4. Jenderam Hilir,Selangor

Neolithic(New Stone Age)

5,000 years ago

- Sophisticated stone tools, started communicaion with other communities in other places,creating objects,using accessories

1. Cha Cave,Kelantan2. Kecil Cave,Pahang3. Kepah Cave,Kedah4. Jenderam Hilir,Selangor5. Others: refer to text

book

Bronze(Metal Age)

2500 years ago

-population grew, developed residential areas in wide open land near rivers, more oderly, practise social customs.

1. Lang rivers, Selangor2. Langar Rivers Selangor3. Muar Rivers, Johor4. Tembeling, Pahang

Ancient Ports• There are several places in

Malaysia especially those along the seashores of Peninsula Malaysia located at the crossroad of Chinese, Indian and Arabian trade routes grew to become very important ports for local residents and the rest of the world.

• Rich natural resources such as resin, cane and minerals, which included gold and tin ore.

Islands of The Malay Archipelago

• This region known as the “Malay World or The Island of the Malay Archipelago.

• Inhabitants that time move freely from one place to another as there were no boundaries as a nation with one Malay language and culture.

• Elements of similarity language spoken by Malays in Kampuchea, Patani and South of Mindanao are similar with Malaysia and Indonesia.

• Early Kingdoms in the Malay of Archipelago Funan, Old Kedah, Langkasuka, Patani, Chih-Tu, Kelantan, and others refer to text books page 6 on Table 16.

The Malay Kingdom of Melaka

• Melaka was founded by Parameswara in 1403.Parameswara named the area Melaka after a ‘Melaka’ tree. Arabic word ‘Malaqat’ which meant ‘place of shelter’,which symbolize what the place was to Parameswara and his followers.

• Under the leadership of Parameswara and his descendents, Melaka expanded and became one of the most famous trading centre's in the 15th century.

The Golden Age of Melaka

• Parameswara developed the infrastructure in Melaka which included the harbor that enabled Melaka to become a global trade centre.

• Melaka was an empire with advanced civilization and well-known centre for maritime trade and the spread of Islam, with a vast territory and strong trade relations with China and India.

• The system of government, the ruler was the head, the Islamic religion and the army.

Ruling System of the Melaka Kingdom• The highest position was the King. Parameswara converted

and the members of Melaka Kingdom converted in Islam, the ruler was called ‘Sultan’.

• Sultan of Melaka and their period of reign 1400–1414 Iskandar Shah 1414–1424 Megat Iskandar Shah 1424–1444 Muhammad Shah 1444–1446 Abu Syahid Shah 1446–1459 Muzaffar Shah 1459–1477 Mansur Shah 1477–1488 Alauddin Riayat Shah 1488–1511 Mahmud Shah 1511–1513 Ahmad Shah

• The two main laws Malacca Law

Malacca Law of the Sea• The administrative Melaka Sultanate was based

on types of regions under its governance:– Kota Melaka– Vassal territories– Conquered territories– Colonized territories

• Sultan appointed the important court officials that served as administrators, executors of laws and regulations, judges, officers for oversee the affairs of the port.

• There are Fourfold System the four main officials are the:– Bendahara (similar to our Prime Minister today),– Penghulu Bendahari (treasurer of the

government/Finance Minister)– Temenggung (executor/ head of legal matters

state laws and security)– Laksamana (warrior at the sea/leader of all the

kingdom’s warriors)

Factors contributed to the Golden Age of Melaka

• The heyday of Melaka as a great empire was due to the 4 important factors:

1) Geographical factors-located midway along the trade routes between

India and China and functioned as the link between the main trade markets.

- two main monsoon winds beneficial the seafaring boats besides, it is also a good spot to dock and protected from strong winds.

• Rich of natural resources includes aromatic woods, resin, rotan, gold (The Golden Penisula), and tin mining.

• Malay Peninsula is protected by the Sumatran Islands which promotes plankton growth. Cowrie shells, cockles shells were used widely as currency.

Factors contributed to the Golden Age of Melaka

2) Economic factors-Besides the advantage in location, Malay

Archipelago also had abundance of luxury from other nations and its richness of natural resources.

-Strong ties with China had a positive effects in economic development of Melaka.

Factors contributed to the Golden Age of Melaka

3)Political and administrative factors-Close ties with China benefits Melaka with

Chinese protection. (save from Siam)-Melaka has a comprehensive military structure

(Malacca Law & Malacca Law of the Sea)-Organized treasury system.-Bahasa Melayu as medium (lingua franca).

The Fall of Melaka

• The golden age of the Malay Kingdom of Melaka ended in 16th Century, during Sultan Mahmud Shah’s reign. There were several internal and external factors contributed to the fall of Melaka empire.

Factors contributed to the fall of Melaka

• Internal Factors

• External Factors

Conclusion

• By understanding the rise and fall of these Malay Kingdoms, one can conclude that a great civilization existed in the past.

• Future generation can appreciate and respect the nation’s history and strengthen the identity of the country.