"Melaka: This city has an origin... that will amaze you!!!"

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The warm sunlight cast a glow on the red brick walls that lined both sides of the narrow street. On one side, a bed of colorful flowers surrounded the clock tower in front of the building.

Adjacent to the vibrantly colored shophouses stood an old church, sharing the same chromatic palette as its neighboring buildings. This unique sight stood out from any other cityscape I had encountered in Malaysia.

The vibrant hues of the cultivated flowers, arranged in a style instantly recognizable as Dutch-inspired, paint a vivid picture of the area's history. The aged, crimson-hued brick buildings and antiquated Christian churches transport one back in time, whispering tales of a bygone era when Dutch settlers established a town with a distinctive character.

The text describes the location of "Dutch Square" in Malacca, a former important port city on the Malay Peninsula. The square is situated near the tip of the peninsula, at the entrance to the Strait of Malacca, with the island of Sumatra on the other side of the sea.

I arrived here shortly after the sky had bid farewell to the rain.

On a Malaysia Airlines flight, my son, the guide, Mr. Eddie, and I departed from Penang Island at nine in the morning and arrived here at noon.

I have a close relationship with Malacca. I used to visit the city frequently before taking a break of over ten years. When I returned, the first place I wanted to visit was the new city area near the Mahkota Parade shopping mall, which is where the Malacca state government has expanded the city. We decided to have a simple lunch there and then go up the city's observation tower. It was here that I discovered that the area that used to be a vast, empty field had now been transformed into a huge shopping mall called "Palawan".

In my recent visit to Malacca, I was eager to witness the city's transformation and share my fondness for it with my youngest son. Malacca holds a special place in my heart, second only to Kuching in Sarawak, and I wanted him to experience its charm firsthand.

Following my conversation with Nikki, the Public Relations and Marketing Officer of Tourism Malaysia in Thailand, I plan to travel to Malacca after my reporting trip to Penang Island. Malacca, a significant port city in Malaysia, is currently considered the most promising tourist destination after Penang Island.

After all the arrangements were finalized, I requested the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Malaysia to arrange for accommodation and a tour guide. We were assigned Mr. Eddie, a cheerful young guide who traveled from Kuala Lumpur to take care of me and my son exclusively, from Penang Island to Malacca City. We spent almost a week together, exploring and getting to know each other so well that we felt like close friends.

Malacca is a relatively small city compared to other provincial towns in Thailand. From my vantage point on the 14th floor of the hotel, I can see the entire city spread out before me.

Comparing Malacca to Thailand, which Thai city is comparable in terms of size and development? While Pattaya might come to mind, Malacca lacks its vibrancy. However, Malacca surpasses Pattaya in terms of tranquility, serenity, and beauty. The only drawback is the lack of beautiful beaches for swimming.

In the past, it seemed that the charm of Malacca lay not in its frivolous amusements, but in its very essence. The city's allure stemmed not only from its rich historical tapestry, but also from its legendary origins, which drew tourists from all corners of the globe. These visitors did not seek mere entertainment; they yearned to immerse themselves in the memories preserved by the people of Malacca, to bear witness to their ancestors' struggles and enduring pain. For since its inception, this city had never truly been its own master, its fate perpetually dictated by external forces.

Malacca is a small, peaceful, and clean tourist town. Despite the presence of high-rise 5-star hotels, the city's image remains unchanged. The Swiss Garden Hotel Malacca, where I stayed, is a newly built 5-star hotel located on a famous shopping mall in the city center. It offers a clear view of the city, including the unique and beautiful St. Francis Xavier Church. Beyond that, the Christ Church and St. Paul's Church, located above the A Famosa Fort, stand out against the vast blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

The architecture in Malacca is a blend of Dutch, English, Portuguese, and Chinese influences. The government has preserved many of the old buildings, especially in the Bukit China and China Hill areas. These areas feature well-preserved Chinese shophouses that have been standing since the founding of Malacca. The government has also built a new modern city, Malacca Raya, on the waterfront near the A Famosa Fort. This area features large shopping malls, pubs, bars, and karaoke bars, providing entertainment options for tourists.

Malacca, a historical city in Malaysia, has witnessed significant events throughout its existence. The fall of the Srivijaya Empire in Palembang, Sumatra, led to the migration of its people, including King Parameswara, to Temasek, or Singapura, present-day Singapore.

There is an ancient tale that predates this one, which tells of a hill in the kingdom of Palembang called "Bukit Sriguntang Mahameru." On one side of this hill, two siblings lived and cultivated rice for their livelihood.

One night, after a year had passed, the rice in the fields of the two women ripened to a golden yellow, shining like gold across the entire field. When the two women went out to the rice field, they found that the rice grains in their fields had turned golden, while the rice leaves were silver.

At the same time, the two women suddenly encountered three young men wearing gold crowns and expensive clothing. It is said that these men were princes descended from "Raja Iskandar," the great king of Sumatra and Tumasik.

The king of Palembang at that time, known as "Demang Lebar Tuan", invited the three princes to Palembang to establish friendly relations. It is said that the three princes later rose to rule great kingdoms. The eldest prince, "Sang Spurba", ruled the city of "Minangkabau". The middle prince, "Sang Manaka", ruled the city of Tanjungpura. The youngest prince, "Sang Nila Utama", remained in Palembang and was appointed as a minister by Demang Tuan. He later became known as "Sri Tri Buana".

Many may be surprised to learn about the connection between Malacca and this story. More importantly, why the names of the kings of this region sound similar to the names of ancient Thai kings. The reason for this connection is that in the past, Thailand was heavily influenced by the cultural traditions of the Srivijaya Empire. Most people's names were derived from Sanskrit, as Thailand only developed its own alphabet during the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng.

During that era, the mighty Majapahit Kingdom reigned supreme over the lands of Java, extending its influence across the archipelago. However, a conflict arose when a war erupted between East Java and the Majapahit dynasty over a coveted treasure. The ensuing bloodshed prompted Parameswara, the king of Palembang and son-in-law of the Javanese ruler, to lead an exodus of his people across the sea, seeking refuge with the king of Temasek, also known as Singapura.

However, Parameswara had already planned to find a new city to rule. Therefore, when the ruler of Temasek welcomed him into the city, Parameswara seized the city and secretly killed the ruler of Temasek. However, as Singapura or Temasek was a vassal state of Siam, and the ruler was related to the ruler of Pattani, Siam had to send an army from Pahang to subdue Parameswara, who was defeated and fled.

However, another side of the historical legend of Malaysia claims that the army that punished King Parameswara was not a Thai army, but a Javanese army. This is because King Parameswara had a queen named Sang Ranjana Tapa, who was the daughter of a high-ranking minister. However, because she was favored by King Parameswara, she was eventually envied and falsely accused of misconduct by other concubines. King Parameswara believed the accusations and ordered her execution. As a result, her father was enraged and became a traitor to Java. This forced King Parameswara to flee from Tumasik again after ruling the city for three years.

The passage describes a legend about the origins of the city of Malacca. According to the legend, a Hindu deity named Parameswara was forced to flee to Muar, which is located in the present-day state of Johor. From there, he crossed into the territory of Malacca. While hunting, Parameswara encountered a mouse deer and ordered his dogs to chase it. The mouse deer fled to a tree that resembled a tamarind tree, which is known as a "malacca" tree in Malay. This event is said to have inspired the name of the city.

Cornered and with nowhere left to run, the gibbon turned to face the hunting dogs of the divine king, despite its lack of claws or fangs. Before succumbing to its wounds, the gibbon managed to kick one of the dogs into the stream with its hind legs, a remarkable feat. This act caused the dethroned king to pause and reflect on whether his constant flight from problems, without ever facing them head-on, was the right course of action.

“Even the weak porcupine, it still fights the dog with all its might, even though it knows it will lose. We ourselves are real people, but we have to run away. It's shameful. Therefore, we will not run away anymore, but we will build our city right here, right where the porcupine fought to its death.”

Looking up at the dense foliage where the battle between the dog and the monkey took place, the king realized it was a Melaka tree. He thus named the newly established city "Melaka" after the tree.

Thank you.

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