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Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the
Strait of Malacca The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 500 mi (800 km) long and from 40 to 155 mi (65–250 km) wide, between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connec ...
. Its capital is
Malacca City Malacca City ( ms, Bandaraya Melaka or ') is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca. As of 2019 it has a population of 579,000.https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/uploads/files/6_Newsletter/Newsletter%202020/DOSM_DOSM_MELAKA_1_2020_Siri-81.p ...
, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
since 7 July
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. The state is bordered by Negeri Sembilan to the north and west and
Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime ...
to the south. The exclave of
Tanjung Tuan Tanjung Tuan (formerly known as Cape Rachado as named by the Portuguese, meaning 'broken cape') is an area in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is an exclave of Malacca adjacent to Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The cape is well k ...
also borders Negeri Sembilan to the north. Its capital
Malacca City Malacca City ( ms, Bandaraya Melaka or ') is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca. As of 2019 it has a population of 579,000.https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/uploads/files/6_Newsletter/Newsletter%202020/DOSM_DOSM_MELAKA_1_2020_Siri-81.p ...
is southeast of Malaysia's capital city
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
, northwest of Johor's largest city Johor Bahru and northwest of Johor's second largest city, Batu Pahat. Although it was the location of one of the earliest
Malay sultanate Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
s, namely the
Malacca Sultanate The Malacca Sultanate ( ms, Kesultanan Melaka; Jawi script: ) was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. Conventional historical thesis marks as the founding year of the sultanate by King of Singapura, Parames ...
, the local monarchy was abolished when the Portuguese conquered it in 1511. The head of state is the ''
Yang di-Pertua Negeri In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri ( in Malay) is a constitutional title given to the head of state in states without a Ruler, namely: Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak. This is in constrast to a Ruler () which is a constitutional title giv ...
'' or Governor, rather than a Sultan. Malacca is noted for its unique history and it is one of the major tourist destinations in Malaysia. With a highly strategic state position for international trade routes, Malacca was once a well-known international trade centre in the East. Many traders anchored in Malacca, especially traders from
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plat ...
, China and India, traded at the port of Malacca and from there were born many of the descendants and tribes that exist in Malacca to this day. A great diversity of races and ethnicities have long existed among the local community reflecting its history. Malays,
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
, Indians, Baba Nyonya, Kristang,
Chitty The Chitty, also known as the Chetty or Chetti Melaka, are a distinctive group of Tamil people found mainly and originally in Melaka, Malaysia, and in Singapore where they migrated to in the 18th and 19th centuries from Melaka, who are also kn ...
and Eurasians are significant ethnic groups living in the State of Malacca in the present day.


Etymology

The state's name dates to a popular legend surrounding the founding of the sultanate preceding it by Parameswara who sought to find a new spot to establish his new kingdom after fleeing
Singapura Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
fallen by the Majapahit army. As the story goes, Parameswara was resting under a tree near a river during a hunt, when one of his dogs cornered a
mouse deer Chevrotains, or mouse-deer, are small even-toed ungulates that make up the family Tragulidae, the only extant members of the infraorder Tragulina. The 10  extant species are placed in three genera, but several species also are known only ...
. In self-defence, the mouse deer pushed the dog into the river. Impressed by the courage of the deer, and taking it as a propitious omen of the weak overcoming the powerful, Parameswara decided then and there to found an empire on that very spot. He named it 'Malacca' after the tree where he had just taken shelter at, the
Malacca tree ''Phyllanthus emblica'', also known as emblic, emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, or amla, from the Sanskrit आमलकी (āmalakī), is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its native range is tropical a ...
( ms, pokok melaka). This story shows remarkable similarities with and was probably adapted (as some historians argued) from folk-tales from
Kandy Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...
, Sri Lanka, and
Pasai The Samudera Pasai Sultanate (), also known as Samudera or Pasai or Samudera Darussalam or Pacem, was a Muslim harbour kingdom on the north coast of Sumatra from the 13th to the 16th centuries CE. The kingdom was believed to have been founded ...
, Sumatra (both of which pre-date Malacca). The "Malacca tree" was taken as a basis for the species ''Phyllanthus emblica'' named by
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his Nobility#Ennoblement, ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalise ...
in 1753 through Latinising its original
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
name ''amalaka'', to which the species have since been planted as ornamentals in various state attractions. However, some researchers like those of the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia speculate that the legendary name-giving tree may have been the species '' Phyllanthus pectinatus'' more endemic to Malay Archipelago forests which does resemble ''P. emblica'' superficially yet both it and the latter have no geographical overlap between them. Another account on the origin of the naming of Malacca elaborates that during the reign of Muhammad Shah (1424–1444), the Arab merchants called the kingdom 'Malakat' (Arabic for 'congregation of merchants') because it was home to many trading communities. One theory suggests, as mentioned in Suma Oriental by Tomé Pires, that it is derived from the Javanese terms melayu or mlayu (to steadily accelerate or to run), to describe the strong current of a river in Sumatra that today bears the name Sungai Melayu ('Melayu river') which was later possibly adopted to be Melaka as denoting a place for the fleeing prince.


History


Sultanate of Malacca

Before the arrival of the first Sultan, Malacca was a fishing village. Malacca was founded by Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah. He found his way to Malacca around 1402 where he found a good port—it was accessible in all seasons and on the strategically located narrowest point of the
Malacca Straits The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 500 mi (800 km) long and from 40 to 155 mi (65–250 km) wide, between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connec ...
. In collaboration with allies from wandering
proto-Malay The term Proto-Malay, which translates to ''Melayu Asli'' (aboriginal Malay) or ''Melayu Purba'' (ancient Malay) or ''Melayu Tua'' (old Malay), refers to Austronesian speakers, possibly from mainland Asia, who moved to the Malay peninsula and ...
privateers of the Straits called the ''
orang laut The Orang Laut are several seafaring ethnic groups and tribes living around Singapore, peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian Riau Islands. The Orang Laut are commonly identified as the Orang Seletar from the Straits of Johor, but the term ma ...
'' ("sea-people"), he established Malacca as an international port by compelling passing ships to call there, and establishing fair and reliable facilities for warehousing and trade. In 1403, the first official Chinese trade envoy led by Admiral Yin Qing arrived in Malacca. Later, Parameśwara was escorted by
Zheng He Zheng He (; 1371–1433 or 1435) was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch during China's early Ming dynasty. He was originally born as Ma He in a Muslim family and later adopted the surname Zheng conferr ...
and other envoys in his successful visits. Malacca's relationships with Ming China granted it protection from attacks by
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
and Majapahit. Malacca officially submitted to Ming China as a
protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its int ...
. This encouraged the development of Malacca into a major trade settlement on the trade route between China and India,
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
, Africa and Europe. In Malacca during the early 15th century, Ming China actively sought to develop a commercial hub and a base of operation for their treasure voyages into the Indian Ocean. Malacca had been a relatively insignificant region, not even qualifying as a polity prior to the voyages according to both
Ma Huan Ma Huan (, Xiao'erjing: ) (c. 1380–1460), courtesy name Zongdao (), pen name Mountain-woodcutter (會稽山樵), was a Chinese voyager and translator who accompanied Admiral Zheng He on three of his seven expeditions to the Western Oceans. Ma ...
and
Fei Xin Fei Xin (; - after 1436) was a member of the military personnel of the fleet of the Ming dynasty admiral Zheng He, known as the author of a book about the countries visited by Chinese ships. Biography Little is known about Fei Xin's life. His ...
, and was a vassal region of
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. In 1405, the Ming court dispatched Admiral
Zheng He Zheng He (; 1371–1433 or 1435) was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch during China's early Ming dynasty. He was originally born as Ma He in a Muslim family and later adopted the surname Zheng conferr ...
with a stone tablet enfeoffing the Western Mountain of Malacca as well as an imperial order elevating the status of the port to a country. The Chinese also established a government depot (官廠) as a fortified cantonment for their soldiers. Ma Huan reported that Siam did not dare to invade Malacca thereafter. The rulers of Malacca, such as Parameswara in 1411, would pay tribute to the Chinese emperor in person. In 1431, when a Malaccan representative complained that Siam was obstructing tribute missions to the Ming court, the Xuande Emperor dispatched Zheng He carrying a threatening message for the Siamese king saying "You, king should respect my orders, develop good relations with your neighbours, examine and instruct your subordinates and not act recklessly or aggressively." The early kings of Malacca—Parameswara, Megat Iskandar Shah, and Sri Maharaja—understood that they could gain Ming China's protection through skilful diplomacy and thereby could establish a strong foundation to their kingdom against Siam and other potential enemies. Chinese involvement was crucial for Malacca to grow into a key alternative to other important and established ports. To enhance relations, Hang Li Po, according to local folklore, a daughter of the
Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peop ...
Emperor of China, arrived in Malacca, accompanied by 500 attendants, to marry Sultan Manshur Shah who reigned from 1456 until 1477. Her attendants married locals and settled mostly in
Bukit Cina Bukit China ( Malay: "Chinese Hill"; Chinese: 三宝山) is a hillside of historical significance in Malacca City, the capital of the Malaysian state of Malacca. It is located several kilometres to the north from the historical centre of Malac ...
. "In the 9th month of the year 1481 envoys arrived with the .....Malacca again sent envoys to China in 1481 to inform the Chinese that, while Malaccan envoys were returning to Malacca from China in 1469, the
Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...
attacked the Malaccans, killing some of them while castrating the young and enslaving them. The Malaccans reported that
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
was in control of Champa and also sought to conquer Malacca, but the Malaccans did not fight back, because they did not want to fight against another state that was a tributary to China without permission from the Chinese. They requested to confront the Vietnamese delegation to China which was in China at the time, but the Chinese informed them since the incident was years old, they could do nothing about it, and the Emperor sent a letter to the Vietnamese ruler reproaching him for the incident. The Chinese Emperor also ordered the Malaccans to raise soldiers and fight back with violent force if the Vietnamese attacked them again.


Colonial era

In April 1511, Alfonso de Albuquerque set sail from
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
to Malacca with a force of some 1200 men and seventeen or eighteen ships. They conquered the city on 24 August 1511. After seizing the city
Afonso de Albuquerque Afonso de Albuquerque, 1st Duke of Goa (; – 16 December 1515) was a Portuguese general, admiral, and statesman. He served as viceroy of Portuguese India from 1509 to 1515, during which he expanded Portuguese influence across the Indian Ocean ...
spared the
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
,
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
and Burmese inhabitants but had the Muslim inhabitants massacred or sold into slavery. It soon became clear that
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
control of Malacca did not also mean that they controlled the Asian trade centred there. The Malaccan rule was severely hampered by administrative and economic difficulties. Rather than achieving their ambition of dominating Asian trade, the Portuguese had disrupted the organisation of the network. The centralised port of exchange of Asian wealth had now gone, as was a Malay state to police the Straits of Malacca that made it safe for commercial traffic. Trade was now scattered over a number of ports among bitter warfare in the Straits. The Jesuit
missionary A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
Francis Xavier Francis Xavier (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; Latin: ''Franciscus Xaverius''; Basque: ''Frantzisko Xabierkoa''; French: ''François Xavier''; Spanish: ''Francisco Javier''; Portuguese: ''Francisco Xavier''; 7 April 15063 December ...
spent several months in Malacca in 1545, 1546, and 1549. The Dutch launched several attacks on the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
colony during the first four decades of the seventeenth century. The first attack took place in 1606 under the command of Dutch Admiral
Cornelis Matelief de Jonge Cornelis Matelief de Jonge (c. 1569 – October 17, 1632) was a Dutch admiral who was active in establishing Dutch power in Southeast Asia during the beginning of the 17th century. His fleet was officially on a trading mission, but its true inte ...
who laid siege to the town with the help of his Johor allies. He engaged the Portuguese armada which had been sent from Goa to offer armed relief to the besieged port. On 14 January 1641, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese in an effort to capture Malacca, with the help of the Sultan of
Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime ...
. The Dutch ruled Malacca from 1641 to 1798 but they were not interested in developing it as a trading centre, placing greater importance on
Batavia Batavia may refer to: Historical places * Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands * Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...
( Jakarta) and
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
as their administrative centre. However they still built their landmark, better known as the Stadthuys. In the Dutch era the building was white, the red paint is of later date. Malacca was ceded to the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen on Sumatra. From 1824 to 1942, Malacca was under the rule of the British, first by the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
and then as a crown colony. Due to dissatisfaction with British jurisdiction over
Naning Naning (Chinese: 南宁) is a district and a former chiefdom in northern Malacca, Malaysia. It was founded in 1370 by the Prince of Minangkabao, Sutan Jatang Balun or known as Datuk Parpatih Nan Sebatang (The Only One Land Lord). It is part of ...
,
Dol Said Dol Said or in full Dato' Abdul Said was a 19th-century Malay leader of an area called Naning, which was then part of Malacca on the Malay Peninsula. He opposed taxation by the British's taxation policy in the area and refused to pay it whic ...
, a local chief, fought the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
in
a war ''A War'' () is a 2015 Danish war drama film written and directed by Tobias Lindholm, and starring Pilou Asbæk and Søren Malling. It tells the story of a Danish military company in Afghanistan that is fighting the Taliban while trying to pro ...
from 1831 to 1832, which resulted in a decisive British victory. It formed part of the Straits Settlements, together with
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
and Penang. Malacca went briefly under the rule of
Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of Japan, 1947 constitu ...
in 1942–1945 during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.


Post colonial era

After the dissolution of this crown colony, Malacca and Penang became part of the Malayan Union on 1 April 1946, which later became the Federation of Malaya on 1 February 1948. The declaration of independence was made by the first Prime Minister of Malaya,
Tunku Abdul Rahman Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ( ms, ‏تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 8 Febru ...
, at Padang Pahlawan on 20 February 1956, which eventually led to the independence of Malaya on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963, Malaysia was formed with the merger of Malaya with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, and Malacca became part of it. On 15 April 1989, Malacca was declared a historical city. It was then also listed as UNESCO
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
since 7 July 2008.


Geography

The state of Malacca covers an area of . It sits upon the southwestern coast of the Malay Peninsula opposite Sumatra, with the state of Negeri Sembilan to the north and west and
Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime ...
to the east. Malacca is situated roughly two-thirds of the way down the west coast, south of
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
and commands a central position on the Straits of Malacca. With the exception of some of its small hills, Malacca is generally a lowland area with average elevation below 50 meters above sea level. The peninsula of
Tanjung Tuan Tanjung Tuan (formerly known as Cape Rachado as named by the Portuguese, meaning 'broken cape') is an area in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is an exclave of Malacca adjacent to Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The cape is well k ...
(formerly known as Cape Rachado) is an exclave of the state, situated on the coast of Negeri Sembilan which it borders to the north. The major rivers within Malacca include the Malacca, Linggi and Kesang rivers.
Malacca River The Malacca River ( ms, Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouri ...
(Sungai Melaka) roughly runs through the centre line of the state from north to south, Linggi River acts as the western border of Malacca with Negeri Sembilan, while Kesang River acts as the eastern border of Malacca with
Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime ...
. Malacca has thirteen islands off its coast, with Besar Island being the biggest of all.


Climate

The climate of Malacca is hot and humid throughout the year with abundant rainfall, highest between September and November. Daytime high temperatures range between and nighttime lows around .


Urban and suburban areas


Government

Malacca is one of only four
Malaysian states The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (''Negeri'') and 3 federal territories (''Wilayah Persekutuan''). States and federal territories Ele ...
without hereditary monarchies, despite being the location of one of the earliest Malay sultanates, as the local monarchy was abolished when the Portuguese conquered it in 1511. The head of state of Malacca is the Governor ( ms,
Yang di-Pertua Negeri In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri ( in Malay) is a constitutional title given to the head of state in states without a Ruler, namely: Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak. This is in constrast to a Ruler () which is a constitutional title giv ...
), who is appointed by the King of Malaysia ( ms,
Yang di-Pertuan Agong The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (, Jawi: ), also known as the Supreme Head of the Federation, the Paramount Ruler or simply as the Agong, and unofficially as the King of Malaysia, is the constitutional monarch and head of state of Malaysia. The o ...
). The present Governor of Malacca, Ali Rustam, assumed office on 4 June 2020. In practice, the Governor is a
figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they ...
whose functions are chiefly symbolic and ceremonial. The Malacca state government has its own executive council and legislature, but they have relatively limited powers in comparison with those of the Malaysian federal government. According to the Malaysian Federal Constitution, the state may legislate on matters pertaining to Malay customs, land, agriculture and forestry, local government, civil and water works, and state administration, whereas matters that fall under the joint purview of both state and federal authorities include social welfare, wildlife protection and national parks, scholarships, husbandry, town planning, drainage and irrigation, and public health and health regulations.


Executive and Legislature

Malacca's state legislature is the unicameral 28-seat State Legislative Assembly, the highest authority in the state which decides on policy matters. The State Executive Council is responsible to the assembly and comprises members who are appointed every five years by the political party or coalition in power. The State Government is headed by the
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
, appointed by Yang di-Pertua Negeri from among the State Legislative Assembly members of the governing party or coalition. The Chief Minister presides over a meeting of State Executive Council ministers weekly at the Chief Minister's office. The
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
's Department is responsible for the overall administration of the state, as well as its political interest. The current Chief Minister is Sulaiman Md Ali from the
United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation ( Malay: ; Jawi: ; abbreviated UMNO () or less commonly PEKEMBAR), is a nationalist right-wing political party in Malaysia. As the oldest continuous national political party within Malaysia (since its ...
(UMNO). The administrative complex is located at Seri Negeri complex in
Ayer Keroh Ayer Keroh is a town situated in Central Melaka District, Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the seat of the state government since 2006, being the home of the state secretariat building complex – Seri Negeri complex and one of a f ...
. It houses the
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
's office, the State Legislative Assembly, the State Secretariat office and the official residence of the Governor.


Departments

* Malacca State Treasury and Finance Department * Malacca State Mufti Department * Malacca Syariah Judiciary Department * Office of Lands and Mines Malacca * Malacca Town and Country Planning Department * Malacca Islamic Religious Affairs Department * Malacca Irrigation and Drainage Department * Malacca Public Works Department * Malacca Social Welfare Department * Malacca State Agriculture Department * Malacca Veterinary Services Department * Malacca State Forestry Department


Statutory bodies

* Malacca State Development Corporation * Malacca Customary Land Development Corporation * Malacca Foundation * Malacca Museum Corporation * Malacca Public Library Corporation * Malacca Islamic Religious Council * Malacca Biotechnology Corporation * Malacca Green Technology Corporation * Malacca River And Coastal Development Corporation * Malacca Housing Board


Local governments

Malacca has four local governments (one city council and three municipal councils), which regulating traffic and parking, maintaining cleanliness and drainage, managing waste disposal, issuing business licenses, and overseeing public health, provision and maintenance of urban infrastructure. The state is also divided into three administrative districts, each is headed by a district officer. The lands and district office in each district deals with land administration and revenue. * Historical Malacca City Council administers most of
Melaka Tengah District Melaka Tengah District (Central Malacca) is one of the 4 administrative districts in Malacca, Malaysia. It borders Masjid Tanah District to the north-west, Alor Gajah District to the north and Jasin District to the east. The capital of the stat ...
. * Alor Gajah Municipal Council administers most of Alor Gajah District. * Jasin Municipal Council administers most of
Jasin District Jasin District is one of the three administrative district in Malacca, Malaysia. It borders Tangkak District of Johor to the east, Tampin District of Negeri Sembilan to the north and Alor Gajah District and Melaka Tengah District to the west. T ...
. * Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council is in charge of
Hang Tuah Jaya Hang Tuah Jaya is a planned area in the Malaysian state of Malacca created by its government as the state's administrative centre and smart city with economical, social, infrastructural and recreational developments. It was launched by the fif ...
municipality, which consists of the northern part of Melaka Tengah District, the southeastern part of Alor Gajah District and the western part of Jasin District.


Economy

Despite being located in a land without any significant natural resources, the economy of Malacca dates back more than 500 years, due to its strategic location. As the centre of the all important spice trade, Malacca attracted many colonial powers to engage wars to control it. Port of Tanjung Bruas, located in
Tanjung Kling Tanjung Klingon is a mukim and town in Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. Infrastructures Tourist attractions Gallery File:Puteri Beach Night Market.JPG, Puteri Beach night market File:Hang Tuah Mausoleum.jpg, Hang Tuah's tomb ...
, was constructed in late 1970s and commenced operations in early 1980s to provide port facilities and services to the local business communities and to handle the exportation of hinterland goods as well as the importation of raw materials. Container ship handling services began in 2019, with MV West Scent became the first container vessel to dock at the port. Port of Kuala Sungai Linggi, commercially known as Linggi International Floating Transshipment & Trading HUB (LIFT-HUB), is a transshipment area for liquid bulk transshipments and break-bulking located offshore of Linggi River in the
Strait of Malacca The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 500 mi (800 km) long and from 40 to 155 mi (65–250 km) wide, between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connec ...
. It was gazetted in 2006, covers an area of 154 km2 (45 sq mi) and is among the largest designated Ship-to-ship cargo transfer area in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. Sungai Udang houses the PETRONAS Malacca Refinery Complex consisting two refining trains, established in 1994 and 1999 and owned by PETRONAS Penapisan (Melaka) Sdn. Bhd. and Malaysian Refining Company Sdn. Bhd. respectively. The total capacity of the refinery is 270,000 barrels of oil per day. The Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in
Ayer Keroh Ayer Keroh is a town situated in Central Melaka District, Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the seat of the state government since 2006, being the home of the state secretariat building complex – Seri Negeri complex and one of a f ...
which was opened in June 2003 is the leading commercial centre and the centre for meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) which plays an important role in the development of trade in Malacca. On 20 October 2010 an event was held to announce that Malacca had met the benchmark of 'Developed State' as set out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and a declaration of "Melaka Maju 2010" (Progressive Malacca 2010) was made. , service sector contributes to the largest share of economy in Malacca accounted for 46.9%, followed by manufacturing (43.5%), agriculture (6.5%), construction (2.9%) and mining (0.1%). In terms of number of workforce, , there were 275,000 people working in the industrial sectors, 225,000 people working in the service sectors, 35,000 people working in the entrepreneurship sectors and 12,300 people working in the agricultural sectors. Malacca has successfully opened itself up to foreign investors since the early 1970s. By 1997, the state has registered a total investment of over MYR16 billion. In 2014, the state achieved a total MYR4.4 billion worth of investment, in which MYR1.8 billion came from foreign investors. In 2013, Malacca had a GDP of MYR22,646 million with GDP per capita of MYR34,109. It had 3.2% GDP growth in 2013. Inflation rate in 2012 was 1.6%. , the Malacca State Government has an outstanding MYR861.7 million of loan to the federal government. In 2014, the state government's reserve amounted to MYR206.61 million. The unemployment rate in 2014 was 0.9% or around 3,500 people. The state has a relatively well-educated population, with a youth literacy rate of 99.5% as reported by Malaysia Millennium Development Goals Report 2015. Currently there are 23 industrial areas which are centred along the edges of the city proper in suburbs which include Ayer Keroh, Batu Berendam, Cheng, Taman Tasik Utama and Tanjung Kling. While outside Malacca City, industrial areas include Alor Gajah and Sungai Udang. There are around 500 factories in the state which come from Germany, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, United States etc. For
small and medium-sized enterprises Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by international organizations such as the World Bank ...
, a number of estates have been established by the state government. In 2016, Malacca became the safest place to live in Malaysia. The state crime rates dropped by 15.5 per cent in 2017 with 3,096 cases recorded compared to 3,663 in 2016. Malacca recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 8.1% in 2017, the second highest in the country after Sabah. Services sector remained the main contributor to the state’s economy at 44.8% of GDP. The GDP per capita also expanded 11.2% to RM46,015 in 2017, surpassing the national-level figure of RM42,228. The State Socioeconomic Report 2017 published on 26 July 2018 reported that Malacca was the state that recorded the lowest unemployment rate in 2017 with only 1.0 percent.


Energy


Power generation

Malacca houses three power stations, namely the 330 MW Tanjung Kling Power Station in
Tanjung Kling Tanjung Klingon is a mukim and town in Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. Infrastructures Tourist attractions Gallery File:Puteri Beach Night Market.JPG, Puteri Beach night market File:Hang Tuah Mausoleum.jpg, Hang Tuah's tomb ...
and 440 MW Telok Gong Power Station 1 and 720 MW Telok Gong Power Station 2 in
Telok Gong Telok Gong (Malaysia) is a Malaysian town in Alor Gajah District (a district of Malaysia), Melaka, Malaysia. This village in Malaysia is located near Masjid Tanah town which is also in Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast A ...
, with a total installed generation capacity of 1,490 MW.


Green energy

On 16 December 2013, the Malacca State Government unveiled the draft 8,000 hectares special area called the Melaka World Solar Valley in Rembia,
Alor Gajah ) , pushpin_map = Malaysia Malacca#Malaysia West , pushpin_mapsize = 300px , map_caption = Alor Gajah Town in Alor Gajah District (left)Alor Gajah District in Malacca State (right) , subdivision_type = Country , subd ...
applying solar energy as the primary alternative in all municipal activity sectors. By 2020, the government-run 7,248ha Melaka World Solar Valley aims to power most of the daily activities of manufacturers, housing developers, farmers, and other stakeholders. Recently, a public-private partnership installed 100,000 LED street lamps along the Alor Gajah–Melaka Tengah–Jasin (AMJ) highway, which will improve road safety and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.


Water supply

Water supply-related matters in Malacca is administered by Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (Malacca Water Company Limited) which is headquartered at Malacca City. It was established on 1 July 2006 after it was upgraded from its predecessor Malacca Water Corporation ( ms, Perbadanan Air Melaka). The company is also responsible for the maintenance and delivery infrastructure of clean water in the state. Currently, there are three dams located in Malacca supplying its residents with water, which are Durian Tunggal Dam in
Alor Gajah ) , pushpin_map = Malaysia Malacca#Malaysia West , pushpin_mapsize = 300px , map_caption = Alor Gajah Town in Alor Gajah District (left)Alor Gajah District in Malacca State (right) , subdivision_type = Country , subd ...
, Jus Dam and Asahan Dam in Jasin. The fourth dam, Jernih Dam, will be constructed in Taboh Naning in Alor Gajah and expected to be completed by 2018. There are three major
retention basin A retention basin, sometimes called a wet pond, wet detention basin, or stormwater management pond (SWMP), is an artificial pond with vegetation around the perimeter and a permanent pool of water in its design. It is used to manage stormwater r ...
s in the state, which are Kesang Satu Lake, Kesang Dua Lake and Ayer Keroh Lake. Raw water is supplied from the
Malacca River The Malacca River ( ms, Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouri ...
, Kesang River and Gerisik River. Daily water consumption for Malacca is 500 million litres and each resident consumes 220 litres per day, higher than the national average of 180 litres per day. The Malacca State Government signed an agreement with Johor State Government on a water supply agreement in 1993 and additional water supply agreement in 2013. Another water supply agreement is planned to be signed with Negeri Sembilan in the future.


Demographics

Malacca has an estimated population of 931,210 with an average annual population growth of 2%. , 27% of the population aged below 15 years old and 8% aged above 60 years old. The ethnic composition of Malacca as of 2015 is 66.8% Malays (552,700), 1.4% other Bumiputras (11,500), 26.0%
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
(215,000), 6.2% Indians and
Chitty The Chitty, also known as the Chetty or Chetti Melaka, are a distinctive group of Tamil people found mainly and originally in Melaka, Malaysia, and in Singapore where they migrated to in the 18th and 19th centuries from Melaka, who are also kn ...
(51,400) and 0.6% others (4,800). Malacca has small communities of Kristang, Dutch Eurasian and
Temuan The Temuan people ( Temuan: ''Uwang/Eang Temuan'', Malaysian: ''Orang Temuan'') are a Proto-Malay ethnic group indigenous to western parts of Peninsular Malaysia. They can be found in the states of Selangor, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Mal ...
people. Malay community in Malacca is generally divided into two, which are the Temenggong custom and the Perpatih custom. The remaining traditional Malay village in Malacca City is the
Morten Village The Morten Village ( ms, Kampung Morten) is a historical traditional Malay village in Melaka City, Melaka, Malaysia. Naming The village is named after a British land revenue collector during the British Malaya, Frederick Joseph Morten. Hi ...
. Jonker Walk is the Chinatown area of Malacca. It was once known for its antique shops but have since turned into a well-known tourist destination that features clothes, food and crafts. The
Peranakan The Peranakans () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (), namely the British Colonial ruled ports in the Malay Peninsula, ...
people in Malacca show unique features, such as furniture, porcelain, crockery, style and food. Their culture is showcased at the
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum Baba Nyonya House Museum ( ms, Muzium Warisan Baba Nyonya), also known as the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, is a museum in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia that showcases the local history of ethnic Chinese-Malays called Baba-Nyonya or Peranakan ...
. Indians in Malacca are predominantly Tamils, many of whom used to work at the rubber plantation. However, many of them now work in the jewellery, fabrics, retailers, merchants and money lender sectors. Many of them reside in
Little India Little India or India Town (less commonly known as Indian Street or India Bazaar) is an Indian or Desi (South Asian) sociocultural environment outside India or the subcontinent. It especially refers to an area with Indian residences and a dive ...
. There is also Chitty Village for the minority
Chitty The Chitty, also known as the Chetty or Chetti Melaka, are a distinctive group of Tamil people found mainly and originally in Melaka, Malaysia, and in Singapore where they migrated to in the 18th and 19th centuries from Melaka, who are also kn ...
people which houses the Chitty Museum. Besides, small number of
Malayalees The Malayali people () (also spelt Malayalee and also known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. They are predomina ...
who speak
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...
and
Telugus Telugu people ( te, తెలుగువారు, Teluguvāru), or Telugus, or Telugu vaaru, are the largest of the four major Dravidian ethnolinguistic groups in terms of population. Telugus are native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh ...
who speak Telugu exist among the Indians in Malacca. Malacca Kerala Samajam is an association that represents the
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...
speaking community in Malacca. A branch of Telugu Association Malaysia is situated in
Ayer Keroh Ayer Keroh is a town situated in Central Melaka District, Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the seat of the state government since 2006, being the home of the state secretariat building complex – Seri Negeri complex and one of a f ...
to represent the Telugu speaking community in Malacca. A sizeable number of Punjabi Sikhs residing in Malacca, and Sikhs from Malacca and abroad congregate in the
gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...
(Sikh temple) situated in Jalan Temenggong. They celebrate the Guru Nanak's birthday and Vasakhi new year annually. A population of Portuguese descent, who speak a Portuguese creole, are the descendants of colonists from the 16th and 17th centuries. Even to this day, many of the traditions originating with the Portuguese occupation are still practised, i.e. "Intrudu" from Portuguese word "Entrudo" (a water festival that marks the beginning of
Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
, the Catholic fasting period), "branyu" (traditional dance), "Santa Cruz" (a yearly Festival of street celebrations). Many of them settle down around the Portuguese Settlement area, which has a population of about 1,200 residents. The
indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
, mostly ethnic
Temuan The Temuan people ( Temuan: ''Uwang/Eang Temuan'', Malaysian: ''Orang Temuan'') are a Proto-Malay ethnic group indigenous to western parts of Peninsular Malaysia. They can be found in the states of Selangor, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Mal ...
is relatively small. They generally reside in rural settlements, the edge of the woods and along the coast facing Malacca Strait. Malacca houses the
Aborigines Museum The Aborigines Museum ( ms, Muzium Orang Asli) is a museum in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia, which showcases the native people relics found in the country. It was originally located inside Ayer Keroh Recreational Forest, but later relocated t ...
in
Ayer Keroh Ayer Keroh is a town situated in Central Melaka District, Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the seat of the state government since 2006, being the home of the state secretariat building complex – Seri Negeri complex and one of a f ...
.


Language

Malacca is a multi-linguistic state.
Malaysian Malaysian may refer to: * Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia * Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia * Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
is the official language of Malacca and is used in the government and public sectors. English is widely used in the business and tourism sectors. A local Malay, known as Malaccan Malay is a unique variety of Malay spoken within the state of Malacca. It has its own distinct pronunciation and vocabulary compared to the rest of Malaysia. Other minority languages such as
Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
,
Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
,
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
,
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...
,
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...
, Telugu, Punjabi, Kristang (
Portuguese creole Portuguese creoles are creole languages which have Portuguese as their substantial lexifier. The most widely-spoken creoles influenced by Portuguese are Cape Verdean Creole, Guinea-Bissau Creole and Papiamento. Origins Portuguese overseas ...
) and various Malay-based creoles such as
Baba Malay In addition to its classical and literary form, Malay had various regional dialects established after the rise of the Srivijaya empire in Sumatra, Indonesia. Also, Malay spread through interethnic contact and trade across the Malay Archi ...
and Malaccan Creole Malay are also spoken. The Temuan language is commonly spoken by Orang Asli within Malacca.


Religion

According to the 2010 census, the population of Malacca is 66.1% Muslim, 24.2%
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, 5.7%
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
, 3.0% Christian, 0.4% of unknown affiliation, 0.2% non-religious, 0.2%
Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Tao ...
or Chinese religion follower, and 0.2% of followers of other religions. Statistics from the 2010 Census indicate that 91.6% of the Chinese population in Malacca are identified as Buddhists, with significant minorities of adherents identifying as Christians (6.7%),
Chinese folk religion Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...
s (0.7%) and Muslims (0.4%). The majority of the Indian population are Hindus (86.3%), with a significant minorities of numbers identifying as Christians (6.6%), Muslims (3.4%) and Buddhists (2.8%). The non-Malay ''
bumiputera Bumiputera or Bumiputra, which is a Malay word, comes from the Sanskrit word ''Bhumiputra'' which may be transliterated as "son of earth" or "son of the soil" (Bhūmi; भूमि = earth; putra = son). It has different definitions in Brunei and M ...
'' community are predominantly Christians (46.8%), with significant minorities identifying as Muslims (24.2%) and Buddhists (12.0%). As the definition of a "Malay" in the Malaysian constitution requires that the person professes the religion of Islam, all Malays are necessarily Muslims.


Education


Primary and secondary education

Up to 2018, there are 237 primary schools and 77 secondary schools in Malacca. Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Yok Bin, Sekolah Kebangsaan Convent Of The Infant Jesus (2), Sekolah Kebangsaan (P) Methodist (2) and Sekolah Kebangsaan Convent Of The Infant Jesus (1) is the high performance primary school in Malacca while for secondary school is Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah (MOZAC), Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Selandar and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Sharifah Rodziah. The
Malacca High School , motto_translation = Here we strive for better things , medium_of_language = English, Malay , established = , address = 61, Jalan Chan Koon Cheng , city = Malacca City , st ...
is one of the premier schools in Malaysia and is the second oldest recorded school in the country after
Penang Free School , motto_translation = Strong and Faithful , streetaddress = Green Lane, , city = George Town , state = Penang , postcode = 11600 , country = Malaysi ...
in Penang. The Ministry of Education of Malaysia enrolls students based on their Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3). One branch of centre for juvenile convicts,
Henry Gurney School The Henry Gurney Schools ( ms, Sekolah Henry Gurney) are centres established in 1949 under Juvenile Courts Act 1947 ct 90to care for young offenders in Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal co ...
, is located in Telok Mas. This centre runs rehabilitation programs for male juvenile offenders. Malacca has four international schools – the KYS International School, Melaka International School, Malacca Expatriate School (MES) and UUM International School Melaka, staffed by expatriate teachers, which specialise in teaching Cambridge International A Levels and cater for both the local and expatriate communities.


Higher education

Institutions include: *
Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka ( Jawi: اونيۏرسيتي تيكنيكل مليسيا ملاك , literally meaning Technical University of Malaysia, Malacca, abbreviated as UTeM) is a public university located in Durian Tunggal, Mal ...
(UTeM). *
Universiti Teknologi MARA The MARA Technological University ( Malay: ''Universiti Teknologi MARA''; Jawi: اونيۏرسيتي تيكنولوڬي مارا; abbr. UiTM) is a public university based primarily in Shah Alam, Selangor. It was established to help rural Mala ...
(UiTM) campuses that are located at Lendu, Malacca City and Jasin. *Manipal University College Malaysia (MUCM) in Bukit Baru is the foremost institution for medical education in the state. *
Multimedia University Multimedia University, abbreviated as MMU, is the oldest and first ever full-fledged private research university in Malaysia and a government-linked university as it is owned by Telekom Malaysia. It was founded in 1997, so it is considered a ...
(MMU) at Bukit Beruang. *
Malaysian Maritime Academy Malaysian Maritime Academy ( ms, Akademi Laut Malaysia, MMA or ALAM) is a maritime training academy with a 30 hectares campus located in Kuala Sungai Baru, Malacca, Malaysia which provides training for seagoing personnel. It was established in 1976 ...
(ALAM) at Kuala Sungai Baru. * Malaysian Han Studies (MAHANS) at
Hang Tuah Jaya Hang Tuah Jaya is a planned area in the Malaysian state of Malacca created by its government as the state's administrative centre and smart city with economical, social, infrastructural and recreational developments. It was launched by the fif ...
. There are several institutions that offer nursing education: Institut Kesihatan Sains & Kejururawatan Pantai, Institut Sains Kesihatan Dan Kejururawatan Mahkota, Kolej Kejururawatan & Kesihatan Nilam, and Kolej Perubatan Komplementari Melaka. Institut Kesihatan Sains & Kejururawatan Pantai is linked to Pantai Hospital at Ayer keroh while Institut Sains Kesihatan Dan Kejururawatan Mahkota is linked to
Mahkota Medical Centre Mahkota is the Malay word for "crown" and may refer to: * Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota, the state anthem of Kedah, Malaysia *Bandar Indera Mahkota Indera Mahkota is a township in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. This township was opened in 1983. It ...
. Skill-Tech Institute provides training in agriculture, homestay, biotechnology, ranching, aquaculture, estate supervision, landscaping, and food processing. It has two branches in Machap, Durian Tunggal and Taman Tasik Utama, Ayer Keroh. Part-time study is available at
Open University Malaysia Open University Malaysia, abbreviated as OUM, is the 7th Malaysian private university and it is owned by the Multimedia Technology Enhancement Operations (METEOR) Sdn. Bhd, a consortium of 11 Malaysian public universities. It leverages o ...
(OUM), while those who wish to obtain an academic diploma can enroll at
University of Malaya The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
Centre for Continuing Education (UMCCE) at Sinar College. Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) lectures and examinations are provided at Sinar College at Malacca City. Sinar College is the only institution in the state that offers complete accounting education. Sinar College is the only approved training centre for tourism courses. Other academic institutions include International College of Yayasan Melaka (ICYM) and Melaka International College of Science and Technology (MiCoST). The state government of Malacca provides financial assistance mainly in the form of loans to local citizens via Malacca Education Trust Fund (TAPEM). Among the facilities provided by TAPEM are Higher Education Loan, Minor Scholarship/Incentive Scholarship for Secondary School, and School Assistance to Primary School Students.


Public libraries

The very first library in Malacca was the Khutub Khanah Melaka (later renamed Henry Gurney Memorial Library), which was established in 1881 and was located at the Stadthuys. The library was moved to Hang Tuah Hall in 1966 and renamed the Malacca Library ( ms, Perpustakaan Melaka). In 1975, the Malacca Public Library Corporation Bill was enacted to establish the Malacca Public Library Corporation ( ms, Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Melaka, PERPUSTAM). The corporation headquartered in the main library, was later established in 1977, with the enforcement of the Enactment which was amended in 1993. The main library moved again to its current location at Bukit Baru, which was inaugurated on 4 November 1996. Apart from the main library, there are also public libraries at district level, as well as town and village levels.


Health care

Malacca houses a number of government and private hospitals and health clinics, as well as hundreds of private clinics. The location of medical institutions are located all over the state of Malacca, either in urban or rural areas, providing uniform and equitable healthcare to the residents. Health-related affairs in Malacca is governed by Malacca State Health Department by providing basic health service to the residents and oversee all government health facilities in the state among hospitals, community polyclinic, rural health clinics and clinics. Malacca is also a popular place for health care and
medical tourism Medical tourism refers to people traveling abroad to obtain medical treatment. In the past, this usually referred to those who traveled from less-developed countries to major medical centers in highly developed countries for treatment unavailable a ...
for Indonesian people from Sumatra due to its close proximity to the state, followed by
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
. In 2014, Malacca received over 500,000 tourists for medical tourism-related purpose. Government hospitals in Malacca are Malacca General Hospital and Jasin District Hospital, while private hospitals are Putra Hospital, Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh, Mahkota Medical Centre and Oriental Melaka Straits Medical Centre.


Culture

Each group upholds their tradition and it is reflected in their food, religion customs, festivals, culture, design, application, jewellery and handicrafts. Among the unique Malacca culture is Dondang Sayang which is recognized by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
. Dondang Sayang is a traditional Malay art still practised in Malacca by four communities: the Malay, Baba Nyonya, Chitty and Portuguese communities. The practice combines elements of music (violins, gongs and tambourines or the tambour), songs and chants, and features melodious strains of poetry. Also known as love ballads, the songs are used by communities to convey feelings of love and give advice on special topics such as love and kindness. For food, Malacca received recognition from the World Street Food Congress for Nyonya Siamese Noodles (34th) and Coolie Street Satay (43rd). The various street dishes and delicacies of Malacca include (but not limited to) '' satay celup''; chicken rice balls; duck noodles; '' Malacca-style wonton noodles''; '' nyonya laksa''; ''pai tee'' (also known as '' pie tee'' and top hats); ''ayam pongteh''; '' asam pedas with fish''; Portuguese grilled fish and seafood; ''fishball lobak''; coconut shake; '' nyonya cendol''; '' putu piring''; and '' nyonya kuih''.


Street art

Penang started the street art trend in Malaysia and Malacca soon followed suit with their River Art Project in 2012. Water has always been a big part of Malacca’s history. It was once one of the world’s most important trading ports, so it also makes sense that Malacca start the street art with the buildings beside the river. To boost the art landscape in Malacca, nine artists came together to paint their works on the walls of historical shophouses along the river in Jalan Kampung Hulu. Known as ProjectARM, these artworks are designed to highlight the beauty of Malacca. The murals depict the artists representation of Malacca and include a colourful mosaic painted on the walls of Kiehl’s store.


Sports

Sports-related affairs of Malacca are governed by the Malacca State Sports Council ( ms, Majlis Sukan Negeri Melaka) under the Malacca State Government. Another governing body of sports in Malacca is the Department of Youth and Sports ( ms, Jabatan Belia dan Sukan Negeri Melaka). Malacca is home to several football stadiums, such as
Hang Jebat Stadium The Hang Jebat Stadium ( ms, Stadium Hang Jebat) is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 40,000 people in Krubong/ Paya Rumput, Malacca, Malaysia. It was completed in September 2004 and named after a Malacca Sultanate Laksamana, Hang Je ...
,
Hang Tuah Stadium Stadium Hang Tuah or Stadium Kubu ( en, Hang Tuah Stadium or Kubu Stadium) is a multi-use stadium in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia.http://www.stadiummelaka.gov.my/index.php/stadium-hang-tuah/ Stadium Hang Tuah The stadium has a capacity of 15 ...
and
Tun Fatimah Stadium The Tun Fatimah Stadium ( ms, Stadium Tun Fatimah) is a multi-use stadium in Semabok, Melaka, Malaysia. Name The stadium gets its name from Tun Fatimah, a 16th-century Malaccan hero. Notable events * 13th Sukma Games in June 2010
. Built in 1954, Hang Tuah Stadium is the oldest stadium in Malacca. Established under the Malacca Stadium Corporation Enactment of 2004, the Malacca Stadium Corporation is the entity that manages stadiums in Malacca which started its operation on 16 September 2004. There is also a motorsport racetrack in
Durian Tunggal Durian Tunggal is a mukim and town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia, which is situated within the parliamentary constituency of Hang Tuah Jaya. Education * Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (Main campus) * Skill-Tech Institute * SMK D ...
named the Melaka International Motorsport Circuit. Melaka International Bowling Centre in Ayer Keroh with 52 lanes is the largest
bowling Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), thou ...
centre in Malaysia. There are four
golf courses A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
in Malacca, namely Ayer Keroh Golf and Country Club in
Ayer Keroh Ayer Keroh is a town situated in Central Melaka District, Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the seat of the state government since 2006, being the home of the state secretariat building complex – Seri Negeri complex and one of a f ...
, Orna Golf and Country Club in
Bemban Bemban is a small town in Air Panas Mukim, Jasin District, Malacca, Malaysia. Economy * Mydin Hypermarket Bandar Jasin Bestari Residential neighbourhoods * Bandar Jasin Bestari Sports and recreation * Orna Golf and Country Club - A golf resor ...
and Tiara Melaka Golf and Country Club in Bukit Katil and A'Famosa Golf Resort in Simpang Ampat. Golf-related paraphernalia in Malacca is showcased at the Malacca Golf Gallery. Malacca was the host venue for the 2010 Sukma Games held on 10–19 June 2010. Malacca also has a football team known as
Melaka United Melaka United Football Club () was a defunct Malaysian professional football club based in Malacca that competes in the Malaysia Super League. They were owned by Kenteam Sdn Bhd which is one of nitrile glove producer in Malaysia. Previously, th ...
representing Malacca in the Malaysian football league. The Melaka United football team won the first
Malaysia Premier League The Malaysia Premier League ( ms, Liga Premier) was the second-tier professional football league in Malaysia. The league replaced the former second-tier league, Liga Perdana 2 in the Malaysian football league system. The Malaysia Premier Leag ...
title in 1983, in addition they were the champion of the third division of the Malaysia football league,
FAM League The FAM Cup (Malay: Piala FAM) was a knock-out tournament for teams in both the Malaysia M3 League and the Malaysia M4 League in Malaysia. The tournament was a cup format, but from 2008 to 2018 was held as a third-tier league tournament and used ...
Cup, in 2015 before won the second Premier League title a year after it.
Melaka United Melaka United Football Club () was a defunct Malaysian professional football club based in Malacca that competes in the Malaysia Super League. They were owned by Kenteam Sdn Bhd which is one of nitrile glove producer in Malaysia. Previously, th ...
uses the
Hang Jebat Stadium The Hang Jebat Stadium ( ms, Stadium Hang Jebat) is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 40,000 people in Krubong/ Paya Rumput, Malacca, Malaysia. It was completed in September 2004 and named after a Malacca Sultanate Laksamana, Hang Je ...
in Krubong as their home ground with a capacity of 40,000 spectators.


Tourism

Tourism is a booming industry in Malacca. It is a popular travel destinations for
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
ans during the weekends. Malacca has adopted as its slogan, "Visiting Malacca Means Visiting Malaysia" ("''Melawat Melaka Bererti Melawati Malaysia''"). There is a tourist map provided by Malacca. In 2017, the state recorded 16.79 million tourist arrivals, the highest number to date. Despite been a small state spanning 1,644 km2, Malacca has been a destination of choice for travellers from China,
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
,
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
. During the first six months (January–June) 2018, over 8.73 million tourists were recorded visiting Malacca which is over seven percent compared to 8.14 million tourists for the first six months of 2017. It showed an increase of 599,037 tourists. The increase was contributed by the increase of domestic tourists to Malacca which was more than 72,000 or 1.36 percent. For domestic tourists, five states reportedly visited the most are from
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
,
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
,
Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime ...
,
Terengganu Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith" ...
and Negeri Sembilan. Most of these tourists love to enjoy grilled fish and ''asam pedas'' in Malacca. In addition, foreign tourist arrivals also experienced a sharp increase of more than 520,000 or 19.03 percent. Travellers from five countries recorded the highest rates are China,
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. In recent years, Malacca has received numerous international accolades. The city has been listed by several publications, including Forbes and Lonely Planet, as one of Asia's and World's Top Travel Destinations. Malacca listed as one of 10 Best Destinations in Malaysia by Tripadvisor. Waze App recognized Malacca with 'The Best City to Drive In' Award. Globally, the historic city is ranked ahead of other major metros like Sydney, Lisbon, and Barcelona. The city also has been recognised by HuffPost as 15 of the Best Street Art Cities. In addition, Time publication placed Malacca as one of the best places to live and retire.


Tourist attractions

Malacca has numerous historical places and buildings. In order to preserve those sites, numerous museums have been built to preserve those legacies. Most of the museums in the state are managed by Malacca Museum Corporation (PERZIM; ms, Perbadanan Muzium Melaka). Museums in Malacca are
Aborigines Museum The Aborigines Museum ( ms, Muzium Orang Asli) is a museum in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia, which showcases the native people relics found in the country. It was originally located inside Ayer Keroh Recreational Forest, but later relocated t ...
,
Agricultural Museum An agricultural museum is a museum dedicated to preserving agricultural history and heritage. It aims to educate the public on the subject of agricultural history, their legacy and impact on society. To accomplish this, it specializes in the di ...
, Malacca Al-Quran Museum,
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum Baba Nyonya House Museum ( ms, Muzium Warisan Baba Nyonya), also known as the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, is a museum in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia that showcases the local history of ethnic Chinese-Malays called Baba-Nyonya or Peranakan ...
,
Beauty Museum Beauty Museum or Museum of Enduring Beauty ( ms, Muzium Kecantikan) is a museum about beauty standards and concepts in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia, which was opened in 1996. It occupies the top floor of the former Historical City Municipa ...
, Cheng Ho Cultural Museum, Chitty Museum, Customs Department Museum, Democratic Government Museum, Education Museum, Malacca Forestry Museum, Governor's Museum,
History and Ethnography Museum The History and Ethnography Museum ( ms, Muzium Sejarah dan Ethnografi) is a museum in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It is located inside the Stadthuys building, built during the Dutch Malacca administration period in 1886. The historical ...
, Malacca Islamic Museum, Malacca Kite Museum, Malacca Literature Museum, Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum,
Malay and Islamic World Museum The Malay and Islamic World Museum ( ms, Muzium Dunia Melayu Dunia Islam) is a museum about Malay and Islamic cultures in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It is housed in the Bastion House building which was built in 1910 and occupied by the ...
, Malaysia Architecture Museum,
Maritime Museum A maritime museum (sometimes nautical museum) is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on large bodies of water. A subcategory of maritime museums are naval museums, which focus on navies and the milita ...
, Navy Museum,
People's Museum People's Museum ( ms, Muzium Rakyat) is a museum in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia, which records and preserves the achievements of Malacca in the development sector and officially opened on 15 April 1992 by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ...
, Prison Museum, Pulau Besar Museum, Stamp Museum, Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum, Submarine Museum,
Toy Museum A toy museum is a museum for toys. They typically showcase toys from a particular culture or period with their history. These are distinct from children's museums, which are museums for children, and are often interactive – toy museums may be ...
, Tradition and Custom Museum, UMNO Museum and Youth Museum. The other historical buildings and structures are
Fortress of Malacca A Famosa ( ms, Kota A Famosa; "The Famous" in Portuguese, also known as ''Fortaleza Velha'' Portuguese: the old fortress, and Dutch: ''Slavenburgh'' (slave castle) & ''De Misericorde'' (Our Lady of Mercy, from French: ''Notre Dame de Misér ...
,
Alor Gajah British Graveyard ) , pushpin_map = Malaysia Malacca#Malaysia West , pushpin_mapsize = 300px , map_caption = Alor Gajah Town in Alor Gajah District (left)Alor Gajah District in Malacca State (right) , subdivision_type = Country , subd ...
,
Bastion Middleburg The Middelburg Bastion ( nl, Bastion Middelburgh) was one of nine bastions of the Fortress of Malacca, in Melaka City, Melaka, Malaysia located at the mouth of Melaka River. The bastion has been restored, together with cannons, and is open ...
, Dutch Graveyard, Hang Jebat Mausoleum, Hang Kasturi Mausoleum, Hang Li Poh's Well, Hang Tuah Mausoleum, Hang Tuah's Well,
Malacca Light The Malacca Light is an inactive lighthouse in Malacca City, in the state of Malacca, Malaysia. It was commissioned during British rule in Malacca and was completed in 1849 as an additional beacon for ships travelling along the Strait of Mal ...
, Malacca Warrior Monument, Portuguese Well,
Proclamation of Independence Memorial The Proclamation of Independence Memorial ( ms, Memorial Pengisytiharan Kemerdekaan) is a museum in Melaka City, Melaka, Malaysia. History The memorial building was established in 1912. The building used to house the Malacca Club which was used ...
, Ruins of Saint Paul's Church, Saint John's Fort, Stadthuys, Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba Memorial and Tun Teja Mausoleum. There are also galleries displaying various aspects of life in Malacca, which include, Chief Minister’s Gallery,
Demang Abdul Ghani Gallery The Demang Abdul Ghani Gallery ( ms, Rumah Penghulu Abdul Ghani) is a gallery about Demang Abdul Ghani, whose ancestor came from Palembang and his family. The gallery building, sometimes called the ''Merlimau Palace'', was the administrative ...
, Folks Art Gallery, Malacca Gallery, Gallery of Admiral Cheng Ho, Macau Gallery, Malacca Art Gallery, Melaka Bee Gallery and Malacca House. Theme parks, education centres, resorts and zoos in Malacca are A' Famosa Resort, Al-Khawarizmi Astronomy Complex,
Malacca Bird Park Malacca Bird Park ( ms, Taman Burung Melaka) is an aviary in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia, which was opened on 23 March 2013. It is the largest bird park in Asia, with a total area of 2.02 hectares. The exterior of the bird park resembles a do ...
, Malacca Butterfly and Reptile Sanctuary, Malacca Crocodile Farm, Malacca Planetarium,
Malacca Wonderland Melaka Wonderland, officially known as the Melaka Wonderland Theme Park & Resort, is a 9.2-hectares wide water theme park and resort in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia which features 16 attractions. It was officiated by Malacca Chief Minister ...
, Malacca Zoo,
Mini Malaysia and ASEAN Cultural Park Malaysia Heritage Studios, formerly Mini Malaysia and ASEAN Cultural Park ( ms, Taman Mini Malaysia dan ASEAN), is a cultural theme park in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia. It is divided into two sections – the Mini Malaysia section, which was op ...
, Pirate Park and
Taming Sari Tower Taming Sari Tower is a 24-story, 110-meter-tall gyro tower in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the first and tallest gyro tower in Malaysia. Name The name of the tower, ''Taming Sari'' was taken from the legendary keris that which bel ...
. Malacca has natural-related tourist sites, such as Ayer Keroh Lake,
Bukit Batu Lebah Recreational Forest The Bukit Batu Lebah Recreational Forest ( ms, Hutan Rekreasi Bukit Batu Lebah) is a recreational forest located within the Bukit Senggeh Forest Reserve in Jasin District in the Malaysian state of Malacca. It offers recreational activities such ...
, Cape Rachado, Garden of Thousand Flowers,
Klebang Beach Klebang Beach ( ms, Pantai Klebang) is a beach in the town of Klebang, in the Malaysian state of Malacca. It faces directly to the Strait of Malacca at the end of Klebang Peninsula and is located next to the 1Malaysia Square. See also * Geograp ...
,
Malacca Botanical Garden Malacca Botanical Garden ( Malay: ''Taman Botanikal Melaka'') is a botanical garden located in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia. It was established in April 1984 as Ayer Keroh Recreational Forest, and got its present name on 1 June 2006. Recreation ...
,
Malacca River The Malacca River ( ms, Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouri ...
, Malacca Tropical Fruit Farm,
Paya Laut Linggi Recreational Forest The Kuala Linggi Mangrove Recreational Forest ( ms, Hutan Rekreasi Paya Laut Kuala Linggi) is a mangrove forest located in Kuala Sungai Baru, Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia. See also * Geography of Malaysia * List of tourist attractions ...
,
Pengkalan Balak Beach The Pengkalan Balak Beach ( ms, Pantai Pengkalan Balak) is a beach in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia which features turtle sculptures. See also * Geography of Malaysia The geography of Malaysia includes both the physical and the hu ...
,
Puteri Beach The Puteri Beach ( ms, Pantai Puteri) is a beach in Tanjung Kling, Central Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. History The beach used to be named Kundor Beach. It started to be developed by the Malacca State Government since 1990. In April 2021, rock r ...
, Saint Paul's Hill and Sungai Udang Recreational Forest. Malacca has also hot springs, namely
Gadek Hot Spring The Gadek Hot Spring ( ms, Kolam Air Panas Gadek) is a hot spring in Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia. History The area around the hot spring was firstly developed in the 1980s and has been improved over time as a popular tourist attraction. Geolog ...
and Jasin Hot Spring. Malacca is a multi-religious society, therefore various worshiping places can be found around the state, namely Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Chinese Mosque, Christ Church,
Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Hulu Mosque ( ms, Masjid Kampung Hulu) is a mosque situated at Kampong Hulu Village in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the oldest mosque in Malacca and among the oldest in the country, having originally built around the year 1 ...
, Kampung Kling Mosque, Poh San Teng Temple, Xiang Lin Si Temple, Saint Francis Xavier Church, Saint Peter's Church, Straits Mosque, Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple, State Mosque and Tranquerah Mosque. Public squares in Malacca are 1Malaysia Square,
Alor Gajah Square The Alor Gajah Square ( ms, Dataran Alor Gajah) or Keris Square ( ms, Dataran Keris) is a town square in Alor Gajah Town, Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia. Architecture The square features the ''Kris Landmark'', a large bronze sculpture of a '' kri ...
,
Ayer Keroh Square The Ayer Keroh Square ( ms, Dataran Ayer Keroh) is a town square in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia. History The square underwent renovation starting in July 2011 with a cost of MYR1.5 million, in which MYR1 million was allocated for upgrade work ...
and
Jasin Square The Jasin Square ( ms, Dataran Jasin) is a town square in Jasin Town, Jasin District, Melaka, Malaysia. Architecture The square features facilities such as reflection place, playground, stage, rest hut and extreme sport area. See also * Li ...
. Some night markets can be found along Jonker Walk in Chinatown during weekends evening and along
Puteri Beach The Puteri Beach ( ms, Pantai Puteri) is a beach in Tanjung Kling, Central Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. History The beach used to be named Kundor Beach. It started to be developed by the Malacca State Government since 1990. In April 2021, rock r ...
in
Tanjung Kling Tanjung Klingon is a mukim and town in Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia. Infrastructures Tourist attractions Gallery File:Puteri Beach Night Market.JPG, Puteri Beach night market File:Hang Tuah Mausoleum.jpg, Hang Tuah's tomb ...
. In total, there are around 87 night markets around Malacca. During the Islamic fasting month, special night markets are opened along many major roads throughout the month.


International relations


Cultural exchanges


China

In June 2012, the Macau Gallery was opened at Peringgit, Malacca by the
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
of
Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
. In April 2015, the Malacca State Government decided to build the MYR300 million Malacca Information Centre which will be located in
Zhuhai Zhuhai (, ; Yale: ''Jyūhói''), also known as Chuhai is a prefecture-level city located on the west bank of Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, on the southeastern edge of Pear ...
,
Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
.


Cuba

In June 2007, a gallery named Casa Cuba was opened in Peringgit under the initiative of the Cuban embassy in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
and situated in the former senior government officer's residence during British Malaya. The gallery showcases various forms of art by Cuban artists, such as paintings, lithographs and ceramics.


Indonesia

In February 2013, the Melaka Gallery in Jakarta,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
was officiated by Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo and Malacca Chief Minister
Mohd Ali Rustam Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd. Ali bin Mohd. Rustam ( ms, محمد علي بن محمد رستم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 24 August 1949) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacc ...
.


Twin towns and friendship cities

Malacca first started twinning in 1984 with the city of Lisbon, Portugal and it is now twinned with or established as a friendship city with the following cities:


Transportation


Air

Malacca International Airport (IATA: MKZ, ICAO: WMKM) (formerly known as Batu Berendam Airport) is an airport located in Batu Berendam, Malacca, Malaysia. The airport serves the state of Malacca, as well as northern Johor, with links to Pekanbaru and Penang


Railway

There are currently two
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) (Jawi: كريتاڤي تانه ملايو برحد) or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. The railway system dates back to the British colonial era, when it was firs ...
railway stations in Malacca, which are the Pulau Sebang/Tampin Station in
Pulau Sebang Pulau Sebang is a mukim and town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia, which borders Tampin town of Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan. Infrastructures * Aleyah Kuala Ina Mosque * Mydin Pulau Sebang * SMK Sultan Mansor Shah Transportati ...
,
Alor Gajah ) , pushpin_map = Malaysia Malacca#Malaysia West , pushpin_mapsize = 300px , map_caption = Alor Gajah Town in Alor Gajah District (left)Alor Gajah District in Malacca State (right) , subdivision_type = Country , subd ...
and Batang Melaka Station in
Batang Melaka Batang Melaka is a mukim and town in Jasin District, Malacca, Malaysia. Located at the Negeri Sembilan state border, part of the town itself is within Negeri Sembilan. It is about 52 kilometers from Melaka Sentral and is connected by the Pano ...
, Jasin. There were railway tracks from
Pulau Sebang Pulau Sebang is a mukim and town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia, which borders Tampin town of Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan. Infrastructures * Aleyah Kuala Ina Mosque * Mydin Pulau Sebang * SMK Sultan Mansor Shah Transportati ...
to Malacca City before World War II, but these were dismantled by the Japanese for the construction of the Burmese
Death Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...
. On 10 October 2015, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) commuter service has introduced a new route, shuttle service between Seremban-Sebang/Tampin-Gemas station. A 1.6-km line of
Melaka Monorail Melaka Monorail is a monorail system in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia with 3 stations – Tun Ali, Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat. Only the Tun Ali station is currently operational, while 2 other stations (Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat) are all close ...
was launched in October 2010, served the route along the
Malacca River The Malacca River ( ms, Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouri ...
. Due to several technical glitches months into its operation, the system was left idle in 2013. However, in June 2015 the Malacca State Government decided to revive the project. On 4 December 2017, Melaka Monorail has re-operate with enhanced safety features such as lightning-prevention devices and the addition of a rescue vehicle to attract wagons in the event of a technical problem. The previous incident is believed will not recur as tests had been performed for two months before re-operation. The Melaka Monorail operating hours are 10.00 am to 10.00 pm on weekdays and continued until 12.00 midnight on Saturdays and Sundays.


Water

Daily ferries run from Malacca to the Indonesian cities of Bengkalis, Dumai and Pekanbaru departing from Harbour Master's Jetty. Regular boat services to Big Island depart from mainland Malacca in
Umbai Umbai is a mukim and town in Jasin District in the Malaysian state of Malacca. Tourist attractions * Sultan Ali of Johor Mausoleum ( ms, Makam Sultan Ali Johor) * Umbai Floating Ikan Bakar Village ( ms, Perkampungan Ikan Bakar Terapung Umbai) ...
. Several jetties around the state, such as in
Merlimau Merlimau is a mukim and town in Jasin District, Malacca, Malaysia. Politically, it is situated in the parliament constituency of P139 Jasin, and state constituency of N27 Merlimau, which consists of seven ballot box areas, namely Ayer Merbau, ...
, are used by fishermen. Two existing container ports in Malacca are the Port of Kuala Sungai Linggi and Port of Tanjung Bruas.


Road

Travelling to Malacca by bus is favored by most people. This is because Malacca is well connected to the PLUS highway via three major exits. The Ayer Keroh exit at the North–South Expressway is the main entry to Malacca, connected by Ayer Keroh highway to
Malacca City Malacca City ( ms, Bandaraya Melaka or ') is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca. As of 2019 it has a population of 579,000.https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/uploads/files/6_Newsletter/Newsletter%202020/DOSM_DOSM_MELAKA_1_2020_Siri-81.p ...
. There are two additional exits along the North–South Expressway, namely the Simpang Ampat and Jasin exits. The Syed Abdullah Aziz Road or Malacca Coastal Highway roughly connects the western and eastern sides of Malacca separated by the
Malacca River The Malacca River ( ms, Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouri ...
through the Malacca Coastal Bridge. It is also easy to access Malacca by bus because Malacca has three main bus hubs such as Melaka Sentral, Alor Gajah Sentral and Jasin Sentral. The location of the bus stations are based on their districts, Melaka Tengah,
Alor Gajah ) , pushpin_map = Malaysia Malacca#Malaysia West , pushpin_mapsize = 300px , map_caption = Alor Gajah Town in Alor Gajah District (left)Alor Gajah District in Malacca State (right) , subdivision_type = Country , subd ...
and Jasin. The
Melaka Sentral Melaka Sentral is the largest public transportation terminal in Malacca, Malaysia. It occupies 46.6 hectares of land and located between Lebuh AMJ (Jalan Tun Abdul Razak) and Jalan Panglima Awang and was opened on 14 May 2004. The construct ...
bus station, combined with taxi terminal, serves cities around
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
and
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
. The Panorama Melaka bus is the public bus serving Malacca City and major landmarks. Efforts are also being undertaken to promote pedestrianisation and the use of bicycles as an environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Dedicated bicycle lanes are being built on several main roads in this historic city. Many of the heavily decorated
cycle rickshaw The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of hatchback tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, ...
s ( Malay: ''beca'') equipped with sound system can be seen on the streets in Malacca. Most of them are used to bring tourist around the town for sightseeing. The average size can accommodate two average adult with probably a child.


Media


Art of culture and entertainment

Malacca is a popular filming location for domestic and international film production companies with the presence of various tourist attractions and historical remains. Iconic Bollywood artist, Shah Rukh Khan described Malacca as beautiful and said he would return for acting and holiday in the state. The films and the music videos published in Malacca include: * 1987 -
Tragic Hero A tragic hero is the protagonist of a tragedy. In his ''Poetics'', Aristotle records the descriptions of the tragic hero to the playwright and strictly defines the place that the tragic hero must play and the kind of man he must be. Aristotle ba ...
, starring
Andy Lau Andy Lau Tak-wah (; born 27 September 1961) is a Hong Kong actor, singer-songwriter and film producer. He has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maint ...
. Part of this Hong Kong movie was filmed in Malacca. * 1999 - Entrapment, starring Sean Connery,
Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Known for her versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed C ...
and Kee Thuan Chye, Malaysian actor. Part of the Hollywood movie was shot at
Malacca River The Malacca River ( ms, Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century. The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouri ...
. * 2001 -
One 2 Ka 4 ''One 2 Ka 4'' is a 2001 Indian Hindi language action drama film directed by Shashilal K. Nair. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Jackie Shroff. The score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. This film is now own ...
, starring Shah Rukh Khan,
Juhi Chawla Juhi Chawla (born 13 November 1967) is an Indian actress, film producer and entrepreneur. She established herself as one of the leading actresses of Hindi cinema from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. Recognised for her comic timing and v ...
and Jackie Shroff. * 2008 - Singaporean drama series
The Little Nyonya ''The Little Nyonya'' ( zh, c= ) is a 2008 drama serial on Singapore's free-to-air MediaCorp TV Channel 8. It stars Jeanette Aw, Qi Yuwu, Dai Xiangyu, Lin Meijiao, Pan Lingling, Cynthia Koh, Pierre Png, Joanne Peh, Desmond Sim, Eelyn K ...
, starring
Jeanette Aw Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping (born 28 June 1979), better known by her stage name Ou Xuan (), is a Singaporean actress, filmmaker, businesswoman and writer. Aw was named as one of the Seven Princesses of Mediacorp in 2006, after which she achieved wider ...
and
Qi Yuwu Qi Yuwu (; born 28 November 1976) is a Chinese actor based in Singapore. He is a permanent resident of Singapore and a contracted artiste under Beijing Enlight Media Group. Early life and career Qi studied at Guangzhou Physical Education In ...
. * 2011 - Don 2, starring Shah Rukh Khan and
Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra Jonas (; ; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress and producer. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is one of India's highest-paid actresses and has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awar ...
. Malacca Prison were among the filming set of the
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
movie. * 2013 - ''Suami Aku Ustaz,'' starring Ady Putra,
Nora Danish Nora binti Mohd Danish Hanif (born 7 March 1982) also known as Nora Danish is a Malaysian actress, singer, model, television personality and businesswoman. Background Nora was born on 7 March 1982 to a parent of Arab and Burmese descent. Sh ...
and Izzue Islam. The filming is fully carried out at several locations in Malacca. * 2016 -
Kabali ''Kabali'' is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu. The film stars Rajinikanth in the titular role, with Radhika Apte, Sai Dhanshika, Winston Chao, Kishore, Dines ...
, starring Rajinikanth. Malacca Contingent Police Headquarters and Sungai Udang Prison were filming sites for
Kollywood Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywood ...
. * 2016 - Ayda Jebat's ''Pencuri Hati'' music video (dangdut version). * 2017 - Malaysian drama series ''Hikayat Cinta Si Pematah Hati,'' starring
Alif Satar Muhammad Alif bin Mohd Satar (Jawi: اليف ساتر; born September 19, 1990) is a Malaysian singer, actor and television host. Alif started his singing career after winning third place in 8TV's reality singing competition, '' One in a Milli ...
. * 2018 - Malaysian telemovie ''Aku Nazmi'' starring Jay Iswazir, Ayda Jebat and Sheila Rusly * 2018 - Malaysian drama series Mr. Grey, starring Fendi Bakry.


Radio

The available FM radio stations in Malacca, both government (including Malacca-based Melaka FM) and commercial, are as listed below.


Notable people

;Experts and Academicians *
Shirley Geok-lin Lim Shirley Geok-lin Lim (born 1944) is an American writer of poetry, fiction, and criticism. Her first collection of poems, ''Crossing The Peninsula'', published in 1980, won her the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, a first both for an Asian and for a ...
, award-winning novelist, writer and Professor of English at the
University of California, Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduates and 2,983 graduate students enrolled in 2021–2022. It is part of the U ...
. * Suhaimi Sulaiman, news anchor and experienced media strategist in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. * Tan Sri Dato' Sri Ahmad Maarop, tenth
President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia The President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia (Malay: ''Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan''), is the office and title of the deputy head of the Malaysian judiciary system. The title has been in use since 24 June 1994, when the Court of Appeal of Mala ...
. ;Film, Television and Music * Amar Asyraf, actor. *
Anuar Zain Shahrul Anuar Zain (born 15 February 1970) is a Malaysian singer and artist. He has had five albums released, all of which have been named after him. The first album was released in 1998, consisting of 10 songs. His first single after a hiatu ...
, singer and a multi award-winning artist. * Aubrey Suwito, Malaysian pianist, keyboardist, songwriter, arranger and producer. * Christopher Lee, actor. *
Remy Ishak Mohammad Zalimei bin Ishak or better known as Remy Ishak (born on 11 April 1982), is a Malaysian actor who was born in Melaka. He was first introduced to the film industry by independent director Osman Ali in 2006. He gained fame for his perfor ...
, actor. *
Resh Resh is the twentieth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician Rēsh , Hebrew Rēsh , Aramaic Rēsh , Syriac Rēsh ܪ, and Arabic . Its sound value is one of a number of rhotic consonants: usually or , but also or in Hebrew and No ...
or Reshmonu, singer-songwriter. * Ziana Zain, pop singer-songwriter, model, entrepreneur and actress ;History: *
Dol Said Dol Said or in full Dato' Abdul Said was a 19th-century Malay leader of an area called Naning, which was then part of Malacca on the Malay Peninsula. He opposed taxation by the British's taxation policy in the area and refused to pay it whic ...
, 19th-century Malay leader of an area called
Naning Naning (Chinese: 南宁) is a district and a former chiefdom in northern Malacca, Malaysia. It was founded in 1370 by the Prince of Minangkabao, Sutan Jatang Balun or known as Datuk Parpatih Nan Sebatang (The Only One Land Lord). It is part of ...
, which was then part of Malacca on the Malay Peninsula. *
Ee Tiang Hong Ee Tiang Hong (1933–1990) was a Malayan poet of Chinese ancestry. Born at Malacca during the British colonial period, Ee wrote poetry in English. His first book of poetry appeared in 1960. He was extremely disturbed by political developments in ...
, Malayan poet of Chinese ancestry. *
Hang Jebat Hang Jebat ( Jawi: هڠ جيبت) was the closest companion of the legendary Malaccan hero Hang Tuah. Regarded in Malaysia as one of the greatest silat exponents in history, he is well known for his vengeful rebellion against the Malacca Sult ...
, closest companion of the legendary Malaccan hero
Hang Tuah Hang Tuah ( Jawi: , /tuah/ or /toh/) is said to have been a warrior who lived in Malacca during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah in the 15th century. There is limited historical evidence for his existence. However, he was supposedly a great laksam ...
. * Hang Li Po, fifth wife of Malaccan Sultan Mansur Shah (reigned 1456 to 1477). *
Hang Nadim In the Malay epic ''Sejarah Melayu'', Hang Nadim ( Jawi: هڠ نديم) Laksamana Hang Nadim was a warrior of the Johor-Riau during the Portuguese occupation of Malacca. He is the son of legendary Malacca Warrior Hang Jebat and foster son another l ...
, very young Malay boy of great ingenuity who saved Temasek, now called Singapore, from attack by shoals of a species of swordfish named todak; attacks which cost many indigenous Malays their lives. *
Hang Tuah Hang Tuah ( Jawi: , /tuah/ or /toh/) is said to have been a warrior who lived in Malacca during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah in the 15th century. There is limited historical evidence for his existence. However, he was supposedly a great laksam ...
, legendary warrior who lived in Malacca during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah in the 15th century. *Munshi Abdullah ( Abdullah Abdul Kadir), Malayan writer, was a Malacca-born Indian munshi of Singapore and died in Jeddah, a part of the Ottoman Empire. *Panglima Awang (
Enrique of Malacca Enrique of Malacca ( es, Enrique de Malaca; pt, Henrique de Malaca), was a Malay member of the Magellan expedition that completed the first circumnavigation of the world in 1519–1522. He was acquired as a slave by the Portuguese explorer ...
), native of the Malay Archipelago who participated in the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...
Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the Eas ...
's mission in the 16th century to sail around the world. * Tan Sri Hajjah Zainon Munshi Sulaiman, historic Malaysian politician, teacher and an independence campaigner. * Tun Dato' Sir Tan Cheng Lock, (one of the founding fathers of modern
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
and the founder of the
Malaysian Chinese Association The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA; zh, 马来西亚华人公会; ; ta, மலேசிய சீனர் சங்கம், initially known as the Malayan Chinese Association) is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that seeks to ...
). * Tun Ali of Malacca, fourth
bendahara Bendahara ( Jawi: بنداهارا) is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a heredi ...
, or
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
of the
Malaccan Sultanate The Malacca Sultanate ( ms, Kesultanan Melaka; Jawi script: ) was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. Conventional historical thesis marks as the founding year of the sultanate by King of Singapura, Paramesw ...
. *
Tun Perak Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Perak (died 1498) was the fifth and most famous bendahara, a Malay rank similar to a prime minister, of the Sultanate of Malacca. He served under four sultans ( Sultan Muzzafar Shah, Sultan Mansur Shah, Sultan Alaudd ...
, fifth
bendahara Bendahara ( Jawi: بنداهارا) is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a heredi ...
, a Malay rank similar to a
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
, of the
Sultanate of Malacca The Malacca Sultanate ( ms, Kesultanan Melaka; Jawi script: ) was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. Conventional historical thesis marks as the founding year of the sultanate by King of Singapura, Paramesw ...
. *
Tun Perpatih Putih Tun Perpatih Putih (died 1500) was the 6th bendahara of the Sultanate of Malacca. He succeeded his brother, Tun Perak, in 1498. He has been described as an ineffective bendahara or prime minister, claimed to be due to his old age. Under his admi ...
, sixth
bendahara Bendahara ( Jawi: بنداهارا) is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a heredi ...
of the
Sultanate of Malacca The Malacca Sultanate ( ms, Kesultanan Melaka; Jawi script: ) was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. Conventional historical thesis marks as the founding year of the sultanate by King of Singapura, Paramesw ...
. *
Tun Mutahir of Malacca Bendahara Sri Maharaja Tun Mutahir (died 1510) was a famous Bendahara of the Malaccan Sultanate. Of Indian Muslim ancestry, he was the seventh Bendahara, a post equivalent to a prime minister. Prior to holding the post of Bendahara, he also he ...
,
bendahara Bendahara ( Jawi: بنداهارا) is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a heredi ...
of the
Malaccan Sultanate The Malacca Sultanate ( ms, Kesultanan Melaka; Jawi script: ) was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. Conventional historical thesis marks as the founding year of the sultanate by King of Singapura, Paramesw ...
. *
Tun Fatimah Tun Fatimah was a well-known heroine and daughter of Tun Mutahir the Malaccan bendahara (prime minister) who lived during the 16th century. She was married to Malacca's Sultan Mahmud Shah. Early life Through her father's lineage, she is a desc ...
, well-known
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n
heroine A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''hero ...
and daughter of Tun Mutahir the Malaccan
bendahara Bendahara ( Jawi: بنداهارا) is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a heredi ...
who lived during the 16th century. ;Politics: *
Betty Chew Betty Chew Gek Cheng (; born 15 August 1964) is a Malaysian politician from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition who served as Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly ( ...
, wife to
Lim Guan Eng Lim Guan Eng (; born 8 December 1960) is a Malaysian politician and accountant from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bagan, Member of t ...
, former
Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
of Malaysia (2018-2020). * Chua Tian Chang, Malaysian politician and former Member of Parliament for the Batu constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from March 2008 to May 2018. * Dato' Seri Liow Tiong Lai, former
Minister of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...
of Malaysia (2014-2018) and
Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...
(2008-2013). * Datuk Wira Haji Ahmad Hamzah, Malaysian politician and is the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Jasin constituency in the State of Malacca. *
Devan Nair Chengara Veetil Devan Nair (5 August 1923 – 6 December 2005), also known as C. V. Devan Nair and better known simply as Devan Nair, was a Malaysian-Singaporean politician who served as the third president of Singapore from 1981 until his resi ...
, Malacca-born third President of Singapore and appointed by Parliament on 23 October 1981. *
Goh Leong San Goh Leong San () (born 15 November 1967) is a Malaysian politician. Goh is a former Malacca State Legislative Assemblyman (MLA) for several Malacca state constituencies; Tengkera (1995-2004), Bandar Hilir (2004-2008), Kesidang (2008-2013) ...
,
Malaysian Malaysian may refer to: * Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia * Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia * Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
politician. * Kerk Kim Hock,
Malaysian Malaysian may refer to: * Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia * Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia * Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
politician and the fourth secretary-general for the
Democratic Action Party The Democratic Action Party (abbreviation: DAP; ms, Parti Tindakan Demokratik; ; ta, ஜனநாயக செயல் கட்சி) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Malaysia. As one of four component parties of the ...
(DAP). *
Koh Nai Kwong Datuk Wira Koh Nai Kwong () is a Malaysian politician of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a major party in Malaysia's governing Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. Koh was the Member of Parliament for Alor Gajah constituency, in Mala ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n politician of the
Malaysian Chinese Association The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA; zh, 马来西亚华人公会; ; ta, மலேசிய சீனர் சங்கம், initially known as the Malayan Chinese Association) is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that seeks to ...
(MCA). * Lai Meng Chong,
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n
politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
from the town of
Machap Baru Machap Baru, with an estimated population of 16,000, is a small town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia. Local restaurants, which serve exotic game, such as wild boar, deer, monitor lizards and snakes are often monitored by the Malaysian W ...
in Malacca state. *
Mas Ermieyati Samsudin Datuk Wira Hajah Mas Ermieyati binti Samsudin ( Jawi: مس إرمياتي بنت شمس الدين; born 13 November 1976) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Parliam ...
,
Malaysian Malaysian may refer to: * Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia * Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia * Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
politician. * Md Sirat Abu, Malaysian politician and a former Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Bukit Katil constituency in the state of Malacca. * Shamsul Iskandar Md. Akin, Malaysian politician. *
Tan Siew Sin Tun Tan Siew Sin (; 21 May 1916 – 17 March 1988) was a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Finance, and 3rd President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA, formerly Malayan Chinese Assoc ...
, son of Tun Dato' Sri Tan Cheng Lock, Malaya's (later Malaysia's) first Minister of Commerce and Industry, Finance Minister for 15 years, and third president of the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA, later Malaysian Chinese Association), a major component party of Alliance and later National Front (BN) coalition. * Tan Sri Datuk Seri (DR.) Abu Seman Yusop, Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Masjid Tanah constituency in the state of Malacca from 2004 to 2013. * Tun Abdullah Mohd Salleh, 5th Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia, serving as Chief Secretary from 1 October 1976 to 31 December 1978. * Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, Malacca Chief Minister (1982-1994). * Datuk Seri Haji Mohd Zin Abdul Ghani, Malacca Chief Minister (1994-1997). * Allahyarham YAB Datuk Seri Abu Zahar Ithnin, Malacca Chief Minister (1997-1999). * Tun Seri Setia Haji Mohd Ali Rustam,
Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca or Malacca Governor is the ceremonial head of state of the Malaysian state of Malacca. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is styled Tuan Yang Terutama (TYT) (''English: His Excellency''). The current office bearer, ...
(2020-now) and Malacca Chief Minister (1999-2013). Malacca River Cruise which is also known as Venice of the East was inspired by him. His contribution of ideas also in the construction of Malacca Straits Mosque and Taming Sari Tower. * Datuk Seri Utama Ir. Haji Idris Haron, Malacca Chief Minister (2013-2018). He has been leading the project to redevelop Big Island starting with electricity supply to the Big Island and upgrading Sekolah Menengah Agama Dan Tahfiz Al-Quran Pulau Besar Melaka In March 2018, Datuk Seri Utama Ir. Idris Haron has been awarded the Malacca State Sports Icon Award. * Haji Adly Zahari, Malacca Chief Minister (2018-2020). ;Sports: *
Amirul Hadi Mohamad Amirul Hadi bin Zainal (born 27 May 1986) is a Malaysian former professional footballer who last plays for Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim II and the Malaysian national team as a central midfielder. Born in Alor Gajah, Malacca but ...
, Malaysian former professional football player. * Azman Adnan, former Malaysian footballer. * Badrul Hisyam Abdul Manap, Malaysian competitive runner. *
Ching Hong Aik Ching Hong Aik (; born 30 November 1973) is a Malaysian former Association football, footballer. Ching is one of the veterans and surviving players since the semi-professional era and fully fledged with Negeri Sembilan FA ever since. The har ...
, Malaysian former footballer. * Datuk Rabuan Pit, former Asian sprint king. *
Dollah Salleh Dollah Salleh (born 10 October 1963) is a Malaysian football coach and former player. He is well-known to MSL fans as Pablo Dollah. One of Malaysia's most decorated players, he has also been manager of Malaysia's national team. Playing car ...
, former
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
and football coach. *
Elena Goh Ling Yin Elena Goh Ling Yin (born 29 April 1996) is a Malaysian Racewalking, race walker. She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres event at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games International competitions References External links

* 1996 births L ...
, Malaysian race walker. * Farderin Kadir, Malaysian footballer who mainly plays as a striker but can also plays as an attacking midfielder for Melaka United. *
Goh Liu Ying Goh Liu Ying (born 30 May 1989) is a Malaysian badminton player. She has been consistently ranked among the top 10 mixed doubles player in the world with her partner, Chan Peng Soon. Together, they were ranked as high as world No. 3. They won ...
, Malaysian professional badminton player. *
Goh Soon Huat Goh Soon Huat (born 27 June 1990) is a Malaysian badminton player. He was a part of the Malaysia team that won bronze in the men's team event at the Incheon 2014 Asian Games. He switched to mixed doubles and paired up with Shevon Jemie Lai du ...
,
badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players p ...
player from Malaysia. * Julia Wong Pei Xian,
badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players p ...
player from
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. *
Khairul Hafiz Jantan Khairul Hafiz bin Jantan (born 22 July 1998) is a Malaysian sprinter, competing in events ranging from 100 metres to 400 metres. He was the former Malaysian 100 metres outdoor record holder with a time of 10.18 seconds His personal best of 20 ...
, Malaysian sprinter. *
Lim Teong Kim Lim Teong Kim (; born 26 August 1963) is a Malaysian professional football coach and former player, who is recently appointed as head coach of Malaysian club Perak FC starting from 2023 season. He is formerly an assistant coach of Bayern Mun ...
, retired Malaysian football player and formerly an assistant coach of Bayern Munich U-19 Team. *
Mirnawan Nawawi Mirnawan Nawawi (born 19 September 1971) is a former field hockey player from Malacca, Malaysia. He went to the Royal Military College, Kuala Lumpur during his high school years. Mirnawan was the skipper for the Malaysia national team from 19 ...
, former field hockey player. * Mohd Suffian Abdul Rahman, Malaysian former football player. *
Mohizam Shah Dawood Shah Mohizam Shah Dawood Shah (born 8 May 1985) is a Malaysian former football player. His preferred position is as a striker. Career Mohizam Shah formerly played in PKNS FC for seven years. He transferred to Sime Darby FC, at the time a club in Ma ...
, Malaysian former football player. * Norhafiz Zamani Misbah, Malaysian professional footballer who plays as centre-back. * Norizam Ali Hassan, Malaysian former footballer who played as striker. *
Ong Kim Swee Ong Kim Swee () is a Malaysian football manager and former footballer, who is the Head coach of Malaysia Super League club Sabah. He spent most of his career playing for East Malaysian teams, notably Sarawak and Sabah during the mid 1990s. Ong ...
, Malaysian football manager and former footballer. * Robert Braddell, historic English cricketer. * See Kok Luen, Malaysian footballer who currently plays for Melaka United FC in the 2020 Malaysia M3 League. * Shukor Adan, Malaysian footballer who is currently playing for Kuala Lumpur. * Soh Chin Aun, Malaysian national football player from Malacca alongside the late Mokhtar Dahari and R. Arumugam. * YH Dato' Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, President of Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and also hold the post of President of Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia. ;Others: * Abdul Razak Mohd Yusof, police senior officer, martial artist and one of the national heroes from the Royal Malaysia Police 69 Commando of the Pasukan Gerakan Khas. * A. Samad Said, novelist and poet. *
Danny Lim Danny Lim (born 7 November 1975 in Malacca, Malaysia) is a Malaysian writer, journalist and photographer. Published works His articles and photography have been published in publications like ''Off the Edge'' (Malaysia), Malaysiakini, ''The ...
, Malaysian writer, journalist and photographer. * Sukumari Sekhar, women's and children's rights activist.


See also

*
Portuguese East Indies The Portuguese Empire ( pt, Império Português), also known as the Portuguese Overseas (''Ultramar Português'') or the Portuguese Colonial Empire (''Império Colonial Português''), was composed of the overseas colonies, factories, and the ...
*
British Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Com ...
*
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...


References


Citations


Sources

* * https://www.academia.edu/4302755 * https://www.academia.edu/4302722 * https://www.academia.edu/4302783 * * * * * * "Popular History of Thailand" by M.L. Manich Jumsai, C.B.E., M.A. * *


External links


Official Melaka Tourism Action Council website

Official Malacca government website

Malacca Tourist Attraction

Tourism Malaysia – Melaka

Malacca Guide
{{Authority control Peninsular Malaysia States of Malaysia States and territories established in 1948 1948 establishments in British Malaya Strait of Malacca