The Institute of Malay World and Civilisation (ATMA) is tracing an ancient route crossing from the east coast to the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia used from the pre-historic years (metal age) until the days of the Malacca Sultanate.
This route was later also used by Japanese soldiers when they overran the country during the second world war and later by the communist terrorists during the emergency. The route includes rivers and overland paths.
Research to trace the routes was started by the late Prof Dr Norhalim Ibrahim when he was with ATMA last year. ATMA is continuing with the research to locate the routes exact sites since it can attest to the country’s rich heritage.
The current research is being carried out by Senior Research Fellow at ATMA, Asso. Prof Dr Asyaari Muhamad with the cooperation of ATMA’s Principal Research Fellow, Prof Dato’ Dr Nik Hassan Shuhaimi Nik Abdul Rahman and a lecturer from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK) Dr Norazuan Ibrahim. The project was given a grant of RM75,000 by Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS).
They have traced the route from Pekan to Kuala Bera and Tasik Bera through to Kg Tambanangan, Kg Lubuk Ladang and on Muar. The route also goes through Bahau, Negeri Sembilan and to three rivers, Sungai Serting, Sungai Jempol to Sungai Muar.
The route was also used by the Siamese and later the British. However today the route is no longer in use following developments in some areas. If research is not carried out whatever historical remains along the routes could be lost forever without them being known.
Dr Asyaari expressed regret that no effort had been made to preserve the historical sites like the one found in Muar when it was a popular staging post and meeting place for traders. The abandoned route, he said, are significant politically, culturally and socially as they had also been used by some nationalist figures.
The famous Malay warrior, Mat Kilau used the old route to travel back to his village in Pahang as was the legendary Hang Tuah who used it to travel back from Pahang to Malacca.
Traders and Muslim preachers had also travelled along the route to spread Islam to locals living along the way. This is evident with the discovery of an old site for a surau at Kg Serang, Kuala Pilah which showed there were religious activities carried out along the ancient route.
Researchers had also found an old metal coin at Tasik Chini said to be used for trading transactions.
A lot of information were gathered from the Orang Asli community as well as the local residents but they have to be sieved to differentiate facts from myths, said Dr Asaari.
The research team is getting the assistance of some academic staffs from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities to plot the routes using GIS to compare them with the existing ones.
He said western scholars had not given much attention to the old routes and had thus not done any research on the routes.
ATMA is also doing a research project on multidiscipline aspect of visual arts that includes details involving research from the archeological, historical, geographical aspects to preserve it for posterity.
The research on visual arts is important because of its relationship to many branches of arts including carvings, weaponary, ceramics and engravings done by Muslims living in the area.
Two research papers on the subjects will be presented in a seminar next month that will describe the role of visual arts and their significance to society. Findings of the research will be presented attesting to why they should be preserved said, Dr Asyaari.
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