My online calendar reminded me of two related events in ASEAN destinations this month.
On Friday, July 7, the historic cities of George Town and Melaka, both in Malaysia, will celebrate their inscription into the UNESCO World Heritage List 15 years ago.
Both coastal cities in the Straits of Malacca, located about 500 kms. apart, serve as living testimonials to more than five centuries of business and cultural exchanges between Asia and Europe.
UNESCO noted, in its historic declaration, the tangible and intangible multicultural East-West heritage and influences as seen in their government buildings, churches, forts, squares and districts.
Particularly recognized are elements reflective of the Portuguese and Dutch periods in the early part of the 16th century and, later the British rule from the latter part of the 18th century. Accounts show that prior to these Western occupation, in the 15th century, the Malay Sultanate flourished.
The ancient trade routes were traced from Great Britain and other parts of Europe passing through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent to China and the Malay Archipelago.
The exchanges through the decades blended the dynamics of Malayan, Indian and Chinese culture and tradition with those of Europe “to create a unique architecture, culture and townscape” as well as a way of life in these two Malaysian trade hubs, including religion, urban form, technology and monumental art, UNESCO noted.
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The related events strike a familiar chord on my mind as I recall earlier visits to the country that took me to the two sites as well as to Johor Bahru in the state of Johor which is just a causeway’s distance of 11 kms. from the bordertown of Woodlands in Singapore.
Melaka is about two hours south of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
Still fresh in mind was our ascent to St. Paul’s Hill, which is now part of the museum complex in the city.
A must-visit in the museum complex is the Kota A Famosa, a Portuguese fortress built in 1512. Only the gateway and bastion are the remaining parts of the fortress today.
A rather tiring walk to the summit of the hill takes one to the historic St. Paul Church. The structure was built in 1521, the year when the Philippines was discovered by Magellan.
St. Paul is said to be oldest church building in Malaysia and the whole of Southeast Asia. Sadly, war reduced the church to ruins with only the remnant thick and sturdy bricks reminding visitors of what once was a magnificent church architecture.
The hilltop view also offers a breathtaking view of the city and its coastline.
We also had the opportunity to visit an institution operated in Lasallian tradition – the St. Francis Institution, an all-boys school. The school was founded in 1880, more than 30 years before the first La Salle school (DLSU) was established in the Philippines.
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From Kuala Lumpur, we took the midnight train and after about five hours on the railroad negotiating 350 kms., we were in Butterworth, the final northwestern destination for George Town, the capital of Penang Island, which is about 4 kms. across the strait.
George Town today is a major hub for culture, arts, transportation, manufacturing, healthcare and medical tourism, media and education in Malaysia.
Travel information brochures describe the city as one with unique architectural and cultural townscape unparalleled in the East and containing one of the largest collections of pre-war buildings in Southeast Asia.
At George Town, one gets amazed by rows of colonial-style buildings, “federalist architecture, historic brick-and-frame row houses, cobblestone streets and grand estates dating back as early as the mid-1700s.”
“It’s a European trip back into time,” my travel companions and I agreed. And there are dozens of old temples and other Chinese-designed buildings, too, proof of the mixed roots and heritage of George Town.
Among the numerous historic attractions in George Town is Fort Cornwallis, named after a lieutenant-general, which is the largest standing fort in the country.
There’s also the 60-foot Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, which has become an icon in Penang, which was built between 1897 and 1902 to commemorate the 60th reign of the queen.
Not to be missed are the Town Hall and the City hall, two British colonial buildings, the former completed in 1883 and the latter at the start of the 20th century. Done in Victorian architecture with grand windows and white-washed columns, they are among the few of their kind that exist in present-day Malaysia.
Adding vibrance to George Town are street art murals depicting life and culture in the city.
The feast for my senses as I walked down the cobblestone streets was suddenly disrupted when I heard something familiar from what turned as a basketball court behind the hedges. “Dito pare, bilis,” one player was shouting to his teammate to pass the ball to him.
We’re fishermen on a routine break from our vessel, they told me after their game, adding that dozens of Filipinos were in boats – large and small – docked at that time at the George Town Port.
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To celebrate the World Heritage designation, the George Town Festival is set July 15-30, a showcase of traditional-form entertainment and modern virtual platforms.
It must be great pride for residents of both cities – 500 kms. apart on the same coast – to celebrate their entrenched place in global heritage and history.
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Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. (Psalm 33:10) – NWI
