Nomination form part a – essential information

NOMINATION FORM

PART A – ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Summary

1. 
   Identity and Location
   

1. 
   Name of documentary heritage:
   

Sejarah Melayu ( The Malay Annals)

2. 
   Country:
   

Malaysia

3. 
   State, province or region:
   

Kuala Lumpur

4. 
   Address:
   

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka,

(Institute of Language and Literature)

P.O. Box 10803,

50926 Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA

5. 
   Name Of Institution:
   

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka

(Institute of Language and Literature)

2. 
   Legal Information
   

1. 
   Owner (name and contact details):
   

The Malay Documentation Centre,

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka,

(Institute of Language and Literature)

P.O. Box 10803,

50926 Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA
Tel : 603- 2481011

Fax : 603-2484208

2. 
   Custodian:
   

(Institute of Language and Literature)

1. 
   Category of ownership:
   

(Institute of Language and Literature)

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Amendment and Extension) Act 1995

3. 
   Accessibility
   

4. 
   Copyright Status:
   

(Institute of Language and Literature)

4. 
   Responsible administration:
   

The collection is managed by the Librarian, and is housed in the Malay Documentation Center. The materials are well maintained. The manuscripts are microfilmed for the twin purposes of ensuring both preservation and access.

3. 
   Identification
   

1. 
   Description and inventory
   

The Sejarah Melayu or Malay Annals consist of 2 manuscripts

1. 
   Sejarah Melayu (ms86)
   
2. 
   Sejarah Melayu (ms86a)
   

The Annals presents a romanticised the history of the Malay Sultanate in the fifteenth and early sixteenth century. It is regarded as the finest historical literary work in the Malay language written in the 15^th century.

2. 
   Bibliographic/Registration details:
   

1. 
   Sejarah Melayu, [303 pages]; complete, 32 x 22 sm. Non dated. Bound with some pages torn. Writing style is legible, attractive and neat. Penned in black ink.
   

2. 
   Sejarah Melayu, [474pages]; incomplete, 20 x 16 sm. Non dated. Bound with some pages torn. Written in black ink, some of the words are in large size for emphasis.
   

Bibliographic details of the manuscript have been printed in the Catalogue of Manuscripts at the Malay Documentation Centre, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1999. (Revised edition).

3. 
   Visual documentation, if appropriate:
   

Manuscript (a) has been copied on both microfilm and microfiche. Some of the pages have been photographed.

Manuscript (b) is available as bound volume, with some of the pages photographed.


3.4. History:
The Annals which were originally written in 1612 constitute a lengthy account of the history of the Malay Sultanate and Melaka from circa 1400 A.D. to the early 16^th century.

This is stated in the early part of the Annals as follows ;

5. 
   Bibliography:
   

Catalogue of Manuscripts at the Malay Documentation Centre, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1999 (edited version). The homepage provides a catalogue or list of manuscript collection either in printed form, or online catalogue through the webpage (http:www.dbp.gov.my/pdm99/msscat.htm).

5. 
   Names, qualifications and contact details of the independent people or organizations with expert knowledge abut the values and provenance of the documentary heritage:
   

• 
  Professor Abu Hassan Sham, Lecturer, Faculty of Malay Literature, Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya
  
• 
  Datuk Professor Dr. Siti Hawa Haji Salleh, Lecturer, Department of Malay Literature, The National University of Malaysia
  
• 
  Professor Muhammad Haji Salleh, University science Malaysia
  

• 
  Committee of the Malay manuscripts, DBP 1982/1983
  

3. 
   Assessment against the Selection Criteria
   

• 
  Influence
  

The Malay Annals have had a great influence on the history, culture and development of the Malay civilization, which had to confront major cultural transformation through the centuries on the road to becoming a modern nation. Throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Melaka was identified with two dominant influences i.e. that of the Melayo-Hindu and the Malay-Islamic cultures. However, in the course of history, assimilation with the other races such as Chinese, Indian, Portuguese as well as minor groups like the Chams has served to enrich the Malay culture. Melaka began to develop as a center of administration, commerce and religion. To date, the racial assimilation and integration has laid a strong foundation for the country. Malaysia has developed ties of friendship and co-operation with various other countries within the region such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand; as well as countries beyond the region.

Secondly, it helped in the control of sea traffic, whicch formed the basis of prosperity. Melaka also assisted China in exchanging its products with the west. Due to the political and economics conditions, Melaka and China were dependant on each other. Apart from trading activities outside the region, it was noted that Melaka conducted trading with ports located in the South including Palembang, Java, Sulawesi and Majapahit.

Melaka also had its own laws and regulations, thus securing the overall harmony of the community as a whole.

84 different languages were spoken by its inhabitants. Malay became the lingua franca. A language of culture and literature, it was used both inside and outside the Palace

Melaka also became an Islamic leader in the region. The port of Melaka was inhabited by foreigners - Arabs, Indians, Javanese, missionaries, traders and so on. Cambay, Khorassan, Kashmir, and Mecca were all familiar names to the Malay buyers of foreign merchandise.

Thus, the spread of Islam in the Malay Archipelago attracted commercial interactions between the local communities and immigrants of India, China, Arabia, as well as from other parts of the Malay Archipelago.

• Time

The Annals describe the golden era of the Malay Sultanate. Being historical literature in the form of narrative-prose, it portrays the history of the Melaka Sultanate from the period of the foundation of Malacca (estimated around 1400) right through to the period after 1511 (conquest of Melaka by the Portuguese)

• Place

The Annals reveal the socio-economic condition of the Malays and the other races at a certain point in time. The Sejarah Melayu narrates the discovery of important places such as Melaka, Singapura, and Petani (southern Thailand).

• People

The Annals reveal an insight into the social stratification of Melaka community, which includes royal dignitaries, administrators, noble men as well as court officials and ordinary people.

The Annals state that Melaka existed as early as the middle of the 13^th century A.D. and became a commercial center about 1400 A.D owing to the immigrations of Malays from Singapura or Temasik. The maritime states along the shores of the Straits of Melaka host a natural geography and nautical advantages to facilitate trading between the East and West of the Malay Archipelago. Thus, Melaka became a center of international trade in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

• Subject/Theme

History relating to various fields of knowledge such as literature, economics, diplomacy, religion and politics.

• Form and Style

The manuscripts in our custody are written on traditional paper in old Jawi script. Black ink was generally used, with certain words written in red.

• Social Values

The Annals portray the way of life and history of Melaka before 1511. It throws light on the culture, tradition, customs, social values and norms of Malay society.

• Integrity

The Annals provide proof of the existence of the Malay Sultanate, thus constituting an invaluable source of information on the Malay Empire which lasted some 111 years spanning the course of the fifteenth and early part of the sixteenth century. The historical evidence is further strengthened and reinforced by various other contemporary writings.

1. 
   Written in Jawi, various versions
   

2. 
   Compiled or edited versions
   

1. 
   Munsyi Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir, (Jawi) 1831
   
2. 
   Dulaurier, 1849 - 1856
   
3. 
   W.G Shellabear, 1896
   
4. 
   R.O Winstedt, 1938
   
5. 
   T. D. Situmorang and A.E. Teeuw based on Munsyi Abdullah version, 1952
   
6. 
   Dato Madjoindo (Jawi) Jakatrta, 1959
   
7. 
   Abdul Samad Ahmad, Kuala Lumpur, 1979
   

3. 
   29 copies located as follows :
   

1. 
   12 copies in the Netherlands
   
2. 
   11 copies in the United Kingdom
   
3. 
   5 copies at the Indonesia Cultural Board, Jakarta
   
4. 
   1 copy in Leningrad, Russia
   

In fact, from the contents of the text we can derive knowledge on Malay society during the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Although the text was written after the downfall of Melaka, it succeeds in preserving, projecting and reflecting a number of ideas about Melaka society.

• 
  Rarity
  

It is the finest historical literary work in the Malay language written in the

15^th century. is the only oldest handwritten text that is still surviving in the

country of its origin.

2. 
   Contextual assessment
   

As it is regarded the finest historical literary work in the Malay language, The Malay Annals has been used as a text for the study of Malay Literature.

2. 
   An evaluation of the authenticity
   

The Malay Annals provides proof and as a source of information on the Malay Sultanate.

3. 
   Management Plan
   

1. 
   Temperature: 18-22 degrees centigrade
   
2. 
   Humidity : 50-55%
   
3. 
   Sunlight: no sunlight is allowed
   

6. 
   Consultation
   

1. 
   Details of consultation about the nomination
   

(The Institute of Language and Literature)

(The Institute of Language and Literature)

6. 
   Nominator
   

1. 
   Name:
   

Dato’ Haji A.Aziz Deraman

2. 
   Relationship to the documentary heritage:
   

Director-General

3. 
   Contact person (if appropriate):
   

Dato’ Haji A.Aziz Deraman

Director-General

4. 
   Contact details:
   

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka,

(Institute of Language and Literature)

P.O. Box 10803,

50926 Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA

Tel: 603-2481011

Fax: 603-2484208

6. 
   Assessment of Risk
   

The manuscripts are arranged according to the manuscript numbers. They are bound, well preserved and kept in the fire resistant cabinet.. Preventive measures against fire, rain, etc are taken to ensure the safety of these manuscripts.

6. 
   Preservation Assesment
   

• 
  Present physical state:
  

Well preserved and bound.

• 
  History of preservation:
  

The manuscripts are written on traditional paper. Fragile and brittle documents have been deacidified, repaired and laminated. Some part of the manuscripts have been micofilmed and made accessible to researchers in the form of microfische.

• 
  Current preservation policy in relation to proposed nominated documentary heritage:
  

Well preserved in accordance to international standard.

• 
  Person or organisation responsible for preservation:
  

Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka