NO SIGN OF TREASURE ON PULAU NANGKA

Still no sign of treasure on Pulau Nangka, says Malacca CM – Bernama

April 30, 2014

A company which is carrying out a hunt for a multi-billion ringgit treasure belonging to the Malacca Sultanate on Pulau Nangka off the state, has failed to find any, to date.
Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron (pic) said today the four-month contract beginning January, given to Smart Partnership International (M) Sdn Bhd would end at midnight.
Tomorrow, the task would be continued by another firm, he said.

However, he said the new company would carry out its search in another area on the island, and would not continue the search at the same site.
"Actually, the search for the treasure on the island by numerous parties has been carried out since 25 years ago but to date, it has not been found," Idris told a media conference after chairing the state exco meeting today.
On Monday, state public works, public utilities, transport and project rehabilitation committee chairman Datuk Abdul Ghafaar Atan said work to drill through a rock wall, believed to be a door leading to the treasure chamber, was expected to be fully completed today.
Idris said the state government planned to turn Pulau Nangka into a tourist attraction if the fabled treasure was found.

MALACCA TREASURES TO BE KNOWN TOMORROW

Updated: Monday April 28, 2014 MYT 8:50:51 PM

Nangka Island 'treasures' to be known Wednesday

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MALACCA: Work to remove the walls and door guarding the alleged treasures of the Malacca Sultanate on Nangka Island is almost complete.

"We believe the door can be opened in two days' time, thus providing the answer to whether the treasure truly exists or not," Works, Public Utilities, Transport and Project Rehabilitation Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Ghafaar Atan told reporters after visiting the site.

He said work to excavate the walls, believed to be the main entry to the treasure, was 90% completed and the existence of any treasures will be known on Wednesday.

He said the search for the treasure was conducted by Smart Partnership International (M) Sdn Bhd through a four-month contract beginning last January till this April 30.

He said if the company failed to complete excavation works during the term of the contract, the state government would hand it over to another company.
Read: Hundreds of relics sighted inside cave

 "If Smart Partnership International succeeds in opening the door and does not find any artifacts, we will give them an extension to look for the treasure," he said.

The company's managing director, Mohammad Foad Khushairy Mohd Said, said the work to break down the wall was being done intensively by 36 workers round-the-clock.

"So far, we have not yet seen any indications and if we find any artifact or treasure, we will immediately inform of it in a special press conference," he said.

Deputy police chief Datuk Shah Gzali Khan Shahadat said the Marine Operations Force and the General Operations Force will be stationed to guard the place if any artifact or treasure was found.

Nangka Island is an uninhabited island of about 20 hectares in size and located four kilometres from Pulau Besar, Jasin. - Bernama

TREASURE CAVE TO BE OPENED ON 29TH. APRIL 2014

Published: Thursday April 24, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM 
Updated: Thursday April 24, 2014 MYT 8:51:52 AM

Malacca treasure no longer a myth

   

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MALACCA: A scene out of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves may be played out soon in present-day Malacca. The door to a cavern in which priceless treasure dating back more than five centuries is believed to be buried, has been found.

In echoes of folklore, there are symbols to be decoded to gain entry into the cave on Pulau Nangka, an islet 17km off the coast here.

Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron is expected to be present to help decipher the symbols carved outside the cave.

“State government officials and the Malacca Governor are planning to visit the island on April 28 in a bid to open the door,” said Idris.

Pictorial evidence provided by Smart Partnership International Sdn Bhd, the company appointed by the state government to undertake excavation there, has revealed that the treasure, said to be worth billions of ringgit, is stored in some 20 chambers inside the cave.

“The treasure is no longer a myth,” said Idris after chairing the weekly exco meeting.

He expressed happiness that the cave door had been finally discovered after a long search since the early 1980s.

Smart Partnership, he said, should be able to reach the chambers and the relics by April 30.

Idris said the state government would then hand over the salvaging operations to the National Heritage Department.

“The state government hopes the Federal Government will share the treasure with Malacca so we can channel the cash for development purposes,” he said.

He promised that the state would be transparent and make public all the items found.

Idris also said that the state’s official organ Melaka Hari Ini had been tasked with handling all media statements regarding Pulau Nang­ka.

“Some media have come out with unsubstantiated reports,” he said.

Idris said the second phase of the excavation work would confirm that the treasure found on the island was part of the riches of the once-prosperous Malacca Sultanate.

“The treasure must have been shifted to a secluded site when the Portuguese attacked in 1511,” he said.

The Star reported on April 14 that the state government had given permits to two local companies to carry out excavation work on Pulau Nangka under strict conditions set by the Malacca Mu­­seum Corporation (Perzim).

There have been countless failed attempts to reach the valuables, which, according to villagers, had “spiritual” protection.

THE ROYAL PRESS MUSEUM AT JONKER STREET

Published: Tuesday April 22, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM 
Updated: Tuesday April 22, 2014 MYT 9:24:49 AM

Country's first living printing press museum opens in Malacca

A Royal Press staff operating a Heidelberg movable type machine

   

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MALACCA: Sime Darby Foundation (YSD) pledge RM1.76mil to help create the country’s first living printing press museum at the established two-storey printing premise called The Royal Press (TRP) in Jonker Street, here.

Chief executive officer of YSD Yatela Zainal Abidin said the partnership with TRP would be YSD’s first ever support for the preservation and creation of a national monument of international standard for the age old tradition of print making.

“The significance of this historic establishment has to be highlighted and publicised, YSD is passionate about protecting the diverse and rich cultural heritage and legacies that are uniquely Malaysian, whilst ensuring their survival in these modern times,” she said at the cheque presentation ceremony.

She said the funding, over the next three years would be used to revive, document and create a more informed environment for the distinctive craft of letter press printing and printmaking for future generation.

Two of the original Heidelberg printing machines that were still in use at The Royal Press.

YSD’s funding will also cover renovations of some dilapidated parts of the premises including restoration of the original hand-painted wall murals, she said.

Yatela said the funding would also support development of guided tours, apprenticeship opportunities, engagements with international poets especially the T.S Elliot prize winners and industry experts.

“YSD would like to see TRP becoming a global printmaking centre for booksusing typesetting and letterpress printing methods and as a research centre for novel approaches and traditional methods in the art of printmaking,” she said.

She added the TRP premise would be temporarily closed starting next May to facilitate the renovation and was expected to be opened by early 2015.

Founded in 1938 by Ee Lay Swee, TRP survived the Japanese occupation in Malaya in the 1940s but faced its biggest challenge in the 1960s as the offset printing technology began booming.

Several movable type machines on display at the Royal Press in Malacca.

TRP managing director, Ee Soon Wei who is the scion of multi-generation family of printers said he was mulling over the idea of rejuvenating TRP with ultimate goal of turning it into a living print museum, emulating the Gutenburg Museum in Germany — the world’s oldest printing museum.

He said the sponsorship by YSD will provide TRP with much needed funding to revitalise the craft and facilitate the study of forgotten scripts and document the confluence of different languages that shaped Malacca into what it is today.

“The study will include cataloguing of archived printed materials, journals, ledgers, wood and lead letter blocks that are made in four principal scripts which are Roman, Chinese, Tamil and Arabic,” he said.

The traditional wooden windows located at the airwell of the Royal Press in Malacca.

Published: Monday April 14, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Monday April 14, 2014 MYT 7:07:53 AM

Billion-ringgit treasure hunt in Malacca

BY R.S.N. MURALI

Pulau Nangka, a little isle off Malacca, has become the venue of a billion-ringgit treasure hunt. An ancient treasure trove holding many chests of gold bars, a throne and royal regalia is reportedly buried in a cave.

  

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MALACCA: Treasure said to be worth billions is believed to be buried inside a cave on Pulau Nangka, a tiny island 17km off the coast here.

Among the items believed to be in the ancient treasure trove are chests of gold bars, a throne and royal regalia.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the state government has given permits to two local companies to carry out excavation work under strict conditions set by Malacca Mu­­seum Corporation (Perzim).

“For now, they have only been authorised to collect pictorial evidence,” he said.

Idris said the treasure on the island had been rumoured for centuries and there had been many attempts by treasure hunters, some of whom had used dynamite to blow up boulders, to get to the cavern.

“It is not scientific, but locals believe there are mystical obstacles preventing the treasure from being taken,” the chief minister said.

According to villagers, the buried cave is either protected by a curse or by spirits.

A small group of people reportedly got into the cave about 30 years ago, but none came out with even a single piece of bounty.

They reportedly came out dazed and in a trance-like state after claiming to have seen, among other things, more than 80 chests of gold.

It is learnt that representatives of the two companies that would be carrying out the excavation works for the state government had sought “spiritual help” before undertaking their venture.

Among the things that they “agreed to” was to get the consent of the current administration of the state and that the wealth from it be used for the benefit and betterment of the people.

Workers involved in the project have so far bored several 130mm diametre holes into the cave using high-tech equipment.

It is learnt that the latest progress report on the ongoing work was submitted to the state government last week.

Pulau Nangka is located about 4km from the state’s main island of Pulau Besar, a popular tourist attraction and a Sufi pilgrimage site with ancient shrines, wells and mausoleums.

The rocky isle, measuring about 20ha, has a stretch of sandy beach with clear water surrounding it.

A coral reef nearby attracts occasional snorklers.