UNESCO RECOGNITION OF "INSCRIBED STONE" BOOST FOR HERITAGE PRESERVATION -

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- The inclusion of the "Batu Bersurat
Terengganu" (Inscribed Stone of Terengganu) in Unesco's Memory of the World
Register will encourage initiatives to preserve national heritage, Information
Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim said Wednesday.

Such recognition would also indirectly attract the interest of researchers
to conduct in-depth study on the Inscribed Stone of Terengganu, which would
serve as a catalyst to draw tourists to the country, he said.

"The recognition will also accord pride in the people of the country to know
that one more piece of national heritage has attained international
documentation," he told reporters here.

Dr Rais said Malaysians should realise that the country also had pieces of
heritage of international importance.

The Inscribed Stone of Terengganu, dated 4 Rejab 702 Hijrah or 22 February
1303, constituted the earliest evidence of Jawi writing (Arabic-like writing) in
the Malay world of Southeast Asia and was testimony to the advent of Islam as
early as 1303, he said, adding that he hoped that this realisation would instill
in the people a greater love for national heritage.

The stone, estimated to be about 700 years old, bears very old engraving
and Jawi writing first found in Malaysia. It is testimony that Islam reached the
shores of Terengganu before 1326 or 1386.

The stone was found half-submerged by a bank of Sungai Tersat in Kuala
Berang, Hulu Terengganu, in 1899 after the floods had receded.

Trader Saiyed Husin Ghulam Al Bukhari came across the stone and asked one
Penghulu Ali and his villagers to place it on a raft to be brought to Kuala
Terengganu where it was presented to Sultan Zainal Abidin III and then placed
atop Bukit Puteri.

A meeting of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) held in Barbados on
July 31 this year included the Inscribed Stone of Terengganu in a heritage list,
making it the fourth heritage recognition accorded Malaysia after the "Hikayat
Hang Tuah" (Epic of Legendary Warrior Hang Tuah), "Sejarah Melayu" (Malay
Annals) and "Surat-Surat Sultan Abdul Hamid" (Letters of Sultan Abdul Hamid) in
2001.

Dr Rais invited historians to study the advent of Islam to the Malay
archipelago in the 14th or even 13th century.

"A question arises as to whether Islam came to Malaysia in 1409 through the
opening up of Melaka or in 1303, according to the stone. This is an important
question. Let's hope the historians will study this," he said.
-- BERNAMA