Residents’ Preference on Conservation of the Malay Traditional Village in Kampong Morten, Malacca
Rural landscape in Malaysia, face intense development pressures from nearby urban areas. Sustaining rural landscape will
continue the traditional village stewardship by local residents. The aim of this paper is to explore the Kampong Morten residents’
preference on conservation of the Malay traditional houses. The results show 62% of the resident's concern that the rural
landscape should not be over developed that could erode the aesthetic value of their traditional houses. 83% of the resident’s
value the traditional houses has a heritage. The result also indicated that the declaration of living museum that could benefit to
the local people.
1. Introduction
Cultural landscape nowadays, can be seen as the only one basic needs in our daily life, but it is have significant
economic, social, and demographic changes. Over the centuries, Malaysian cultural landscape changes are due to
various anthropogenic activities. In the late 1970s, transformation of Malaysia as a developing country continues to grow. The speed of growth towards industrialization has changed the way of life of the Malay population after it is
independence. Several numbers of the rubber and oil palm plantations was converted into urban and built-up areas,
which include housing areas, new townships, and industrial estates. However, some quite a number of areas in our
country still show the characteristics and features of a cultural landscape such as paddy fields, vegetable farms and
or orchards are still can been seen until today (Abdullah, 2011). Certain rural areas have maintained their traditional
appearance, while development continues to erode the natural environment. The cultural values that embodied in the
landscapes that have maintained traditions throughout previous generations continuing are under threat(Nurulhuda
Adabiah & Nuraisyah Chua, 2013).
Historically, the Malay Peninsula was the land of immigrants that they came from the regions of Southeast Asia
archipelago, India, and China. Early civilization, people in Southeast Asia shared similar linguistic and
anthropological traces. They built their houses on t stilts, grew rice and millet, domesticated animals, betel chewing,
sailed with outrigger vessels(Thompson, 2004; Wiryomartono, 2013). However, since the British colonial era, each
ethnic group runs their own inhabits based on their values and belief system. This could be seen from the sociocultural
and historical habitation system during the colonial era that spatial divides which mutually reinforced ethnic
or racial distinctions. For the most part, Malays lived in rural kampongs (‘villages’); Indians worked on the British
plantation estates; and the Chinese on smaller plantations and in the mines(Bunnell, 2002). Indeed, the practice of
colonialism rule has left various ethnic groups elsewhere, then the Malay populations, such as Chinese and Tamil
people, in their own worlds(Wiryomartono, 2013). However, multicultural populations have grown significantly
during this period. Today, the presence of multicultural populations that they inherit have enriched and enhanced
the experience in the Malay world with unique architecture, pottery, culinary, street life, festivals, and celebrations
in this region. In Malaysia, Malacca is one of the states that shown a unique example of multicultural populations.
Malacca is also a living testimony to the multicultural heritage and tradition of Asia, and European colonial
influences. This multicultural tangible and intangible heritage is expressed in the great variety of religious buildings
of different faiths, ethnic quarters, the many languages, worship and religious festivals, dances, costumes, art and
music, food, and daily life; and criterion. The mixture of multicultural heritage is also reflected through the
uniqueness of architecture, culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and South Asia(Gullino &
Larcher, 2013).
Malacca Historic Cities presented a heritage rooted in a distinctively Malay past, Malay commerce, political
power and cultural expansion(Worden, 2003). Thus, the significant of heritage and cultural sites, it is a symbol of
the Malaysian cultural experience. Malacca has been declared as a World Heritage Site by United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)(2008). One of the three-selection criteria in the
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) guideline was the variety of multi-cultural activities of the cultural community in
Malacca. The cultural community of Malacca resides in the core and buffer zones of the inscribed WHS location,
namely Morten Village, Portuguese Village, Heren and Jonker Streets and Chetty Village(Aisyah Abu, Mariana,
Syahriah, & Ibrahim, 2014). Since, Malacca Historic Cities represent a symbolizes of a ‘golden age’ in the
development of Malay civilization and in that regard the emphasis on Malay and Islamic culture in the construction
of a national identity. During the sultanate rule period, most of the Malay residential dominates along the Melaka
River, nevertheless, it was gradually displaced (in what is now the heritage zone) and Kampong Hulu (which was
also a district for Arab residents) to such districts as Kampong Morten and Durian Daun Dalam; central Melaka is
now the home primarily of Chinese(King, 2012). In aim this paper, is to examine the community understand
towards the qualities of the rural landscape that are valuable to local residents.
Kampong Morten has been privileged to become one the cultural heritage sites in the Malacca World Heritage
Site by the UNESCO(2008). Kampong Morten has it is their own uniqueness Malay traditional house. This village
is situated in the middle of Malacca cities that it still retains their traditional features such as home design,
decoration, landscape and others. Most of the houses are built from the local timber and single storey structure.
Kampong Morten was given a wonderful experience to the visitors because it has their own unique traditional Malay
identity. Hence, the state government gazetted the Kampong Morten as a traditional Malay village of heritage that
significant as a tourist destination in Malacca. Kampong Morten is the only rural landscapes of Malay village that
still exist in the historic city of Malacca. Despite the years, the people have maintained its customs and traditions
that are many unique of traditional house that can be seen today. However, the traditional house structure is often
having problem to keep the original materials. Some part of the traditional Malay kampong has been threatened by new residential development at the edge of metropolitan areas. Then the peoples still choose the rural way of life
within the vicinity of the Malacca town centre. Thus, Kampong Morten village, can be seen today as a place that
containing historic materials and also shows the identity of a culture in a community that has been inherited by the
generations. Although, the fast growing of urban development will give some modernization in rural areas can be
ignored. However, with the willingness of the community to preserve and conserve of their village will become
another element of attraction of place especially in ecotourism.
Kathrin(2012) noted that a living museum it is the first and foremost to be seen as a traditional school for the
children of a community to understand their cultural background. Others researcher would define that a living
museum is a type of museum, which the historical events is showing the life in ancient times are performed,
especially in ethnographic or historical views. A living museum, it’s also a type of museum that recreates the fullest
extent conditions of a culture, natural environment or historical period. However, sometimes, a drama performing
group of historical re-enactment of historical scenes in historical buildings are also can be considered as a living
museum. According to Kamarul Syahril, A. Ghafar, & Lilawati (2007) the importance of tourism for which it is able
to attract more local foreign tourist to visit and appreciate the unique architecture and appearance of the city and its
cultural heritage available in an area. On the other hand, Fatimah, Zainal Abidin, & Mohammad Ashraf, (2011)
mention that the conservation of old buildings can be considered as one of the industries or areas that contribute to
the country’s economic course in the tourism sector. The significant heritage buildings and sites such as the physical
is one element important in the development of the tourism product of the country. Thus, the traditional houses can
be one of the heritage buildings can pursued the local community maintain their traditional house as one of the
ecotourism attraction. The Malay traditional houses can show the aesthetic value in construction such as the carving
motif that reflects the identity of the Malay. Another aspect we could see here that; ‘If you know your origins you
can understand your present,’ It is seen as a place where traditional knowledge can be circulated and cultural
memory can be reproduced(Kathrin, 2012). The idea is to revive the cultural values of the younger generation who
did not have the opportunity to enjoy their culture during the past as to promote understanding through respect for
cultural traditions of their older generations.
Since, in the early 1980’s, Malacca Historic Cities are popular sites for a tourist attraction(Azman, 2007), but it is
also a symbol of the Malaysian cultural experience. In its stones, its streets, its peoples and its social transactions are
synthesized a national ethos, a cultural style, a world view that has been engendered by the vicissitudes of six
centuries of history(King, 2012; Sandhu, 1983). Realising on the importance of its one of the Malay cultural sites,
the village has been declared as "living museum" by the state. In order for planners to de