Kedah Sultan gives nod to UUM’s RM15m Kedah Tua Museum plan

SULTAN OF KEDAH AL AMINUL KARIM HAS APPROVED UNIVERSITI UTA MARA'S (UUM) PLAN TO BUILD A KEDAH TUA MUSEUM. THE PROJECT CALLS FOR A RM15 MILLION ALLOCATION FOR BUILDING A NEW STRUCTURE, PUBLIC EXHIBITION AREAS, DIGITAL SHOWCASES, A CONSERVATION LABORATORY, ARTIFACT STORAGE, AS WELL AS RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT FACILITIES. THE MUSEUM IS AIMED AT SHOWCASING THE IMPRESSIVE CIVILISATION OF ANCIENT KEDAH, INCLUDING GOVERNANCE, TOPOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND THE SUNGAI BATAU CIVILISATION.

IT WILL ALSO HOUSE HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS SUCH AS SWORDS, IRON ORE, IRON FORNIACES, AND CURRENCY. SULTAN AL AMINUL KARIM EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ATTEND TO THE PROJECT AND CONSIDER IT AS ONE OF KEDAH'S TOURISM PRODUCTS. HE ALSO URGED FORGANTHROPISTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROJECT. KEDAH, WITH A PROLONGED HISTORY OF CIVILISATION, EMERGED AS A PROSPEROUS KINGDOM BASED ON TRADE AND THE IRON INDUSTRY FROM EARLY TIMES.

IRON SMELTING ACTIVITIES IN SUNGAI BATAU AND BUJANG VALLEY NOT ONLY MET LOCAL NEEDS BUT ALSO ATTRACTED TRADERS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS, MAKING KEDAH ONE OF THE MAJOR ECONOMIC CENTRES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. DURING THE 39TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY AT UUM'S DEWAN MU'ADZAM SHAH, BETWEEN NOVEMBER 15 AND 19, A TOTAL OF 6,442 GRADUATES WILL RECEIVE THEIR DEGREES.

IRFAN UMAR MOHAMED NOR FAZLY FROM PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR, AND OOI SZE QIN FROM CHERAS, SELANGOR WERE AWARDED THE ROYAL EDUCATION AWARD AND CHANCELLOR'S GOLD MEDAL, RESPECTIVELY.