QUEEN CALLS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH INTO MALAY CIVILISATION, ITS GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia has called for more in-depth studies on the history of Malay civilisation and its connections with other civilisations globally.

In a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page today, Raja Zarith Sofiah emphasised that academic research on Malay civilisation and its influence in Malaysia would strengthen the nation’s sense of identity.

“As we plan for future growth and progress, we must also reflect on the lessons from past civilisations. There are numerous research resources available worldwide, including at the British Library in London,” Her Majesty said, following her visit to the British Library in London, United Kingdom, yesterday.

She added that such studies would deepen the understanding of Malay heritage and enhance national identity.

During the visit, Raja Zarith Sofiah and her delegation were welcomed by Richard Davies, Chief of Staff at the British Library, Southeast Asia Curator Datuk Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop, and Head of Asian and African Collections Luisa Elena Mengoni.

Her Majesty was given a tour of the library’s collection of historical Malay Sultanate letters, ancient literary works, and rare manuscripts, including documents from the Johor Sultanate. Annabel, an expert on Nusantara literature, shared valuable insights into these important materials.

The delegation also included Johor state secretary Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman, State Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid, Johor mufti Datuk Yahya Ahmad, and Johor Civil Service Academy chief executive officer Datuk Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim.

-- BERNAMA