A rare manuscript written in classical Jawi script and believed to be more than 400 years old has been discovered in Sarawak, with authorities now moving to gazette it as a state heritage item and seek international recognition.
The 179-page manuscript is believed to have been personally written by Sultan Tengah, Sarawak’s first sultan, also known as Sultan Ibrahim Ali Omar Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Muhammad Hassan.
Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah described the discovery as one of the most significant historical findings in the state’s history.
Titled Pengembaraan Sri Sultan dan Sultan Tengah ke Sebuah Gunung (The Journey of Sri Sultan and Sultan Tengah to a Mountain), the manuscript is regarded as a crucial primary source for understanding the life, philosophy, thoughts and experiences of Sultan Tengah, an important figure in both Sarawak and Brunei Sultanate history.
“This 179-page manuscript is perhaps the most important primary source available for reconstructing the history and life story of Sultan Tengah,” Abdul Karim said after the Sarawak Heritage Council meeting on Thursday.
He explained that the manuscript offers a first-hand account of Sultan Tengah’s experiences and interactions with people around him during his lifetime.
“In many ways, it can be viewed as a personal diary. It provides direct insights into his journeys, thoughts and experiences,” he said.
Abdul Karim noted that the manuscript is among the oldest ever discovered in Sarawak.
“While there are historical figures in Peninsular Malaysia known for producing manuscripts, I have never seen a Sarawak manuscript as comprehensive as this one, spanning 179 pages,” he added.
The minister said the discovery sheds new light on Sultan Tengah, whose history was previously known mainly through brief historical records and references to his tomb in Santubong.
“Many people know about Sultan Tengah’s tomb, but little was known about his life journey. This manuscript fills many gaps and offers a much deeper understanding of his biography,” he said.
The manuscript has already been fully translated, opening new opportunities for historical and academic research.
According to Abdul Karim, the document is also being considered for nomination under UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, which recognises historically significant documentary heritage of global importance.
The manuscript measures 23.4 centimetres in height, 19 centimetres in width and 4.2 centimetres in thickness, with each page containing approximately 17 lines of text.
Research on the manuscript began in 2021 through a collaboration between the Sarawak Museum Department and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak.
By 2022, researchers successfully completed a full translation with assistance from the Amanah Khairat Yayasan Budaya Melayu Sarawak and manuscript experts from UiTM Sarawak.
Researchers from the Sarawak Museum Department and UiTM are currently conducting a detailed content analysis of the translated text.
Written in 16th-century classical Jawi using the old Brunei court language, the manuscript is expected to provide valuable insights into Malay history, philology and the cultural heritage of the Nusantara region.
The discovery is also seen as a significant opportunity to elevate Sarawak’s historical legacy on the international stage through potential UNESCO recognition.
