Raja Malik Afrizal, 37, gazed in dismay at several cannons of the Malay kingdom of Riau. As one of the heirs and descendants of Yang Dipertuanmuda (king of) Riau still living on Penyengat Island, Raja Malik Afrizal is in charge of gathering all the cultural relics and historical records of Riau‘s Malay kingdom on this island.
The young king‘s sadness was understandable as the guns, used in the struggle for national independence, were rusty and improperly maintained, looking more like pieces of worthless scrap than important historical objects.
"Most historical pieces here are disintergrating, and not really preservable.
Only a few places are well taken care of. Government attention to the protection of our cultural heritage is very slim," said Raja Malik during an interview at the Fort of Bukit Kursi, Penyengat Island.
The history of Penyengat is long and nearly forgotten. Although the Penyengat scenery looks similar to that of other islands in the Riau Islands province, the 3.5 square kilometer island is special, as it is the birth place of the man who created Malay grammar and wrote the dictionary, Raja Ali Haji. He was convinced that Riau Malay would become the language of correspondence, textbooks and literature, a prediction that has proved to be true.
Penyengat Island is about 1.5 km west of the city of Tanjung Pinang, around 10 km northeast of Batam Island, the archipelagic province‘s industrial center. According to the 2005 census, Penyengat Island has a population of only 2,224.
But the small island has a strategic location. From the top of Bukit Kursi one can watch inbound and outbound ferries at the port of Tanjung Pinang. Even human movements in the interior of Riau can be observed from this hill fort.
During the Riau war against Dutch colonizers from 1782 to 1784, Penyengat Island was the main center of resistance. The island‘s defense system was constructed in the Portuguese style, with a rock fortification built around it. At present, traces of the stronghold remain, although in bad repair.
Penyengat assumed greater importance in 1803 when its defense status was promoted to a state. The island was ruled by Yang Dipertuan Muda, of the kingdom of Riau-Lingga, the Sultan‘s government aide. The Sultan himself was at his central government kingdom in Daik Lingga, now the regency of Lingga.
In 1900 Riau Malay kingdom ruler Sultan Abdul Rahman Muazam Syah moved the central government to Penyengat Island. Sultan Abdul Rahman reigned over Riau, Johor and Pahang from 1883 to 1911.
With the growth of Penyengat as a government center, its customs, Islamic religion and Malay culture led to the building of monuments such as the royal palace, the grand mosque and the tombs of sovereigns and their descendants on the island.
However, the struggle of western nations for power in the Malacca Strait began to obscure the glory of the island kingdom. Sultan Abdul Rahman, who refused to sign a contract to give up Riau‘s traditional rights and royal reign, moved to Singapore to avoid Dutch forces.
"When he arrived in Singapore, the king ordered his subjects to destroy the palace and other important buildings because the Dutch would be taking over them. So, though it has not yet been a century since the Riau-Lingga sultanate ended, its palace is already in ruins," said Raja Malik, recounting the history of the island.
The splendor of Penyengat Island as Riau‘s Malay sovereign center can be seen in its Grand Mosque, which remains solid and impressive. It was built in 1832 during the rule of Dipertuan Muda Raja Abdul Rahman.
With its 17 minarets, the mosque continues to be an important cultural site in the Riau archipelago. It is popular with political figures wanting to appreciate Malay culture. It‘s also a library, with a store of thousands of books of Islamic knowledge, most of which were printed during the sultanate period.
Apart from the mosque, there are four tomb complexes on the island, housing the remains of the Riau kings and their families. They are one of the island‘s most frequently visited tourist spots. Visitors often pray for the deceased or ask for their blessings. A palace meeting hall, Bukit Kursi and some relics are other places of interest, but they are now in poor condition. While they seem stable from the outside, the buildings are actually crumbling from of neglect.
Youths often use the rooms in these decrepit structures for socializing, as there no guards assigned to watch over the cultural assets by Riau‘s royal descendants or the municipal administration of Tanjung Pinang. Charges are imposed on visitors touring the island. "Rehabilitation has been conducted several times without planning, while continuous attention is needed," said Raja Malik.
According to him, the island has no less than 500 tourists every weekend and the number doubles during Islamic holidays like Idul Fitri and Idul Adha, when Muslim visitors gather for prayers and recreation. Besides the uncertain municipal allocation every year, the only certain income is derived from ferry fares. Tourists going by boat from Tanjung Pinang to Penyengat pay Rp7,000 each, of which Rp1,000 is set aside for the island.
"This is our sole revenue, as the allocation from the relevant authorities remains unclear. You can see for yourself how this island is littered with rubbish. There seems to be no official plan to promote these cultural assets. Royal heirs only wish to have the island‘s historical relics in good condition," added Raja Malik.
The Indera Sakti Foundation of Penyengat Island, set up by the late Raja Hamzah Yunus, Raja Malik‘s father, has collected historical records of the Riau kingdom, such as magazines, publications on traditional healing, sex guides, and a grammar by Raja Ali Haji. Named a national hero, Raja Ali Haji was famous as a Malay linguist and writer of aphorisms. He was the son of Dipertuan Muda of Riau‘s Malay kingdom.
"Several Malay kingdom researchers from Singapore, Malaysia and Holland regularly come here. Special Malay programs at universities in Singapore require students to study the remnants of the Malay kingdom‘s past glory," said Raja Malik, who acknowledged that the foundation was in financial trouble after the operational halt of a sea sand concession it used for financing.
Some time ago, the Governor of Riau Islands, Ismeth Abdullah, initiated the formation of an authority body for Penyengat Island, assigned to preserve its cultural heritage and boost the island image as a local and foreign tourist destination.
"I know the island gets less attention from Tanjung Pinang because the municipality‘s regional budget is very small. At present, we are working toward the establishment of an authority body there," said Ismeth, former Batam Authority chairman.
Tens of billions of rupiah will be needed to renovate the island, a small sum in comparison with its function as a landmark in Indonesia‘s national and cultural identity. It is just like a library that is packed with valuable books but is going to collapse out of old age.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com
