Do you appreciate history in Malaysia? Are you around the state of Pahang and is currently intrigued by its rigour and heritage? Would you like to find out more about what you have seen and maybe learn more about the local culture?
Head out to the state museum
If you’re around Pekan, why not stop by at the state museum called the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum? Highly recommended for students and those who appreciate historical pieces such as ancient Chinese antiques, ceramics and glass ware, the building houses wide array of such items and also well-documented history of Pahang. One would have noticed that part of the museum is specially dedicated to Pahang royal family considering the amount of space given to exhibit the history and other items related to royalty.
How did the building came about?
Decades ago, a Malay tropical-style building of wood and thatch roof – Istana Kota Beram was built on the same site. However, British demolished the palace and replaced it with a two-storey building of timber. The newly-built building turned into Official Residence for J.P. Rodger. As the Resident moved to Kuala Lipis after 1888, the building remained as his occasional residence whenever he came to Pekan.
Finally, in late 1920s, Japanese occupation during World War II took over the building and turned it into an army mess. Sultan Abu Bakar only managed to reclaim it in 1948 and once again, renamed it to Istana Kota Beram as his temporary residence.
Declaration as state museum
The building was declared a state museum when the construction of Istana Abu Bakar completed in 1965. The state museum was officiated by Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah in 1976. Basically, the museum houses a small garden, galleries to exhibit old military hardware as well as some outdoor traditional items, and Sultan’s old Cadillac.