Migration To Kelantan On A Chinese Gold Dream

GUA MUSANG, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Dreams about finding an abundance of gold motivated a group of traders and miners in China to migrate to "Tanah Melayu" (the Malay Land) in Gua Musang, Kelantan, in 1429, some 24 years after Admiral Cheng Ho called at Melaka.

This was related by Kelantan Tourism Director Muhammad Zaki Talib, who said the migration of the Chinese from mainland China could be proven based on an ancient Chinese inscription found on a statue in a Chinese temple in Kampung Pulai, here.

"The inscription, on the statue of Goddess Quan Yin, also bears the date of their settlement and their historic journey to Kelantan," he told Bernama here.

He said that according to the local Chinese, the Chinese migration started after they dreamt of an abundance of gold in Tanah Melayu, which motivated them to leave mainland China.

"They first arrived at Kuala Besar, Pantai Cahaya Bulan here and travelled in boats upriver on the Sungai Kelantan as far as Gua Musang," he said.

Although Admiral Cheng Ho was the first Chinese who came to Melaka in Tanah Melayu between 1405 and 1407, it was possible that the Chinese group which came was the first to migrate to Kelantan, said Muhamad Zaki.

In this context, he said, there was ongoing discussion between the Tourism Ministry and the Information Communication and Culture Ministry to endorse the statue as a national heritage.

He said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen had, during a visit to Kelantan last month, stated her intention to promote the statue as an attractive tourist destination since it was the oldest statue in the country.

He said there were many more interesting and unique factors about the temple in Kampung Pulai which could be showcased to tourists.

Besides the temple, Kampung Pulai is a traditional Chinese village surrounded by the green jungle in Gua Musang.

-- BERNAMA