The Pahang Heroes Museum

The Pahang Heroes (or Notables) Museum ("Muzium Tokoh Pahang") is one of the popular museums visited by locals and foreigners.

This museum depicts the personalities, heroes and notables who contributed immensely to the political and cultural history of Pahang Darul Makmur.

When we visit a museum, we actually venture back in time, perhaps vicariously participate in the glorious past, and we observe through the various artifacts, items and exhibits displayed, the spirits of our ancestors and the lives of those who contributed selflessly for the betterment of future generations.

This Museum is housed in a brick colonial style office building located right in the middle of Kuantan, the state capital of Pahang Darul Makmur. Located at Jalan Masjid,the Museum entrance fronts the main Town Padang MPK 1 (field) at Jalan Besar.

It is directly opposite the Perbadanan Kemajuan Bukit Fraser (Fraser’s Hill Development Corporation) building and in fact they share the same road entrance. The main High Court, Sessions Court and Magistrates Court Building is just beside this Museum.

GALLERY ON HISTORY OF THE SULTANATES

The histories of the various sultanates of Malaysia are to a large extent inextricably connected with the past sultanates of Indonesia and therefore they are both depicted pictorially in a special gallery in this Museum.

Besides the sultanates of the states of Malaysia, you can read on the histories of the old sultanates of Aceh, Pontianak, Ternate, Asahan, Deli, Serdang, Bima, and others portrayed here.

For information, there are nine sultanate States in Malaysia with the Sultans as the constitutional head, each with their own unique history. The States are :-

• * Pahang Darul Makmur,
• * Johor Darul Takzim,
• * Terengganu Darul Iman,
• * Kelantan Darul Naim,
• * Perak Darul Ridzuan,
• * Selangor Darul Ehsan
• * Kedah Darul Aman
• * Perlis Indera Kayangan,
• * Negri Sembilan Darul Khusus (Yam Tuan Besar equivalent to Sultan)

GALLERY ON THE POLITICAL GOVERNMENT OF PAHANG

The personalities and the history of government officials who contributed immensely to the political scene in the state of Pahang are pictorially displayed here.

This gallery traces the political history of the state, notably the Chief Ministers (Menteri Besar) of Pahang, from the first Chief Minister to the present time. Among others, the official attire, state awards and personal items of the fourth Chief Minister, are also displayed.

Interestingly, among the prominent Chief Ministers of Pahang are a father and son. The father was the third Chief Minister while the son was the eleventh Chief Minister of Pahang.

This famous father and son is none other than Tun Abdul Razak bin Dato’ Hussein and his son Datuk Seri Abdul Najib bin Tun Razak.

The father later became a Deputy Prime Minister and subsequently the Second Prime Minister of Malaysia. While the son, following the father’s footsteps, was also a Deputy Prime Minister and then in 2009 became the Sixth (6th) Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The 12th Chief Minister of Pahang, Tun Mohd. Khalil bin Yaacob is the current Governor of the state of Malacca (Melaka).

Among the women politicians depicted in this gallery include Puan Hajjah Ramlah binti Dahlan, a pioneer Kaum Ibu (UMNO) woman politician who fought for Malayan independence together with Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Razak. She died in 1959 at the age of 33.

For those who don’t recognize this feisty woman politician, she is the mother of Malaysia’s famous singer, the late Datuk Sudirman Haji Arshad, who himself is also depicted in the Arts and Culture Gallery in this Museum (see below).

GALLERY ON CULTURE AND ARTS PERSONALITIES

The Pahang-born personalities who contributed in the cultural and arts scene not only of Pahang but also of Malaysia are depicted in this gallery. Among the personalities mentioned include:

• Ishak Haji Muhammad (Pak Sako), Kamaludin Muhamad (Keris Mas), Arman Sani and Ahmad bin Kotot (authors, journalists and writers)
• Haji Zakaria bin Hitam, the famed Pahang historian
• Sudirman Haji Arshad, the popular Malaysian singer and entertainer
• S. Roomai Noor, the famous Malay actor
• Ramli Malek, the Pahang batik designer and entrepreneur (late owner of the famous "Ramli Batik" brand)
• Hajjah Selama binti Sulaiman, the expert Tenun Pahang Diraja silk weaver awarded the "Tokoh Tenun" by the British Government in the 1950s.

(P.S. Well, I think it won’t be long before the Temerloh-born but Kuala Lipis resident and the number one Malaysian songstress for more than a decade, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, will be included in this cultural gallery for her contribution to the Malaysian arts and entertainment scene.)

SPORTS GALLERY

Without doubt, the main personality to be dedicated here is HRH the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar, who is an all rounder in sports, from being the head of Malaysian football (soccer) to horse-riding and polo, field hockey, tennis, golf and other sports.

HRH the Sultan of Pahang is undoubtedly the perfect example of a sports personality who contributes profoundly to both state and nation to ensure sports will be in the forefront in nation building not only for the physical well-being of Malaysians but also for excellence in life.

Many sports trophies and Cups are displayed in this gallery.

RELIGIOUS GALLERY

Among the artifacts displayed here, is a century old Al-Quran,the Muslim’s religious book, a hand-written religious manuscript, and ancient grave-stones in Jawi script.

Historical listings and photographs of the Muftis of Pahang from the beginning is also shown.

An interesting item exhibited here is a pail or bucket, which is made of solid bronze, used in the past when drawing up water from wells at mosques.

WARRIORS GALLERY

A huge upper part of the Malay deadly weapon, the keris, greets us at the entrance to this gallery. It is the symbol of the determination to fight for self rule and independence against colonizers of the state and country.

Here we will find photographs and portraits of the past heroes of Pahang. Famous warriors and nationalists who fought against the British in the late 1800s like Datuk Bahaman bin Dato' Imam Noh, his son Mat Lela, Tok Gajah (Imam Perang Khatib Rasu), and his son Mat Kilau, are portrayed.

A fierce fighter for independence against the British rulers of Malaya then, Ibrahim bin Yaacob, is also pictured.

Famous Pahang soldiers who fought against the Japanese during the second World War, like Pawang Nong Taib bin Santan, Lt. Mohd. Nor Rani and Tan Sri Gen. (R) Abdul Hamid bin Bidin, and pictures of soldiers of Force 136 (including Tun Abdul Razak as a young officer) who fought against the Japanese, are depicted.

Malaysians nowadays are able to live in peace and harmony, with freedom and prosperity, because of these soldiers and nationalists who fought valiantly against foreign domination to maintain the dignity of the citizens of this country.

BUT, before we leave... just a QUIZ to jog your memory..

DO YOU REMEMBER...

• the famous father and son who were both Chief Ministers of Pahang, and,
• the politician mother and famous entertainer son…

  ...depicted in this Museum of Pahang Heroes?

And if you haven’t done so, do take a visit to the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum and the Water-craft Gallery. Both are located in Pekan, and both are popular with visitors to Pahang. They portray the rich and colorful cultural and political history (and prehistory) of the Malaysian state of Pahang.

Browse this Pahang Hotels and Directory page for the list of main hotels and resorts in the state.

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