2.1   The Portuguese and Dutch Colonization

Presentation

Portuguese colonized Malacca in 1511 under the lead of Alfonso de Albuquerque. Their objective was to control the maritime trade in the east and to spread Christianity. However, they could not expand their power due to inconsistency of their trading policy oppression over people and merchants. The Malays who were mainly Muslims viewed them as enemies of Islam, thus launched series of attacks against them. Among their traces left in the country are Eurasian community, Catholics teachings, the Romanized writing, language, terminologies (almari, jandela, tuala).

The Dutch defeated Portuguese and took over Malacca in 1641. Their main objective was to control the tin ore in Malay Peninsula. After the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, Malacca was passed over to British. No much impact recorded from the Portuguese and the Dutch colonization on the country.