The attitude of Malaysians towards archeology, artifacts and antiquities is the one of "Tidak Apa" (Apathy) and "Entah ler" (Ignorance). Very sad indeed. In other countries, especially in Europe and America, museums are packed with visitors almost everyday.
British Museum in London have long lines especially during the weekends, Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam are always filled with visitors, that sometimes the visitors to certain sections have to be limited because the climate control system cannot cope. New York's Metropolitan Museum are so huge that the skeleton of a brontosaurus can be assembled standing full height in the main lobby.
Sadly, when I was there, among the hundred over members in our excursion from Malaysia to those cities, only 2 or 3 persons who would be interested to visit these museums.
In Malaysia, not many people know that the Stadthuys (Dutch, pronounced "StateHouse"), the red Dutch building in Melaka actually housed a museum. Local visitors to museums are so little, that our museums looked dead. Maintenance of the artifacts and antiquities are non-existant in most cases, and when not in display are just stacked in the storeroom exposed to mildew and moisture.
THe effort taken by the Melaka Govt. to excavate part of the original wall of the A'Formosa (The Famous) fort is noble indeed, but there were certain quarters who said that the govt. is wasting taxpayers money. What these people are doing is trying to uncover the history of our country, the way of life then, by examining the artefacts and the remains.
I believe if some were to uncover a sunken chinese junk or a portugese galleon in our waters, the parties who would be interested to excavate and categorize the findings, would be foreigners and maybe universities. The general public would only shrug their shoulders and say "Apa mereka buat tu?" (What are they doing?") "Entah ler" (I don't know).
