History

Early History Of Malacca Portuguese Settlement

The idea of setting up a Portuguese Settlement in Malacca was first brought about by a French Missionary -Father Pierre François, in response to an appeal by the Portuguese Eurasian residents of Banda Hilir and Praya Lance, Malacca, where the land was slowly being eroded by the sea.

Fr. François made an appeal to the British Resident Commissioner in Malacca, Mr. Reginald Crichton. He was so moved by the plight of the community that he decided to put them in a place where they could be preserved for future generations.
The Government acquired land from Malay Landowners at a cost of $30,000 and plans for opening the Settlement was laid soon. The It encompasses 28 acres, and is situated along the Malacca coast, 2 miles from the heart of Malacca Town. About 8 acres are occupied by dwellings, while the rest is taken up by a School, playing field and children's playground.

Rev. Fr Alvaro Coroado, a Portuguese priest played a good part in persuading the people to move into the newly created Settlement. Initially, a few responded and built their own houses there, along the present Texeira Road. In all, about 5 houses were built, and the hope of attracting more settlers grew dim, due primarily to lack of response as well as finance.

To alleviate this problem, the Government initially built ten houses as a pilot project, which were let out to the people at very low rentals. This incentive proved to be very appealing, and these houses were soon taken up. Having achieved the objective, the Government built more houses, until finally there were 68 of them.

These houses were spread out in neat rows, each with its own compound. Narrow streets divide each row of houses. As the people are of Portuguese decent it was found appropriate to name most of the streets with honoured Portuguese names. Approaching the Settlement from Ujong Pasir, we are greeted by the road sign, D'Albuquerque, who laid the foundations of the Portuguese eastern empire. He subdued Malacca, and remained here for a year.

Sequeira Road enshrines the memory of Diogo Lopez de Sequeira, the Portuguese Admiral in charge of the first European fleet which keels cleaved Malayan waters. He sent one of his officers ashore to deliver present and a letter to the Sultan of Malacca.

Another road bears the name of Texeira. This Texeria was the Officer sent ashore by Diogo Lopez de Sequeira to deliver the presents and the letter to the then Sultan.

Aranjo Road honours Ruy di Aranjo, who was made a prisoner in Malacca. He wrote to D'Albuquerque mentioning that the Sultan had no intention of giving the prisoners up, and also to attack Malacca before the town was fortified.

Eredia Road is named after a Portuguese writer- Emmanuel Godhinho Eredia. An important work of his was the history of Malacca which was published in 1615.

The original Government-built houses were wooden, with attap roods and earthen floors. Each house consisted of a verandah, sitting room, one bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. there was neither electricity nor water supply then. Water was provided by public stand pipes.

Improvements materialized during the tenure of the Regedor (headman), Mr. Paul de Silva, 1953-1973, and the then Secretary - Mr. George Bosco Lazaroo. Through their efforts, the attap roofing were replaced with zinc. The earthen floors were cemented on a self-help basis, with the Government providing the cement and sand, while the tenants did the labour. The main streets were provided with electric lighting. the thought of the nearness of electricity to their homes spurred the people to avail themselves of the facility. The people slowly began to install electric lighting to their homes, until finally all the homes have been electrified. Similarly, water supply crept into the houses. In this respect the Malacca Municipality did play a part, by allowing the installation cost to be repaid by monthly installments. A Community hall was erected on a self-help basis, supported by a Government Grant. Finally, a telephone booth was installed by the Telecoms Department and the Portuguese Settlement emerged into a modern era.

The flourishing of the Portuguese Settlement attracted many pensioners and other Eurasians to build their houses in the Settlement. They obtained land from the Government on Temporary Occupation Licence and built their own houses. Many of these new houses are modern in outlook and were fitted with modern sanitation. Today the number of owner-built houses in the Settlement is 40. Governemtn-built houses to the tenants, while the lands were given on Temporary Occupation Licence, with a nominal rent of $1.00 per annum. By so doing, the Government relinquished its responsibility for maintenance as well as paying rates to the Malacca Municipality in respect of these house.

It must however, be clarified here, that the rents collected from these houses did not go into the Government coffer, but were utilized for the payments of rates, with the balance accruing to a Welfare Fund for the Portuguese Settlement. The sum accrued to the Fund amounting to approximately $4,000.00 was handed over to the Portuguese Settlement Committee after the Government surrendered ownership of the houses to the owners. Settlement opened in 1930.