The Dutch armada is advancing. They close in the Malacca Straits, fast. They have planned the siege for far too long, and this time, reinforced by the army of the Johor Sultanate. Back in Holland, the Dutch East India Company has but one thing in mind- to capture this beautiful state. An ambitious goal nonetheless, a coupe that would flourish their spice trade in the distant east. But capture of this magnificent city would be far from easy, and miles off the coast the armada is intimidated by the view of the majestic fortress. A four-storey keep, the fortress boasts four gigantic towers, fortified by ramparts 2.4 metres thick with 70 heavy mortar cannons pointing at them, mercilessly.
The sound of the siren deafens villages trapped inside. And within minutes the smell of gunpowder fills the air, only to be overwhelmed by the stench of flesh and blood by dusk. The ground shakes with massive explosion and panic stricken villagers can head nowhere. Like a Mice, trapped in a box, looking helplessly to escape. But there is surely no escape from here.
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It would last five months this war. But it probably felt nothing short of a few centuries to the people inside. Suicide, famine, disease and gunfire resulted in a conservative estimate of over 7000 casualties. Many others lived off rodents and street animals. And as the Dutch stormed past the fortress on 14 January 1641, the city smelled fresh air again. A new dawn for the Malacca city.
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I stand here today in the middle of where it all happened 500 years ago. In what is left of the magnificent fortress. In the middle of Malacca city centre in Bandar Hilir, Malacca. I make my way between the many ex-patriots crowding the pavements along the fort ruins. And in the background, the distinctive shutter sounds and camera flashes (although I really do not fathom why tourists turn on the flash feature in Malacca's sunny afternoons!). Trishaws line the roads, with their colourful giant umbrellas, flashy decorations and loud RNB music. Attention grabbers. There is even a guy with an enormous iguana against his shoulder. He shouts, "Picture with the iguana; 5 ringgit, 5 ringgit!!" I thought they only had those in zoos.
The remains of the fort include what used to be the main gate and little bits of the ramparts. With a distinctive and powerful brick red background and the VOC's coats of arm engraved proudly on the gate's arch, the fort looks like it probably could still fend off an army or two. Half-a-millennium and standing strong. The walls are concrete and bold. And although what remains of it might not be state of the art, its aesthetic design continues to please architectural enthusiasts the world around. How ironic that she was built in a hurry by slave labourers. Kudos to the Portuguese!
The landscape of Malacca has changed massively. Many sites have been reconstructed into tourist attraction spots, many other replaced by shopping malls. But Porta de Santiago (or locally know as 'A Famosa'- Portuguese for 'The Fortress') has survived all of that. She has remained largely untouched, and proudly maintained. She is a testimony of our rich heritage and culture, a site to remind us of harder times and the sacrifices our ancestors made to clutch independence. She is sacred to the city, to our people. And this grim remnant of western imperialism continues to attract thousands every year from every corner of the world.
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