MELAKA, Feb 28 — The Melaka government plans to organise an exhibition of artefacts related to the legend of Hang Tuah in May, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said today.

He said a group of researchers from Universiti Islam Melaka (Unimel), Universiti Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), led by the Tun Perak Institute, had already conducted studies on Hang Tuah in several countries.

"We have found various artefacts that we can bring back to show to the people in May.

"Among them are the keris (a distinctive, asymmetrical traditional dagger) found in Okinawa (Japan) and the letters of Hang Tuah , which we will bring back to find a solution to the tangle of history that we have not been able to find out about the authenticity of this story,” he said.

Ab Rauf was speaking to reporters after launching the Malaysia Book Expo and the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) book titled ‘Merintis TVET Termaju Rentas Dunia Rentas Budaya’ at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) Ayer Keroh today.

Ab Rauf further said that researchers have found that Hang Tuah was a great diplomat in the 15th century.

He said Hang Tuah had been sighted in China, Japan, India, Turkey and Rome and had performed the Haj in Makah. — Bernama