MELAKA, June 30 — The Melaka state government and the Indonesian government will get the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to recognise the ‘Muhibah Budaya Jalur Rempah’ (Spice Route and Cultural Connectivity) sea voyage.

State Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman said a discussion will be held by a joint committee, which will be established soon regarding the proposal.

"Efforts to submit this proposal to Unesco need thorough discussions involving both countries. At the state level, discussions will involve the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Foreign Ministry due to its intergovernmental nature.

"The ‘Muhibah Budaya Jalur Rempah’ voyage is a good approach towards preserving our shared cultures and arts within the Nusantara region,” he told reporters after launching the Melaka ‘Muhibah Budaya Jalur Rempah’ programme in Bandar Hilir, here today.

Also present were the Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Hermono, Indonesia’s Director-General of Culture in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Hilmar Farid and state Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee deputy chairman Datuk Zaidi Attan.

Meanwhile, Abdul Razak said the programme will be made into an annual event to strengthen Malaysia-Indonesia ties and reevaluate the history and documentation of the spice route that served as a cultural and historical exchange link in Nusantara.

In the meantime, Hilmar said the voyage aboard Indonesia’s naval ship KRI Dewaruci carrying 120 Indonesians, including journalists, writers, researchers and cultural activists, arrived at Tanjung Bruas port at about 10am today.

He said this is the third voyage since 2020, and Melaka is the first destination outside Indonesia.

"The voyage started on June 7 and passed through seven locations along the Spice Route in Jakarta, Belitung Timur, Dumai and Sabang in Indonesia before sailing to Melaka in Malaysia. It will continue its journey to Tanjung Uban, Lampung and back to Jakarta,” he said, adding that the delegation will be in Melaka for four days. — Bernama