MELAKA: The proposal to change the name of St Paul’s Hill to Bukit Melaka was hotly debated during the closing session of the state legislature on Thursday March 3.

Melaka Tourism, Heritage and Culture Committee Chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis pointed to China erasing any connection to its colonization history.

“The Chinese were proud to preserve their heritage and erased all ties with the colonial powers.

“Selangor has also changed the names of the streets related to the British and why can’t Melaka change the name of a hill.

“We are not changing the facts of history and the church atop St. Paul’s Hill will keep the same name,” he told the assembly after opposition MPs rejected the proposal to change the name of the hill during the procedure. Thursday (March 3).

Muhammad Jailani said that the original name of St. Paul’s Hill was Bukit Melaka during the time of the Sultanate of Melaka and was later changed by the Dutch to St. Paul’s Hill in 1641.

He said the proposal to change the name of the hill was made as the state is proud of “Bangsa Melaka” where the Chinese, Indians and Javanese defended Melaka when it was attacked by the Portuguese in 1511 .

“We are not talking about Malays defending Melaka but the story of Bangsa Melaka shows the involvement of various ethnicities who fought against the Portuguese.

“Therefore, we are renaming the name of the hill to what was recorded in the Melaka Malay and Hang Tuan annals,” he said.

Muhammad Jailani (Rambia-BN) said the name of the hill was also changed to Bukit Bendera during British times.

“If the colonizers can change the name of the hill as they wish, why can’t we?” He asked.

He said he was studying the proposal to change the name of the hill, which was made two years ago, and that a decision would be made soon.

Muhammad Jailani has warned those trying to sabotage the state government over the proposed renaming of St Paul’s Hill by filing a complaint with Unesco to withdraw Melaka’s status as a World Heritage Site would be branded as traitors.