By Invitation

The hero we need: Hang Tuah the 'model' South-east Asian

The epic tales of a 16th-century Malay warrior serve as a model of openness to change and different cultures

ST ILLUSTRATION: MIEL
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

The story of Hang Tuah, the legendary 16th-century Malay warrior, is well known in many parts of South-east Asia, notably in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

Streets have been named after him (in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Jakarta) and the Malaysian and Indonesian navies have also named their ships after the legendary hero who is said to have served his sultan loyally, including as laksamana or admiral. In many ways, the story of Hang Tuah is not only a tale of Melaka, but also one that spans the region and tells us how pre-colonial South-east Asians once viewed the world around them.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 28, 2018, with the headline The hero we need: Hang Tuah the 'model' South-east Asian. Subscribe