Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah has launched a book depicting the history and the rich cultural heritage of the Perak sultanate during the time when it was administered from the Perak Tengah District.

The book, titled ‘Perak Sultanate: The Historic Royal Glory of Perak Tengah’, was published by the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) with The New Straits Times Press (NSTP).

“The Perak Tengah District, which has long been discriminated against, only started to enjoy a more meaningful development after 1982 when the state government was led by Menteri Besar from Pasir Salak, Orang Kaya-Kaya Seri Agar Diraja Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib.

“The injection of funds for more meaningful development has been a success in changing the Perak Tengah’s landscape, thus helped changing the fate of its population where the majority are Malays,” Sultan Nazrin said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He said the book was a unique repository of some of the most striking aspects of the Perak sultanate’s cultural heritage and some of the important events that have shaped the sultanate over its almost half a millennium-long history.

He also said the book highlighted some interesting insights into important historical dynamics and the challenges faced by the rulers, as well as factors that contributed to a decision on moving the court and administrative centre from one place to another.

“Such challenges were faced continuously throughout our earlier history and the sacrifices and decisions that were made in those days have helped to pave the way for the stability and prosperity that we currently enjoy.

“The political and economic challenges that the book reveals, along with the enduring cultural traditions that it illuminates, all form part of the deep roots of our shared history and have all contributed to making out a state, its citizens and the Perak sultanate what we are today,” Sultan Nazrin added.

- Bernama