via Borneo Post, 06 July 2022: I didn’t realise there was a competetion between states to be the oldest, but also I’m not sure if Bujang Valley and Santubong qualify as ‘states’ with the current evidence available. A political party in Sarawak has also challenged the claim of “Malay” – which carries a political ethnonationalistic tone in contemporary Malaysian discourse.
Advances in research today have succeeded in proving that Sarawak, formerly known as Santubong (Santubong kingdom started circa 500AD), is the second oldest Malay state in the world, said Sarawak historian Datu Dr Sanib Said.
He said the progress in research also proved that Santubong had existed for about 300 years before AD (i.e. 300 BC) while the oldest Malay state, Kedah, had existed 500 years before AD (500 BC).
Source: Progress in research proves Sarawak is world’s second oldest Malay state after Kedah
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Oh dear…………..same old competition, mine’s bigger/better/older than yours!!!!!!!!