A Brief History of Money in the Malay Peninsula

By Enzo Sim

September 2021 FEATURE
main image
The second series of Ringgit Malaysia issued in 1982 in the denominations of RM10 and RM1, with the portrait of Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Iconic national landmarks are featured on the reverse side, including the National Monument on the RM1 note and the Old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin on the RM10 note.
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BEING A PLACE where the winds meet, the Malayan Peninsula has witnessed the use of many types of currency. For example, the Malacca Sultanate made use of wang pitis in the early 15th century. These were coins made from tin and gold, and moulded in the shape of crocodiles, roosters, elephants or turtles. They were called jongkong timah and jongkong emas, the latter being more highly valued. After Sultan Muzaffar Shah (1446-1459) came to power, wang pitis was phased out...

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References
  • The Indian Rupee had previously been in use in the Straits Settlements.
Enzo Sim

is a Mass Communications graduate who has an unwavering passion towards international relations, history and regional affairs of Southeast Asia. His passion has brought him to different Southeast Asian capitals to explore the diverse cultural intricacies within the region.

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