Kuala Lumpur

The Kuala Lumpur Centre, Malaysia

Head : Daniel Perret
École française d'Extrême-Orient
c/o Department of History
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
University of Malaya,
50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel. (603) 79 67 54 98
Fax (603) 79 67 54 63
daniel.perret@efeo.net

Lying between continental Southeast Asia and the Indonesian archipelago, the Malay Peninsula has always been an important point of contact between cultures. The opening of a branch of the EFEO in Kuala Lumpur was important for researchers working on Malay societies or interested in the study of the Cham people. The first permanent member of the EFEO was appointed there in 1987 as the result of an agreement reached with the Ministry of Culture. This has led to on-site research, the organization of conferences, and ongoing editorial activity. Since 1995 the Center has been housed in the National Museum.

The EFEO Center is working in cooperation with Kebangsaan Malaysia University, Malaya University, the National Museum, the National Library, and the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Current research program:

• Study of historical and cultural relations between the Malay world and Indochina
• Research on Cham literature
• Ancient history and archaeology of the western Malay world

Since 1996 the Center has been editing and publishing the « Collection des manuscrits cham » (Cham manuscripts collection), and digitizing major archives and collections of Cham manuscripts. The Center also contributes to the training of young Malay scholars specializing in Indochinese history and civilizations.