Melaka is a fabled destination that evokes images of sultans and princess, ships and pirates, rattan and spices. Melaka was founded in 1396 by Parameswara, a Palembang prince who fled Temasik (ancient Singapore). He decided to declare this new found land as his new kingdom and named it 'Melaka' after the name of the tree under which he had sought refuge. By the end of the 15th century, Melaka had grown to become a great Muslim maritime empire and a major port-of-call for ships and merchants from as far away as China, Japan, India, Arabia and South Africa.
The Sultanate of Melaka was established in 1424 AD, and its famous seaport commanded the shipping lanes between India and China. By the sixteenth century, it was the busiest port in the world. The city is located on the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula overlooking the Straits of Melaka. Melaka is the birthplace of the Malay Sultanate and Malaysia's most historic city. Here, the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese each played their roles in shaping the history of this region.
The Portuguese recognised her strategic location in the middle of the spice trade route between China and India. In 1511, the Portuguese became the first foreign power to rule Melaka. The Dutch followed in 1641 and in 1824, Melaka was handed over to Britain. The British rule in Melaka was interrupted by the Japanese occupation during World War II and resumed at the end of the war. Melaka along with the other states under the Federation of Malaya gain its independence from Britain on 31 August 1957 and in 1963, the Federation of Malaya became Malaysia. In recognition of Melaka's contribution to Malaysia's history, Melaka was declared a Historical City on 15 April, 1989 and in recognition of Melaka’s historical past was listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site from 7th July 2008.
Today, Melaka is a modern city, affording passage to oil tankers and cargo ships. Large areas of land have been reclaimed from the sea. High rise commercial and industrial buildings and tourist resorts provide a stark contrast to the old shop houses and colonial structures.
The climate is tropical, hot and humid with an annual rainfall of 190cm. The hinterland has recreational parks, boating, fishing and camping.
The college campus in Melaka is located on a twenty two acre layout which contains the administration building, lecture halls, library, laboratory complex, auditorium, student hostels, faculty housing and sports amenities. The campus is a convenient five-minute walk from Melaka General Hospital. The clinical teaching programme in Malaysia is conducted at the Melaka General Hospital (800 beds), Muar Hospital (400 beds), Tangkak Hospital (86 beds) and all the Community Health Centres in Melaka with specialist teaching and clinical facilities.