The Malacca government will apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to recognise Pulau Nangka as a heritage site if the artifacts found is proven to be part of the treasure from the Malacca Sultanate.

Chief Minister Idris Haron said Pulau Nangka will become a site for historians and archaeologists to collect information about the Malacca Malay sultanate.

However, it has yet to be proven that the two artifacts (coins) found on the uninhabited island on Wednesday is linked to the treasure said to be worth billions of ringgit.

“I am still not fully convinced that the coins came from there (Pulau Nangka) as they could have dropped off. We have to investigate on this,” he told reporters after receiving 60 participants from the South-East Asian Youth programme at Seri Bendahara in Malacca today.

The two yellowish coins with a diameter of six centimetres were found in different locations at 11.15pm and 11.30pm on Wednesday.

The first coin with five lines of inscription is believed to be from the Majapahit Kingdom, while the second coin with a square hole in the middle has Jawi script around it.

Both the coins had been submitted to the National Heritage Department for laboratory tests to verify their origins.

The Malacca government had awarded Smart Partnership International (M) Sdn Bhd a contract to find treasure on Pulau Nangka.

The four-month contract ended at midnight on Wednesday.

- Bernama