That's a pedang jenawi, according to Gardner.
It's usually a Japanese katana blade in local fittings or sometimes a Chinese blade.
Gardner speculates that some of them are left overs from Japanese mercenaries employed both by the Portuguese and the Dutch.
Michael
PS Garder's book is from 1936. Of course a lot more Japanese swords entered Malaysia during WWII. One of the Singapore-based Silat styles use the katana in their curriculum, according to an old video (I have somewhere).
Last edited by VVV; 28th May 2009 at 09:53 PM.
Reason: added PS
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