THE contents of Tunku's mystery safe were finally revealed yesterday when locksmiths successfully opened the steel box which recently captured the imagination of the nation. (Read accompanying story)

Tunku's family is now only concerned that these treasures be shared with the people.

"It belongs to the Memorial. This is what my father would have wanted," said Tunku's son, Tunku Ahmad Nerang, 76, who had seen the contents once in the 1970s when his father opened the safe.

Now Tunku Nerang can match his recollections with the actual contents.

"The safe was always in his bedroom in Penang. I was walking past at the time and for reasons I can't remember, actually had a chance to peek into it."

According to the him, he remembers seeing a gold nugget and some documents in there. Tunku Nerang had known about the existence of the safe, but since the key and combination had long been lost, he did not expect to ever know the contents.

He described the safe as "ancient", saying that it had been around even before the Japanese Occupation.

Tunku Nerang believes that there were attempts by the authorities yesterday afternoon to contact him  but he was unavailable.

The safe, emblazoned by the British crown and secured by a dial lock, can be found at The Residency, the official residence when the Tunku was the Prime Minister.

It is now a part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial situated at Jalan Dato' Onn in Kuala Lumpur.

Several previous attempts to crack open the safe had failed. Filmmaker Mansor Puteh had brought the matter to Malay Mail's attention when he found out about it while filming a documentary about Tunku.