This study examines Hikayat Hang Tuah (hereafter HHT) as a Malay literary text that presents a narrative of relations between the Malay world and Java, particularly in the context of political and cultural hegemony. HHT depicts two types of Javanese hegemony in the Malay world: territorial-political hegemony represented by Majapahit, and cultural hegemony embodied by individuals outside the Majapahit court. The study reveals that Majapahit’s political dominance is often portrayed negatively, as a form of political expansion that seeks to subjugate the Malay world. In contrast, Javanese cultural influence is distinguished from Majapahit’s political center and is shown to support and empower the Malay world through the presence of mystical figures and sacred objects. HHT also contains criticism of the weakness of Malay leadership, which is seen as complicit in allowing Majapahit’s political domination. The narrative in HHT presents a discourse of resistance against Majapahit’s political conquest, while simultaneously highlighting the power of Javanese culture as a resource for resisting such domination. This study interprets HHT as a counter-narrative to Javanese-centric histories and the broader framework of Indonesia’s national historiography, while also reflecting the cultural and political dynamics involved in the formation of Malay national identity. Through its historical perspective, HHT functions as a bridge linking the past to the present, while also serving as a tool to articulate a vision for the future within the context of Malay culture.