Latest news with #NationalUnityMinistry
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Ministry finalising law to regulate museum activities
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Unity Ministry is in the final stages of drafting a law to regulate museum activities nationwide and it is expected to be tabled by November, says Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (pic). The law aims to create a clear legal framework for effective and sustainable museum management. Aaron said the ministry envisions museums as transformative spaces that foster creativity, critical thinking and an appreciation for shared humanity, embodying inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability and diversity. 'We will work closely with the Museums Department to develop and implement strategies that align with these principles, enhancing accessibility, promoting inclusive narratives, implementing sustainable practices, and encouraging community participation in museum activities and decision-making processes,' he told Bernama during his opening speech at the Malaysia International Museum Day Seminar 2025 here yesterday. Meanwhile, at a press conference, Museums Department director-general Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim said the proposed law includes the establishment of a Museum Council, which would serve as an advisory and supervisory body for the creation and operation of museum institutions nationwide. He said that while the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645) addresses matters concerning heritage sites, monuments, and both tangible and intangible heritage, it does not comprehensively regulate overall museum policy. 'This law is being drafted in accordance with international standards and aims to introduce a rating system and regulate new, particularly private, museums that might present narratives conflicting with national policy.' The International Museum Day Seminar 2025, themed 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities,' was held in conjunction with International Museum Day. The event drew around 300 participants.
New Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Museum activities to be regulated under new law
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Unity Ministry is in the final stages of drafting a law to regulate museum activities nationwide, said Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang. He said the law, expected to be tabled by November this year, aims to provide a clear legal framework to ensure museums are managed effectively and sustainably. According to Aaron, the ministry aims to develop museums that are not only educational but also transformative spaces fostering creativity, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation of our shared humanity. "The ministry is committed to ensuring that our museums embody the values of inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability, and diversity," he said. "We will work closely with the Department of Museums to develop and implement strategies that align with these principles, which are enhancing accessibility, promoting inclusive narratives, implementing sustainable practices and encouraging community participation in museum activities and decision-making processes," he said during his opening speech at the Malaysia International Museums Day Seminar 2025 here, today. Meanwhile, at a press conference, Department of Museums director-general Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim said the proposed law includes the establishment of a Museum Council, which would serve as an advisory and supervisory body for the creation and operation of museum institutions nationwide. He said that while the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645) addresses matters concerning heritage sites, monuments, and both tangible and intangible heritage, it does not comprehensively regulate overall museum policy. "This law is being drafted in accordance with international standards, taking into account practices from other countries. We also aim to introduce a rating system and regulate the operations of new museums, particularly private ones, that may present narratives or trends that conflict with national policy," he said. The International Museum Day Seminar 2025 was held in conjunction with the annual International Museum Day celebration, observed worldwide on May 18 each year. Themed 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities', this year's celebration highlights the evolving role of museums amid significant social, technological, and environmental changes. Organised in collaboration with the International Council of Museums Malaysia and the Kedah State Museum Board, the seminar aimed to highlight the crucial role of museums in promoting cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and global peace.
Free Malaysia Today
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt finalising new law to regulate museum activities, says Aaron
National unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang said his ministry is committed to ensuring that Malaysian museums embody the values of inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability and diversity. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : The national unity ministry is in the final stages of drafting a new law to regulate museum activities nationwide, says its minister, Aaron Ago Dagang. Aaron said the law, expected to be tabled by November, aims to provide a clear legal framework to ensure museums are managed effectively and sustainably. He said the ministry aims to develop museums that are not only educational but also transformative spaces fostering creativity, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation of our shared humanity and history. 'The ministry is committed to ensuring that our museums embody the values of inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability, and diversity. 'We will work closely with the museums department to develop and implement strategies that align with these principles, which are enhancing accessibility, promoting inclusive narratives, implementing sustainable practices and encouraging community participation in museum activities and decision-making processes,' he said at the Malaysia International Museums Day seminar here today. At a press conference later, museums department director-general Kamarul Baharin A Kasim said the proposed law includes the establishment of a museum council, which would serve as an advisory and supervisory body for the creation and operation of museums and similar instituions nationwide. He said that while the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645) addresses matters concerning heritage sites, monuments, and both tangible and intangible heritage, it does not comprehensively regulate overall museum policy. 'This law is being drafted in accordance with international standards, taking into account practices from other countries. 'We also aim to introduce a rating system and regulate the operations of new museums, particularly private ones, that may present narratives or trends that conflict with national policy,' he said. The seminar was held in conjunction with the annual International Museum Day celebration, observed worldwide on May 18. Themed 'The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities', this year's celebration highlights the evolving role of museums amid significant social, technological, and environmental changes. Organised in collaboration with the International Council of Museums Malaysia and the Kedah state museum board, the seminar aimed to highlight the crucial role of museums in promoting cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and global peace. The event drew around 300 participants, including museum practitioners, researchers, academics, university students, and representatives from private companies involved in museum digitalisation.
The Star
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Law to streamline, regulate museums to be tabled by year-end, says minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Unity Ministry will table a specific Act by the end of this year to regulate the setting up of museums nationwide. Its Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the Act will provide a clear legal framework for museums and to ensure these are managed effectively and sustainably. "The Act will hopefully be tabled in November or December at Dewan Rakyat. "We need to hold a lot of engagements with the states too, because in Malaysia we have many state museums as well as private museums. We have 22 federal museums," he told a press conference after officiating the Malaysia International Museum Day seminar 2025 themed "Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities" here on Sunday (May 18). Aaron said apart from regulating museums in Malaysia, the Act will ensure that the museums are built for their intended purpose. "Some museums are not museums; these are sometimes warehouses. "We need to adhere to international standards," he said. Department of Museums Malaysia director-general and International Council of Museums Malaysia chair Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim said the Act will also include the establishment of museum councils to advise on policies, and ensuring museums do not conflict with local community norms. "Some states like Penang and Sarawak have their own enactments, so the Act will streamline all these. "Malaysia had the Antiquities Act which was abolished after the government introduced the National Heritage Act in 2006. "The Antiquities Act focused more on nature as well as tangible and intangible monuments and sites. "The new Act will focus on museum policy control, and establishing a new rating system for museums," said Kamarul. Earlier in his speech, Aaron said Malaysia is home to 232 museums, encompassing federal level museums, state-run institutions, private collections, and personal museums. "As we celebrate this rich tapestry of museums, we must also acknowledge the challenges they face. Rapid societal changes, technological advancements, and the forces of globalisation present new hurdles for these institutions. The key question now is: how can museums stay relevant in this ever-evolving landscape?"
The Star
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Events held to instil values and foster national unity
PASIR MAS: In a bold step toward strengthening racial harmony, the National Unity Ministry has launched a more comprehensive initiative, the flagship Malaysia Madani Unity Tour, anchored on the principles of the Rukun Negara. Speaking at the state-level 2025 Unity Week Celebration (SMP) here yesterday, the ministry's deputy secretary-general, Mohamad Sobri Mat Daud, said that a wide array of ongoing and upcoming programmes will aim to foster a deeper sense of unity across Malaysia's diverse society. 'At the heart of every programme we implement are three key values – Understanding, Respect and Acceptance. 'Through these values, we hope Malaysians can continue to create beautiful moments of unity and preserve the harmony and well-being of our communities,' he said, Bernama reported. Meanwhile, Mohamad Sobri said that SMP also serves as a continuous initiative to educate and nurture Malaysian society in the values of acceptance, mutual respect and civic responsibility under the theme 'Harmony in Diversity', celebrating the beauty of racial, cultural and religious plurality. He said that Kelantan, often recognised for its strong cultural identity, also offers a unique example of how diverse communities – each with their own customs and traditions – can live harmoniously and celebrate one another's heritage. Prior to this, the National Unity Ministry announced that Penang has been selected as the host for the national-level SMP, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 20.
