KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — The National Unity Ministry is drafting the Museum Bill to regulate the activities of museums nationwide.
National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the act will make it compulsory for every museum to register all national collections for the purpose of reference and benchmarking at every exhibition.
The bill is expected to be tabled in parliament at year-end.
“We want a Museum Act to meet the needs of museums in the future,” he told reporters after launching Muzium Negara’s 60th anniversary celebration and time capsule here today.
The capsule contains a collection of voices, hopes and dreams of museum staff for the future, and it will be opened in 2063 at Muzium Negara’s 100th anniversary celebration.
Aaron said local museums are using the National Heritage Act 2005, which concerns the preservation and conservation of national heritage pieces.
On another matter, Aaron said the Museums Department will implement a cashless payment system for museum tickets soon.
He also announced free entry to Muzium Negara for three days for Malaysians on September 2, 3 and 16 in conjunction with Malaysia Day.
For Muzium Negara’s 60th anniversary celebration, two major exhibitions are being held, including 60 Years of Muzium Negara: A Retrospective, which traces the national museum’s six-decade journey.
The other is the Malaysia My Motherland Exhibition, an interpretation of the history, culture and natural environment of the country through presentations of graphic panels and cultural materials including artefacts.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post Aaron said Muzium Negara has successfully held more than 500 exhibitions and received 80,759,578 visitors, thus far.
“The government, through the Ministry of National Unity, will always prioritise the agenda to turn the museum into a platform for racial integration, in accordance with its function as a guardian of heritage,” he said.
— Bernama
