Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, launched the Merdeka Textile Museum in the compound of the Menara Merdeka Maybank in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The museum was opened by PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), with the aim of preserving and celebrating the textile heritage of the Malay world through contemporary storytelling and interactive cultural experiences.
Her Majesty said that every country has a heritage that should be appreciated, preserved and passed down to future generations, adding that cultural traditions reflect the identity and values that shape Malaysian society.
"I hope the Merdeka Textile Museum will become an important centre for learning and knowledge exploration for everyone, and will serve as an inspiration to Malaysian women today and in future.
"I also hope that the young people will appreciate our country's heritage and culture so that it will not be lost just like that," said Her Majesty in a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's Facebook page.
The personal collection of the late Sharifah Azah Syed Mohammed Alsagoff (Azah Aziz), wife of the late Prof Diraja Ungku Abdul Aziz Abdul Hamid and mother of the former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Dr Ungku Zeti Akhtar Aziz, forms the museum’s main collection.
The collection includes 240 pieces of clothing and 69 traditional jewellery items, including songket sarong, Limar Baju Kurung and Tekat Emas, which were donated by the Azah Aziz family.
The museum also draws inspiration from Azah Aziz's important research work, Rupa Dan Gaya: Busana Melayu, a book that highlights Malay textiles as a reflection of identity, history, culture and society.
The Merdeka Textile Museum, spread across eight galleries, is also equipped with a study centre that includes a conservation laboratory, a fabric library and a textile knowledge centre.
Also present at the event were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and the PNB group chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda. - Bernama
