PETALING JAYA: The National Unity Ministry is seeking RM550.7mil under Budget 2027 for six initiatives aimed at strengthening national identity, community harmony and the preservation of Malaysia’s heritage.
Its minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (pic) said the initiatives include National Unity and Identity, Community Harmony, Ini Warisan Kita (This Is Our Heritage), Digitalisation of National Treasures, upgrading of unity premises, and matching grants for museums, archives and libraries.
“The proposed allocation from the Finance Ministry would support the government’s broader nation-building agenda.
“I will meet with the minister tomorrow regarding this matter,” he said during a press conference at the Malaysia Storytelling Festival 2026 yesterday.
Looking back, he said the ministry received RM650.48mil in operating funds and RM117.52mil in development funds under Budget 2026, with RM136mil allocated for the ministry’s initiatives.
“The budget breakdown for our initiatives last year was RM55mil for Rukun Tetangga neighbourhood programmes, RM5mil for museum matching grants, RM20mil to upgrade Unity Kindergartens, RM55mil for unity activities and RM1mil for Siamese ethnic culture,” he shared.
Aaron said all Budget 2027 requests and initiatives would be aligned with the ministry’s focus on nation-building.
“Since 2023 until today, the budget allocation for the ministry has shown continuous growth,” he said.
Separately, on the proposed national museum database, Aaron said for now there is a challenge in creating a shared system as most museums fall under state jurisdiction.
“Out of 232 museums nationwide, only 22 are federally managed, making mandatory data-sharing difficult,” he said.
He added discussions with states are ongoing and hoped the initiative will be included in Budget 2027, paving the way for a unified artefact database.
In previous reports, Aaron urged the Museums Department to establish a National Artefact Collection Database to consolidate information from museums nationwide.
He pointed to models in Norway and Sweden, where hundreds of museums are linked through digitised systems for public access, and proposed engagement sessions with all 232 museums under federal, state, university and private management to develop the system.
The minister also mentioned that the Malaysia Museum Bill could be tabled in Parliament next year.
“We have completed it and are just waiting for the Attorney General’s Chambers to finalise it.
“Cabinet has also approved the policy.”
Separately, he also said that tender processes have begun for the Natural History Building located at Precinct 5, Putrajaya, opposite the Higher Education Ministry.
“The museum will house over 76,000 natural history specimens, modelled on the Natural History Museum in London,” he said.
