KUCHING: The Sarawak Legislative Assembly has passed amendments to its State Library Ordinance to, among other things, establish a memorial archive.
State Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah, in tabling the amendment Bill on Tuesday (Oct 13), said the archive is “an important addition” to the statutory functions of the library.
A memorial archive, unlike standard historical archives, is a curated collection of materials—such as documents, photographs, letters, oral histories, personal belongings or digital media—preserved to honour, remember and document the lives of deceased prominent persons and forefathers who have contributed to the development of the state or historic tragic events.
Historical archives focus broadly on administrative or general history.
Sagah said these memorial archives will enable future generations to better understand the people, decisions, events and experiences that have shaped Sarawak.
"Sarawak has a rich history shaped by its people, its institutions, and the events that have contributed to its development," he said.
Sagah said as time passes, materials associated with its history, contributions of prominent persons and former leaders who have contributed to the development of the state must be properly preserved for the benefit of future generations.
On lawmakers' concerns in digitising the collected materials, Sagah told the assembly Sarawak has already invested in digital record management capabilities "to ensure records remain authentic, reliable, accessible and secure throughout their lifecycle".
He said the management system was first initiated by the state library and finally adopted by the Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit (SCSDU).
On archiving the materials, Sagah said the state library has already established the Archival Records Management System (ARMS), a dedicated web-based archival platform that enables users to manage records and archives, handle appraisal and disposition processes, and identify, locate, search, reserve, retrieve and request access to archival materials held by the State Record Repository.
The system, he said, allows researchers and members of the public to search archival holdings online and arrange access to records.
Sagah also told the assembly that the state library is continuously expanding its digital preservation capabilities and had recently installed a system to facilitate the receipt, recording, management and preservation of digital publications.
The system, he added, ensures that published materials produced in Sarawak will be systematically collected, documented, preserved and made available for future generations.
All these initiatives demonstrate that Sarawak has already moved beyond traditional custodianship towards comprehensive digital preservation and access strategies, he said.
