Repositori Digital Cerita Malaysia dicadang jadi khazanah nasional

Minister of Unity Aaron Ago Dagang inaugurated the Malaysia Storytelling Festival 2026 at the National Library today. (Photo: Bernama) The National Library of Malaysia (PNM) is set to explore the establishment of a Digital Repository for Malaysia Stories as a national digital asset to preserve stories, memories, and voices of the people for future generations.

The minister said the initiative can expand PNM's role from merely guarding national publications to an institution also safeguarding the nation's memory and voice. He explained that stories forming Malaysia's identity need to be documented to prevent them from being lost to the sands of time, besides continuing to serve as a source of knowledge, research, and inspiration for future generations.

"This initiative will make PNM not only a guardian of national publications but also a guardian of the nation's memory and voice," he said during the inauguration of the Malaysia Storytelling Festival 2026 at the National Library today. Speaking on artificial intelligence (AI), Aaron emphasized that it should not be seen merely as a replacement for human storytelling.

Instead, he said, technology should be leveraged ethically to broaden creativity and presentation methods without compromising authenticity, integrity, and human values in storytelling. The festival, themed "Storytelling as Heritage of Knowledge Society," aimed to promote storytelling culture and enhance scientific culture. It also sought to ensure that the nation's legacy and assets are valued and inherited by future generations.

PNM's program ran for two days starting today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Various offerings were provided for visitors including lectures, podcasts, storytelling sessions, technical storytelling workshops, digital animation and comics, book writing and illustration, and storytelling competitions.