PUTRAJAYA — Malaysia is undertaking a comprehensive effort to preserve its diverse linguistic heritage, including endangered indigenous and minority languages, through the creation of a centralised database. This initiative aims to document the country’s hundreds of languages, dialects, and colloquial expressions to safeguard them for future generations.

Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, the National Unity Minister, announced the project in an interview coinciding with Malaysia Day on September 16. The database, currently being compiled by the National Archives of Malaysia, will include both written records and video recordings of native speakers. Aaron said the archive will eventually be accessible to the public and could serve as a resource for students and researchers interested in Malaysia’s linguistic diversity.

Malaysia is home to more than 130 languages, many of which risk extinction due to diminishing use in daily life and limited formal instruction. Among the languages considered vulnerable are Orang Asli languages such as Che Wong, Kensiu, and Mah Meri, as well as Melaka Portuguese, Baba Malay, Chitty Malay, and several Chinese dialects, including Kelantan Hokkien.

Aaron highlighted that many of these languages survive primarily through oral tradition, with pronunciations, expressions, and styles of speech passed down informally across generations. He stressed that language preservation is vital because languages carry the history, memory, and identity of their communities. “When a language or tradition disappears, we lose part of Malaysia's collective heritage,” he said.

The government's recent efforts include the completion of a study under the Bahasa Kolokial initiative, launched in 2024, which focused on recording and documenting colloquial languages and expressions used across Malaysia’s diverse population. Additionally, the ministry has introduced the Arkib Komuniti initiative to archive the histories, experiences, and cultural traditions of various communities nationwide.

Aaron also addressed broader cultural preservation through museums, noting the forthcoming Malaysia Museums Bill as a significant development. The legislation will establish a more coordinated federal framework for the country’s approximately 232 museums, only 22 of which are currently managed by the Department of Museums Malaysia. The bill aims to professionalise and elevate the nation’s museum ecosystem, enabling these institutions to become accessible spaces that foster national understanding and appreciation of Malaysia’s multifaceted heritage.

“Moving forward, I would like our museums to increasingly become spaces of discovery and national understanding,” Aaron said. “A Malaysian should be able to enter a museum and discover not only the history of his or her own community but also leave knowing something new about another Malaysian community.”