The National Unity Ministry is seeking RM550.7 million in the upcoming Budget 2027 to fund six initiatives designed to strengthen Malaysia’s national identity, promote community harmony, and preserve the country’s heritage. The proposed projects include efforts in National Unity and Identity, Community Harmony, the Ini Warisan Kita (This Is Our Heritage) programme, digitalisation of national treasures, upgrading of unity-related facilities, and matching grants for museums, archives, and libraries.
Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang announced the funding request during a press conference at the Malaysia Storytelling Festival 2026 in Petaling Jaya. He emphasized that the allocation would support the government’s broader nation-building objectives and said he planned to meet the Finance Minister to discuss the matter further.
Reflecting on the previous year’s budget, the ministry received RM650.48 million in operating funds and RM117.52 million in development funding under Budget 2026, with RM136 million earmarked for various ministry initiatives. These included RM55 million for Rukun Tetangga neighbourhood programmes, RM5 million for museum matching grants, RM20 million for upgrading Unity Kindergartens, RM55 million for unity activities, and RM1 million supporting Siamese ethnic culture.
Aaron highlighted the steady increase in budget allocations to the ministry since 2023, aligning each year’s spending closely with the agency’s nation-building priorities.
On the subject of establishing a national museum database, the minister acknowledged challenges stemming from most museums being managed at the state level. Of Malaysia’s 232 museums, only 22 are under federal control, complicating efforts to mandate data sharing. Ongoing discussions with state authorities aim to include the database initiative in Budget 2027, which would enable a unified digital repository of artefacts.
Aaron pointed to international examples such as Norway and Sweden, where hundreds of museums utilize shared digital systems to provide public access to collections. He called for engagement sessions involving all 232 museums, which operate under federal, state, university, and private jurisdictions, to collaboratively develop a similar system in Malaysia.
The minister also announced that the Malaysia Museum Bill has been completed and currently awaits final review by the Attorney General’s Chambers. The Cabinet has also approved the policy, with plans to table the bill in Parliament next year.
In addition to administrative updates, tender processes have begun for a new Natural History Building located in Precinct 5, Putrajaya, opposite the Ministry of Higher Education. The facility will house over 76,000 natural history specimens and is being modelled after the Natural History Museum in London.