Kuala Lumpur - Although Malaysia can claim to be the rightful owner of historical documents kept overseas, it is not right to demand that they be returned, said Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
“The documents and artefacts rightfully belong to the current owners. We cannot say that it`s our right and demand for them because such methods can affect our relations with other countries.
“What we can do is to ask for cooperation through a memorandum of understanding,” he told reporters after announcing the 16th International Congress on Archives to be held on Tuesday.
He said the National Archives Department had, in the past, bought or obtained copies of historical documents or artefacts from other countries or individuals who had the originals.
About 1,200 participants from 138 countries are expected to attend the six-day congress at the KL Convention Centre.
Shafie said the congress would be a good opportunity for Malaysia`s history experts and researchers to learn advanced methods of archiving historical documents.
“We want to explore the new field of digital archiving and the preservation process, which is now being used in the developed countries.”
On another matter, Shafie, who is an Umno supreme council member, said it was too early for him to gauge the support if he wanted to go for the post of Umno vice-president because the party branches had just begun their meetings.
“It will be up to the members to nominate the best candidates. It`s healthy democracy,” he said when asked if there were more leaders who would offer themselves as candidates.
“I wouldn`t contest if I didn`t have the support. I helped to form Sabah Umno and I had gone up the party hierarchy from the bottom,” he added.
Source: http://thestar.com.my (July 19, 2008)