Citing the example of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah said efforts have been made to generate new knowledge through research, dialogue, publications, and collaborations across disciplines and institutions.
An important step forward, she said, was the setting up of the Al-Sultan Abdullah History and Civilisation Research Centre by the Royal Pahang Museum where research relating to Pahang in the context of Malay and world history, and the role of Islam is being pursued.
“We hope to nurture future generations of scholars, researchers, curators, and young Malaysians who are not only knowledgeable and skilled, but also grounded in values, ethics, identity, and love for civilisation itself,” she added.
Tunku Azizah, who was addressing speaker, scholars, museum professionals and participants from across the Asia-Pacific at the International Council of Museums Asia-Pacific Symposium 2026, said there are efforts to internationalise the study of Pahang’s history and civilisation to place it within the wider narrative of the Malay world and global history.
“Museums must remain dynamic, engaging, and intellectually alive. Displays should evolve, ideas should be shared, and institutions should constantly learn from one another,” she said.
She said people should also not be afraid to exchange ideas, emulate successful approaches, or modernise the museum experience while preserving authenticity and tradition.
“Museums are not ultimately about profit; they are about knowledge, memory, and legacy,” she pointed out.
One legacy of note, Tunku Azizah said, is the Hukum Kanun Pahang.
“The Hukum Kanun Pahang, one of the state’s greatest treasures, is a witness to the sophistication of the Malay civilisation and one of the most precious legacies that we must preserve, study, and share with the world,” she said.
Tunku Azizah noted that long before the arrival of European powers, the Malay world possessed sophisticated systems of governance, diplomacy, trade, law, and civilisation.
“The Hukum Kanun Melaka and the Hukum Kanun Pahang stand as testimony to this reality. They remind us that our forefathers were not merely rulers of territories, but also architects of civilisation. They governed through systems rooted in Islam, adat, ethics, justice, and responsibility,” she said.
The Portuguese had a copy of the Hukum Kanun Melaka transcribed and sent to the Vatican Apostolic Library, where it remains preserved today.
However, the Hukum Kanun Pahang manuscript preserved at the Royal Pahang Museum, written in the early 17th century, predates the Vatican copy, which was transcribed in the late 17th century.
Tunku Azizah said that in many ways, these legal texts may be regarded as the “Magna Carta” of the Malay world, foundational legal manuscripts that articulated governance, justice, responsibility, and the relationship between ruler and society within a distinctly Malay-Islamic constitutional tradition.
Recalling her own experience listening to oral histories within the palace walls, hearing stories of rulers, diplomacy, sacrifice, and service from earlier generations, she said she had come to understand that memory itself is a form of preservation.
“Museums preserve objects, but families, communities, and storytellers preserve meaning,” emphasising the importance of oral history.
“This is especially important for the younger generation. In a rapidly changing world, many risk becoming disconnected from their roots.
“Yet a people without memory are a people who may eventually lose themselves. Museums therefore have a sacred responsibility: not only to preserve the past, but to help future generations understand who they are,” she added.