KUALA LUMPUR – The government is actively tracing and acquiring archival materials, including documents abroad on Malaysia's border demarcation and sovereignty, said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
Dagang said these are being done via the National Archives of Malaysia with the cooperation of various government agencies, institutes of higher learning, and experts in related fields who are undertaking varied efforts to obtain these materials.
“However, these efforts require a large allocation and are dependent on a budget approved by the government,” he said when winding up the committee-level debate session on the Supply Bill 2023 for the ministry in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Therefore, he said, the ministry will endeavour to obtain the allocation needed from the Finance Ministry under the 12th Malaysia Plan for the purchase of the said archival materials.
Last year, local media reported that millions of manuscripts of archival materials related to Malaysia were abroad, some important as evidence if the country faces any conflict over its sovereignty over territorial, border, or regional areas.
The winding-up session at the committee level for the ministry became heated when Ahmad Fadhli Bin Shaari (Pasir Mas-PN) raised the Women’s Day march held recently in front of Sogo Complex and Dataran Merdeka.
Fadhli claimed that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community participated in the march.
R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH) then stood and brought up Article 36(12) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders and asked the Pasir Mas MP to explain how he knew the gathering was attended by the group before a heated argument ensued.
However, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul quickly brought the situation under control and asked the two MPs as well as Datuk Awang Hashim (Pendang-PN), who tried to join the fray, to sit down and look at the actual situation.
“I remember the issue has been mentioned many times. Firstly, this march was not organised by the LGBT community. Those who took advantage (of the march) are being investigated by police, so let police do their job.
“Police are investigating, so we will discuss after a decision is made… that’s why I want to move on,” he said.
Earlier, Wan Razali Wan Nor (Kuantan-PN) also raised the same issue, causing a ruckus in the Dewan when several MPs from the government got up to ask Wan Razali to withdraw his statement before being calmed down by Johari.
Meanwhile, the allocation for the National Unity Ministry in Budget 2023 was passed at the committee level today.
The Supply Bill 2023 for the ministry was passed with a majority voice vote after being debated by 16 MPs from the government and opposition.
Among the MPs involved in the debate session were Datuk Ahmad Saad @ Yahaya (Pokok Sena-PN), Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera-PH), and Mohamad Shafizan Kepli (Batang Lupar-GPS). – Bernama, March 15, 2023
