Aaron Proposes PNM To Establish Digital Repository Of Malaysian Stories

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- The National Library of Malaysia (PNM) could establish a ‘Repositori Digital Cerita Malaysia’ (Digital Repository of Malaysian Stories) as a national digital archive to ensure that stories shaping the country’s identity are preserved and passed down to future generations.

National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the repository could systematically compile Malaysian folk stories in digital form, making them a source of knowledge, research and inspiration for future generations.

“This repository is more or less like a database for Malaysian stories... The effort should not be limited to preserving our heritage, but should also record and systematically compile folk stories in digital form that can be accessed and utilised by future generations.

“This initiative would also enable PNM to serve not only as the custodian of the country’s published materials, but also as the custodian of the nation’s memories and voices, ensuring that stories shaping our national identity are not lost to time,” he said in his speech at the opening of the 2026 Malaysia Storytelling Festival (FPM) here today.

Elaborating, Aaron said efforts to strengthen storytelling were also important in the ‘Negara-Bangsa' (Nation-State) building process by fostering a shared identity and understanding of the diversity of languages and cultures in the country.

He also reminded the public not to rely entirely on artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content without verifying it, as this could lead to the spread of inaccurate information.

Aaron said that, according to a UNESCO study, 62 per cent of digital content creators did not conduct fact-checking, while 42 per cent used the number of likes and views as the main indicators to determine the credibility of content.

“Whatever is generated by AI, if it is not understood within the proper context, may lead to interpretations or findings that may not be accurate,” he said, adding that narrative literacy was important to enable the public to understand, evaluate and filter stories in the digital environment.

He also hoped that cooperation among PNM, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Communications and strategic partners could be strengthened to expand efforts to empower the storytelling culture.

The festival, organised for the first time by PNM, is being held over two days until tomorrow, from 10 am to 5 pm, featuring various activities related to storytelling, writing and cultural heritage for visitors of all ages.

Earlier, PNM director-general Edy Irwan Zulkafli, in his welcoming speech, said the festival, themed ‘Penceritaan sebagai Warisan Masyarakat Berilmu’, aimed to elevate the art of storytelling as a medium to strengthen unity and foster a reading culture among the public.

He said the festival, based on the concept of relaxed learning and edutainment, also featured various interactive activities, including four workshops on short story writing, comic creation and interactive storytelling techniques.

“This platform not only brings back traditional stories that are increasingly being forgotten, but also serves as an important catalyst in fostering the spirit of unity, mutual understanding and respect for each other’s cultures,” he said, adding that the programme also featured knowledge-sharing sessions and podcasts highlighting prominent figures in writing and storytelling.

Meanwhile, he said today’s programme also announced the winners of four online competitions - the Storytelling Competition, Creative Storytelling Competition, Musical Storytelling Competition and Short Story Writing Competition - which attracted 335 entries from various categories.

Mohamad Azwar Kamaruzaman, who won the public category of the Short Story Writing Competition with his work ‘Misteri Pontianak Berharum Cempedak’, said writing short stories was one of the ways he expressed his feelings and practised ‘escapism’ in his daily life.

On the use of artificial intelligence (AI), he said the technology was used for technical tasks such as checking spelling and grammatical errors, rather than generating ideas, as creativity and writing style should come from the writer.

“AI is a tool that makes things easier, not one that generates creativity. The original ideas and writing style should come from the writer. However, writers can use AI for technical tasks such as checking spelling and counting the number of words,” he said.

-- BERNAMA