Once rooted firmly in the soil, Malaysia’s cultural heritage is now finding a second home in the digital cloud.
From ancient manuscripts revived through augmented reality to virtual journeys into the Japanese occupation, technologies such as virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and 3D scanning — hallmarks of the Fourth Industrial Revolution — are transforming how history is preserved, experienced, and remembered.
These innovations are steadily gaining ground in Malaysia. At the National Museum, an Augmented Reality (AR) app brings 28 selected collections to life in vivid 2D and 3D multimedia formats for on-site visitors.
In Taiping, the Perak Museum’s 2023 VR exhibition transported audiences into the daily realities of life under Japanese occupation.
Digital technology has emerged as a powerful catalyst for historical tourism and education in the modern era. Once confined to their physical locations, heritage sites can now be visualised, shared, and even experienced virtually — making them more engaging and accessible than ever.
Yet the question remains: does this technology truly deepen our connection to cultural roots, or does it merely create a compelling illusion?
A MORE IMPACTFUL APPRECIATION OF HISTORICAL HERITAGE
Director of the Melaka State Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN), Ezlina Elias, said that using technology to visualise heritage not only makes it more appealing to younger audiences but also opens the door to new ways of experiencing the nation’s history.
“If we can effectively visualise our heritage — and in fact, this is already happening to some extent — it could become a new tourism draw, particularly for the digital generation, who are naturally drawn to electronic devices and eager to explore history in a fresh, interactive context,” she told Bernama.
Unlike the 1970s and 1980s generation who relied on books to imagine the past, today’s generation can immerse themselves in history through interactive websites and digital applications.
“This could deepen their appreciation and understanding of history, while also inspiring foreign tourists to better value our country’s cultural and heritage treasures,” she added.
“If we don’t start now, when will we? We already have the technology — manuscripts can be digitised with ease, and artefacts can be ‘virtually preserved’ long before we succeed in bringing them back physically,” she said.
In this context, the Melaka state government’s initiative to repatriate and digitise manuscripts and artefacts from the Melaka Sultanate era — particularly those linked to Admiral Hang Tuah and currently held in 14 countries including Vatican City, Italy, India, Japan, and Turkey — will give the public an opportunity to explore and appreciate the authenticity of the nation’s history.
The mission, jointly undertaken by the Melaka government and several research institutions, is already making progress. Notably, one half of a sundang (a large-bladed keris-like weapon) and a pair of ceremonial keris believed to have belonged to Hang Tuah were recently returned via his descendants from the Bintan Islands, Indonesia.
Digitisation efforts using AR technology have also been undertaken by the Sultan Mahmud Islamic Centre at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) on a 100–200-year-old Terengganu Quran manuscript, whose fragile, brittle pages made physical handling nearly impossible. Through this process, each page can now be examined closely and clearly, as though viewing the original copy.
Ezlina also pointed to the Hang Tuah Centre in Duyong, which employs AI to create images for video displays and VR content depicting trade, currency, and language. She cited it as an excellent example of how the Melaka Museum Corporation (Perzim) is bringing Melaka’s history to life with greater accuracy, appeal, and interactivity.
She emphasised that heritage preservation should no longer be limited to conventional, physical methods, but should be driven by innovation and strengthened through international collaboration, particularly within ASEAN.
“This isn’t just about the past — it’s about the future — so that 100 years from now, our grandchildren can still see, appreciate, and take pride in their cultural roots, made visible and tangible through the technology we develop today. This is crucial because many ASEAN countries cite climate change as a major current threat to heritage sites,” she added.
HERITAGE AUTHENTICITY AT RISK
Registered archaeologist with the National Heritage Department, Mohd Nasruddin Rahman, describes technology as a double-edged sword — invaluable for documentation and dissemination, yet capable of eroding the very essence of heritage, which is rooted in authenticity and the “soul” of culture.
He shared that his department had conducted research at Bukit Melaka using advanced scanning and recording tools in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).
These innovations, he said, proved instrumental in capturing findings with greater accuracy, consistency, and efficiency.
Even so, he warned that excessive digitisation can weaken the authenticity and spirit of heritage.
“By definition, heritage demands authenticity. When it becomes overly commercialised — especially for entertainment — its true value will be lost,” he said, citing traditional songs and dances as examples increasingly at risk when reproduced or artificially recreated through technology.
“Technology allows us to mimic authenticity. This is a serious problem for intangible heritage, as it strips away the original spirit and cultural context.
“On top of that, popular culture and social media content tend to draw the younger generation towards modern trends over traditional values — to the point where some can no longer tell what is truly authentic,” he added.
HERITAGE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CHALLENGES
Mohd Nasruddin also highlighted that intellectual property rights in the digital era present an added challenge to heritage preservation.
“We must understand that not all communities know how to safeguard their rights in the digital world. As a result, some heritage should not be digitised, because physical authenticity is essential to truly experiencing it,” he said.
He pointed out that the rise of virtual museums — such as themed exhibitions at the National Museum and several under Perzim — allows users to “visit” without ever seeing the original artefacts.
In Malaysia, the Terengganu Virtual Museum is a pioneering example, being the first of its kind in the country and the third in the world. It houses about 33,000 historical artefacts from the Terengganu State Museum Board in digital form.
However, Mohd Nasruddin cautioned that relying solely on virtual experiences risks depriving visitors of the chance to see and appreciate genuine artefacts.
“This creates a huge gap between living heritage and replicated heritage. Over time, society may end up inheriting only copies — not the real thing,” he warned.
While recognising technology’s value for documentation, education, and cultural dissemination, he stressed the need for a balanced approach — one that ensures authenticity is not sacrificed for the sake of digital convenience.
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