Shah Alam:The development of the Digital Document Management System (DDMS) 3.0 will be undertaken in-house through a strategic collaboration among several government departments to reduce costs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar announced the initiative, which involves cooperation between the National Archives of Malaysia (ANM), the National Digital Department (JDN), GovTech, and the Office of the Chief Government Security Officer (CGSO). The National Archives will focus on integrating record management principles, while JDN and GovTech will handle technical leadership. The CGSO will manage information security and access controls to protect classified records. The goal is to create a smarter, integrated, secure, and resilient government records ecosystem.
The announcement was made during the 2026 Public Sector Records Management Convention at the Shah Alam City Council Convention Centre. Shamsul Azri highlighted that DDMS 3.0 will incorporate artificial intelligence technology to enhance the strategic value of government big data, ensuring records are complete, accurate, and reliable.
He emphasized the importance of records as evidence of government accountability, noting that all decisions, expenditures, and public interest actions must be documented and preserved. He stressed that lost or destroyed records undermine public rights and accountability. The National Archives Act 2003 mandates that public records cannot be destroyed without written permission from the ANM director-general.
Shamsul Azri urged department heads and records officers to prioritize records management and consult the ANM when in doubt about record handling. He also encouraged the public to contribute historical records to the ANM for preservation and digitization.
At the convention, he introduced the Public Sector General Affairs File Classification Usage Manual 2026 and the Guidelines on the Use of Digital Signatures in DDMS. These documents aim to standardize record management practices and enhance digital record management in the public sector, ensuring systematic and secure processes.