Port dickson: The government will build a repository centre at the Lukut Museum grounds in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, to house more than 200,000 archaeological collections held by the Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM). JMM director-general Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim said the RM23 million project under the 13th Malaysia Plan would see construction of the centre begin next year, with completion expected by 2031.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the facility would serve as a dedicated space to store archaeological artefacts, ceramic fragments and various other collections managed by JMM. Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim emphasized this initiative as the first time the federal government has provided a specific development allocation for the systematic storage of collections. The new repository centre aims to centralise various collections, addressing the inadequacy of existing storage space. It will also offer a dedicated area for researchers to conduct studies, ensuring organic and inorganic collections are kept separately in a more organised manner.

Kamarul Baharin highlighted current holdings of JMM, which include 37,414 ethnological collections, 76,666 natural specimen collections, and 322,966 archaeological collections. In his earlier speech, he identified the biggest challenge in preservation efforts as ensuring the continuity of 'living' heritage. He stressed that skills such as forging, carving, and producing traditional metalwork must continue to be shared, learnt, and appreciated, rather than merely documented in catalogues or stored on shelves.

Regarding the ongoing exhibition, Kamarul Baharin stated it was part of efforts by JMM to reinforce the role of museums as centres of knowledge, research, and preservation of the country's heritage.