Kuala lumpur: Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, graciously launched the Merdeka Textile Museum in the compound of the Menara Merdeka Maybank here today. The museum, established by PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), aims to preserve and celebrate the textile heritage of the Malay world through in-depth storytelling and interactive cultural experiences.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Queen emphasized the importance of appreciating, preserving, and passing down cultural heritage to future generations. Raja Zarith Sofiah highlighted that cultural traditions reflect the identity and values shaping Malaysian society. She expressed hope that the Merdeka Textile Museum will serve as a crucial center for learning and inspiration for current and future Malaysian women. Additionally, the Queen urged the youth to value the country's heritage and culture to ensure its continuity.

The museum's main core is the personal collection of the late Sharifah Azah Syed Mohammed Alsagoff (Azah Aziz), which includes 240 pieces of clothing and 69 traditional jewelry items. The collection features songket sarong, Limar Baju Kurung, and Tekat Emas, donated by the Azah Aziz family. The museum also draws inspiration from Azah Aziz's significant work, "Rupa and Gaya: Busana Melayu," which highlights Malay textiles as reflections of identity, history, and culture.

The Merdeka Textile Museum houses eight galleries and is equipped with a study center, conservation laboratory, fabric library, and textile knowledge center. The launch event was attended by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and PNB group chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda.