KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — Any form of historical artefacts located abroad cannot be brought back or reclaimed arbitrarily; instead, they must go through the proper process based on the law.

The Queen of Malaysia, Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofiah, said it is very easy to use the sentiment that national historical artefacts currently in the possession and custody of foreign parties were “stolen” during the colonial era by various world powers, and therefore should be returned as our property.

“While it is true that some were taken improperly, the fact remains that throughout our pre-merdeka historical civilisation, previous governments frequently communicated and shared many things, including souvenirs that have now become shared historical artefacts,” Her Majesty said in a statement shared via the Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar [Facebook page].

Her Majesty noted that the manuscripts and letters from Malay Rulers displayed during her visit to the British Library on Dec 16 belong to the heirs of Sir Stamford Raffles, who handed them over to the British Library for research and preservation purposes.

This includes copies of hikayat (chronicles) or printed books from the British colonial era, where a copy of every printed material produced in Malaya was sent to be stored at the British Library in London.

“For example, if we have letters sent to our ancestors from external parties, would it be appropriate for the heirs of the sender to claim them as their property and for us to hand them over? It is evidence of a relationship between two parties and, in a historical context, deserves to be well-preserved.

“This is what the British Library and many other similar institutions do, including those in our own country, as an effort to preserve history and its lessons for research by present and future generations.

“The original copies displayed for the Johor delegation the other day have been meticulously stored, with air humidity carefully controlled to ensure they are not damaged,” Her Majesty said.

The Queen also stated that the available artefacts have been shared online digitally for researchers. More importantly, they are used to learn about the civilisation of this nation, rather than focusing solely on the issue of ownership of artefacts and documents.

Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah added that the basis of the visit to the British Library was to encourage deeper research into the history of Malay civilisation, so it may serve as an example in shaping and planning the future of this nation. — Bernama